Newsnight Scotland

Is it any wonder Scottish Labour is losing voters when Ian Davidson is the best they can provide as an MP?  The man is also the chair of the Westminster Scottish Affairs Committee and his behaviour is inappropriate for a person with such a position in politics.

Surely the BBC will formally request Davidson to back up his claims or make a public apology to Isabel Fraser. Does he call Newsnight 'newsnat'?

Note:  Andrew Tickell blogs as Lallands Peat Worrier.

Thanks to Moridura for posting the video so promptly.

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Newsnicht - Willie Bain

Willie Bain is on the left

Willie Bain was in the hot seat on Newnight Scotland last night. He is the labour candidate for the Glasgow North East by-election.

The interviewer was Gordon Brewer and I feel he was very 'soft' and far less time was given than was allocated to David Kerr on Monday. Is that a good or bad thing?

Mr Bain appeared confident but Gordon Brewer wasn't intent on an in depth interview.

In my opinion Mr Bain received an very easy ride but I give him 7 out of 10 for confidence.

That doesn't mean I'm not still slightly concerned that a man of 36, who works part-time in London (perhaps because he can't find a job in Scotland), still lives at home with his parents. I have a 'thing' about grown men living with their parents especially when they have an income through their own efforts.

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Newsnicht - David Kerr

Last night I watched Newnight Scotland, only because David Kerr, the SNP candidate for the Glasgow NE by-election was to be interviewed. The interviewer was Glen Campbell instead of the regular Gordon Brewer. Did that make a difference? That's a matter of personal opinion.

Mr Kerr, ex-BBC employee and for a time, editor of Newsnight Scotland in the past, seemed confident and performed well initially. The nonsense about his place of birth he handled well although he could have been slightly more assertive. Clement Park Nursing Home, Lochee was my place of birth but I wouldn't consider I 'belonged' to that area, as I spent the first 11 years of my life in Dens Road, which lies at the opposite side of the city.

His answer regarding MPs' expenses was clear and precise but then came the question - "Do you think we should still have troops in Afghanistan?" What a disappointing response. Mr Kerr thinks we should have troops in Afghanistan and they should continue to stay there until a strategy review is done. A strategy review could take months, in fact would definitely take months and meanwhile 9000 men and women struggle to do their best to survive in conditions few of us would tolerate or even imagine.

He doesn't seem to have any idea about the Afghan war or military processes - that was obvious from his body language. I was hoping he had some knowledge of the present situation of our armed forces but it appears the issue is not important enough to him for it to to warrant any serious study.

Some of you may think I was wishing David Kerr would say, "Bring them home tomorrow," and you are right, but I am always happy to listen to those who disagree with my view. What is it about politicians (and prospective politicians) that they're unable/unwilling to say more than, "We're in Afghanistan to protect our streets?" None has taken the line that being there is causing harm to these islands for future generations. None has openly stated we're not in charge of our own military but we're the support forces for any decision the US makes. Defence is one of the few areas over which Britain has control, for the present anyway. Many other areas of government have been removed and are now decided by the EU.

I know I'm not a lone voice saying our military should be withdrawn as soon as possible and I also know that in the past couple of days more people agree, because they realise Afghanistan will not be controlled by westeners and will fight to keep what we in the west consider is a corrupt and discredited president and government.

If Mr Kerr does wish to brush up on today's military matters, there's no finer place for him to start than EUReferendum or its sister/brother blog Defence of the Realm.

Let's see how the other candidates perform this week. Being first in such a situation is always a disadvantage because the questions are fresh but overall David Kerr did quite well and I'd give him 7 out of 10. Maybe my expectations were just too high.

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Paxman in the Hotseat

Jeremy Paxman is performing at the Edinburgh Festival. His programme is a 45 minute talk (excellent value at £9), about the Victorians and their art, the subject of his much hyped recent book. I must pay more attention because I wasn't aware he had a book published recently.

Back to the story. After his 45 minute talk Paxman (Paxo to his friends), made the schoolboy error of opening the subject to the floor, at which point he became the subject of rather more probing than he would have liked.

The audience were considerably more interested in whether or not the Newsnight host would do what the Prime Minister had (at the time) so strenuously avoided and offer an opinion on the release of the Lockerbie bomber, al-Megrahi.

"I have strong views on this subject, but I'm not going to tell you what they are." he retorted when the matter was raised. Evasion wasn't so easy though and the questions kept coming.

"Why should I answer the question?" he snapped eventually. "I know what will happen. One of your august journalists will write this up and I'll be in the poo again."

Life isn't so easy on the other side of the question mark is it?

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Eric Joyce labour MP - Newsnight Interview

For my readers who don't have access to BBC iPlayer. Courtesy of Goodnight Vienna

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