Friday 6 March 2009

A decent motion? Shock Horror

About time there was a motion to have a dig at George Foulkes, shame it doesnt mention the Jowly Jambo by name..

Short Title: Cost of Parliamentary Questions
S3M-03628 Ian McKee (Lothians) (SNP): That the Parliament, mindful of the answer to question S3W-17445 by the Minister for Parliamentary Business on 10 November 2008 that the cost of answering a parliamentary question is £98.51, notes that at least one member has asked over 1,000 questions in this parliamentary session, costing a total of over £100,000, and that if all members followed this example that the cost to the taxpayer would be nearly £13 million, or £26 million in a full session, and therefore requests all members to consider whether their question is really necessary before incurring yet more public expense

George Foulkes does it again

Hot off the press this one:

S3M-03621 George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab):
That the Parliament calls on the Minister for Culture, External Affairs and the Constitution to retract his derogatory remarks about parts of Glasgow, Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Stirling and Lanarkshire, made in his book, In Waiting: Travels in the Shadow of Edwin Muir, in October 1998; in particular calls on the minister to retract the comments that imply that Glasgow is too dangerous to get out of a car and that tenement closes are covered with the bodies of unconscious drug addicts, that describe the flag on Edinburgh Castle as “an awful mutant tablecloth”, that suggest that Dumfries is full of “skinny, ill-dressed women”, that Aberdeen is inhospitable and that Stirling is undesirable, and believes that it is against the interests of Scotland to have a minister who is responsible for promoting Scotland and its culture to be seen to continue to hold these views.

Heaven forbid that a politician would go out and, you know, actually meet people, talk to them and then tell it like it is.

For a better context on George Foulkes' rather carefully shown phrases, go to this blog and then decide if the eminently capable Mike Russell is a force for good or not.

Sunday 1 March 2009

Long time, no crap chat

Crap Holyrood Chat seems to have been impressed by the standard of motions and PQs of late. I have to admit my infrequent amble into what is being said at the Parliament has not turned up anything worthy of inclusion here.

That is until today. I fear Jackie Baillie is on thin ice with this rather poor motion and, so, she is entered into the vaults.

S3M-03567 Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Scottish Labour): SNP Fails Dumbarton AcademyThat the Parliament welcomes the decision by the Labour group of West Dunbartonshire Council to set a budget that included funding to enable a much-needed rebuilding of Dumbarton Academy; considers that the rebuilding of this 500-year-old school should be a priority; expresses considerable disappointment and anger that the SNP-led council failed even to consider the Labour group's proposals and voted against the rebuilding of the school; further expresses concern that, if the school is not rebuilt quickly, it will disadvantage thousands of young children in Dumbarton who are currently being denied access to the best educational environment possible, and therefore calls on the SNP to build a new Dumbarton Academy without any further delay.


A valid grudge perhaps, but a parliamentary motion? Save it for your campaign leaflets I think...