What's Patrick Harvie Up To?

When the Scottish Green Party's joint lead, Patrick Harvie, stood alongside Alex Salmond at the launch of the Yes Scotland campaign a fortnight ago I thought there had been a pre-launch understanding that the Greens would take a strong role in the promotion of independence for Scotland.

However it would appear not all was as it seemed when Patrick Harvie signed his support on the whiteboard.  Now he says:

"We feel frustrated by the lack of progress towards a genuinely inclusive campaign, and concerned that a non-inclusive campaign will be less likely to succeed."


Green policy is to support independence and the party advocates a multi-option referendum. The question of a multi-option being on the ballot paper has yet to be decided and so too is the party's formal joining for the 'Yes' vote.

What I can't understand is why Patrick Harvie decided taking a high profile part in the campaign launch was a good idea when his party had not formally joined the campaign because it 'was not inclusive enough'.

It's obvious the SNP would be the lead party in the campaign because its manpower and resources are much higher than the Greens could muster, but I think Mr Harvie has done his party and himself a disservice complaining so soon after he was filmed smiling broadly in the company of other independence supporters.  What is his point?

Have the party members complained that they were never informed of his close association with the Yes Scotland campaign or has Patrick decided to make waves because his voice isn't being heard?

It could be a little of both but certainly he hasn't done himself any favours by moaning about inclusivity.  His comments seem more like a case of soor plooms than a genuine grievance about the SNP. He should have ensured his party were satisfied with their position in the campaign prior to standing on a platform with Alex Salmond.

Patrick Harvie is a popular and eloquent politician.  Achieving such a headline in the Daily Record will do him and his party little good. Time to drop the whinging Patrick and, if the SNP won't show you the reverence you feel you deserve, then you're perfectly capable of presenting your case for independence without Alex Salmond holding your hand.

Achieving independence for Scotland is much more important than the position of a few politicians. Margo MacDonald, who sent a message of support to the campaign, suggests that the issues upsetting Partrick Harvie have been caused by poor planning.  She may be right, but it was Patrick Harvie's responsibility to find out the details of his party's role in Yes Scotland before he appeared as one of the cheerleaders at the launch.

Picture by Ian Rutherford.

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Let Battle Commence

After Tuesday's fond farewells at the end of the third session of the Scottish Parliament, the Holyrood election campaign began with a whimper rather than a bang, although admittedly it was overshadowed by the UK government's budget yesterday.

We have been subjected to unofficial campaigning, by all parties, for months and I wonder if there will be any surprises when they launch their manifestos.  Will Labour continue to steal SNP policies or will they manage to construct some of their own?

Will Annabel's campaign chatterings continue to echo her pre-campaign mantra: 'Without the Conservatives policies that put 1000 extra police on the streets and gave the council tax freeze would not have been passed'.  I should think every man, woman and child in Scotland knows that by now, but will they be impressed enough to vote Tory?

The Libdems didn't have a good day yesterday when around 2000 students gathered at Holyrood to urge politicians to rule out fees, protect college places and improve student support.  They were addressed by politicians from all the parties except the Conservatives, but LibDem spokeswoman Margaret Smith struggled to be heard over loud jeering.

It's long been said politics and religion shouldn't mix but that hasn't deterred the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, the Right Rev. John Christie and Cardinal Keith O'Brien of the Roman Catholic Church, from launching a rather smart new website Churches Vote, aimed at bringing denominations together.  It is encouraging churches to organise local hustings - a good idea, although some may say hustings are old-fashioned.

There are 41 days until election day: Alex Salmond remains as First Minister until then.  Plenty time for a few surprises.

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The Latest Scottish Poll

I'm a PC (Poll Cynic) but today it wasn't possibly not to be slightly encouraged by the Ipsos MORI poll published.  Many others have given their articulate opinions such as the Peat Worrier, Joan McApline and Alex Porter and I concur, although a little less excitedly, with their findings.

Recent polls which stated Labour was so far ahead of the SNP didn't quite ring true with me and I assumed most of the contributors were from labour heartlands.  No one I know intends to change their vote in May and our one and only Labour voter may just be coming round understanding the SNP is the only voice we have for Scotland. The unionist parties manipulate us at their London leaders' behest.

In case you don't know the basic results of the poll here they are:

Holyrood Constituencies

* SNP  37%
* Labour  36%
* Conservative  13%
* Libdem  10%
* Greens  2%
* SSP  1%
* Others 1%

Holyrood List

* SNP  35%
* Labour  33%
* Conservative  13%
* Libdems  10%
* Greens  6%
* SSP  1%
* Others  2%

In pie chart form courtesy of PoliticalBetting:

click to enlarge

The complete tables of the poll can now be read here.

Update:  Since writing this post Calum Cashley had published one of his own.  It's always a pleasure to read his analysis.

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Newsnicht - David Doherty

David Doherty is the Green candidate for the Glasgow NE by-election. He was interviewed on Thursday night by Gordon Brewer.

The interview was rather a rushed affair, but for a young man of 24, I think Mr Doherty did rather well. It was obvious he had done his revision and was nervous, but he didn't allow Gordon Brewer interruptions to put him off message.

The one criticism I would give is that he said he was campaigning on housing and public transport. Aren't they both devolved issues? The Green Party's policy on Warm Homes is a UK policy though so I can't take marks from him really can I?

I'm all for the Greens Warm Homes policy even although I've just spend quite a bit insulating a room (internal insulation as no other solution possible), but the cost to government would be prohibitive. Public transport in a country like Scotland is a difficult issue. Fine for the cities but outside the central belt we rely upon our own personal transport and that's not going to change for generations. Providing a good public transport service in rural areas isn't a sensible use of money.

Such a shame Mr Doherty's chance in the 'hot seat' was so brief, but I was impressed by his demeanor and the fact he didn't talk propaganda every minute, so I give him 8 out of 10.

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