Margo Goes to Holyrood
In politics it seems that hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. A revealing Scottish Television documentary to be screened this month follows Margo MacDonald on the campaign trail. The film shows Margo urging voters to cast their vote for just about anybody and any party. Except the SNP. Among the highlights in the highly entertaining programme is an eve of poll performance at The Stand comedy club in Edinburgh. “And what do you think of John Swinney?” asks the compere. “Well I just love his sparkling personality and rapier intellect”, retorts Margo. It seems her SNP days are well and truly over.
No Viva Espagna
First Minister Jack McConnell did a lot of sweating during the recent coalition negotiations. No, it was nothing to do with PR or youth crime policy. As the negotiations dragged on longer than he wanted, it became impossible for him to go to Seville for a certain football match. Now Celtic supporters have a reputation for paranoia so you can’t blame the lad for thinking it was all deliberate on the part of the Lib Dems. We can reveal that Deputy FM Jim Wallace is a closet bluenose.
Not so liberal
Our new intake of MSPs have been busy coming to terms with their new environment. Whilst the results on the 1 May were refreshing for pluralist politics, it seems that pluralist attitudes are not universal. John Swinburne, who was elected for the Senior Citizens Unity Party, was heard to say that he did not want to sit near the Greens. Motherwell man will have to learn to grow up. No such problems for the redoubtable Margaret Jamieson from Kilmarnock. She has had an entire Parliament to settle in. This time four years ago Alex Neil asked her “and how are you settling in Margaret?”. “Settling in?” she roared “I haven’t had time to scratch my arse”.
Mission Impossible
The partnership agreement deal on PR must be sticking in the throats of quite a few on the Labour benches. None more so than former left-winger Cathy Jamieson who in the past has argued against proportional voting for Holyrood elections never mind local councils. It was left to Cathy and Tavish Scott to explain the deal to the Lawnmarket press pack. One hack asked a question about how Labour MSPs greeted the news that the manifesto commitment to first past the post had been dropped. Before she could answer a photographers mobile phone cut through the awkward silence. And the ring tone? Mission impossible