Andrew Burns - Labour Group Leader

I recently had the great opportunity to meet with Andrew, and speak to him about the new plans he will bring in as leader of the Labour group in the City of Edinburgh Council.

Quite often in politics, and especially in the Labour Party over the last year, we are lost in a jungle of self-fulfilling targets and ambitions. We rarely take a step back to look at what we have achieved, what we wish we had done differently, and, most importantly, decide what we want to do in the future.

It has been our lack of ambition which remains our downfall. We lost an election because of it last May, and we shall lose a far more important election because of it in the next couple of years unless we change fast and strong. I have heard it mentioned by activists in the party that a bit of opposition would be 'good for us'. It may force us to return to our values and reflect on what matters for us as a party, for us as a society. But I don't think they could be more wrong. Opposition has been rotten for us over this past year in Scotland. It's resulted in a lack of aim, direction, and drive. However, some people manage to keep it going in the right direction, and make the best out of the cruel situation we've got. Andrew is one of those.

On talking to him last week he made a few key points.

1) He congratulated Ewan for being a great Council leader, leaving it £50 million in the black, and also a good opposition leader in the Council, ensuring that we kept up the fight against poverty and prejudice even in opposition. (In fact, it wasn't that long ago the SNP/Lib Dem coalition was close to breaking...)

Now, these are the important points...

2) He had a good (and well deserved) blow at people like me who just can't get over the fact we are in opposition. The problem is, you see, I resent it. I hate it. We deserved to lose the election, we did, we did, and it PAINS me to say it, but it's true. We just shouldn't have lost it to this lot. I have struggled to view opposition as an opportunity, as I have always seen it as a problem. And it can be good for us. Under him it will be.

GET OVER IT MATT, COME ON!

3) He will make changes.

Change is always good. Change for change's sake serves some good purposes. I will always remember Bill Clinton giving a speech at Labour Party Conference a couple of years ago when he said, "Our question should never be 'should we change?', but instead, 'how can we change?'". I think he was right, and I think Andrew's will nail that change. He grasps the idea that change should not be fundamental, but more of a constant evolution.

4) HE WANTS TO "ENJOY" HIMSELF!!!

Isn't that a refreshing thing to hear?!

He said that of course standing up for the poor and vulnerable is a serious matter (in fact, the very core of our existence), he wants Edinburgh Labour to be a place of fun and laughter. I can't say pleasure has been one of the principal outputs of the Labour Party to me personally or indeed any other members or activists, but I want it to be. It should be.

I have every faith that this man will lead us back into power, and that there are lessons to be learnt by us all from his optimism and strength. I wish him the very best of luck, and while I will always stand out against anything I believe to be wrong, he has my support, the support of the party, and indeed the support of the people of Edinburgh.

Carry On Government...

I was never a real fan of the Carry On films for the same reasons I've never been a fan of this government. It was a film that for me symbolised a Big Mac meal; cheap and cheerful; a moment of pleasure and appeal, but no real substance. People would eat fewer Big Macs if they had any idea what was in them. One's good occasionally, and probably won't make a difference on your long term health. But a diet made up entirely of them?- then you've got a problem. You're running on empty.

In just this week 6 Ministers have quite rightly been publicly criticised for the way they have conducted themselves. Now maths was never my strong point. A 1-1 in Standard Grade was my one- way ticket out of the maths corridor and to a 5th year of interest, but that's one Minister a day of this working week.

Nicola Sturgeon I may well not waste my time explaining, but she knew about the out break of C- Diff at the Vale of Leven Hospital and didn't report it as she should have done to Parliament and relevant officials. And what she did do, she did too slow. Labour were talking about it before the SNP were, and as from what was revealed by Anabel Goldie, it is pretty clear that Salmond nor Sturgeon, who was frantically whispering briefs in his ear throughout, obviously didn't know enough.

And now, I am NOT a happy chappy with Kenny MacAskill at the moment. The SNP's messages on drinking have been bizarre to say the least. We've seen tax on drink go both up and down (although I completely appreciate the difference between 10 year old malt and Buckfast), so maybe that's not such a good point... But raising the current buying of alcohol to drink at home age to 21?! PLEASE DON'T!

How am I supposed to drink before I go...eh... drinking?

I do feel this is definitely the wrong way forward, and I will protest against any proposition to raise any age when it comes to alcohol purchasing or consumption.

The Transport Minister, Stewart Stevenson, failed to clarify any plans for retaining the current pensioner transport scheme, and after the bus fares in Edinburgh rose 10p despite the fact Gordon Brown gave Salmond £7.5 million to offset the rise in fuel cost, the pensioners of Scotland deserve and need that reassurance.

Culture Minister Linda Fabiani was roundly criticised for her mishandling of the passage of the government's Creative Scotland Bill and Schools Minister Maureen Watt was attacked for abandoning the SNP's commitment to class sizes of 20 in S1/S2 English and Maths. *This, I would like to add, was one of the KEY pledges of the SNP at the May election 2007. Like most of their pledges, it disappeared as soon as they realised they might actually have to do it.

And, just to top it all off (I've lost count now of how many Ministers have guffed up this week- remember what I said about maths...?) John Swinney, Scotland's future Chancellor of the Exchequer the Nats would like to think of him as, had tax plans which were this week rubbished by the CBI (people who actually know what they're talking about...)

Oh goodness, you can tell it's a Friday. I'm knacked.

Ya'll have a good weekend now, and think about what I told you...

A Positive Start for Every Child

Recently, Scottish Labour launched the consultation document, A Positive Start for Every Child, which struck me as fundamentally Labour. And I love it.

LOVES LOVES LOVES...!

OK, so, our great leader, Wendy Alexander, and our fabulous education and children spokesperson, Rhona Brankin, decided that this time in opposition could be used as an opportunity. An opportunity to ask people what they want for their children. Unlike the National Conversation, we haven't concluded before the debate has begun. We intend on listening to the working families of our great nation, who recognise the real freedoms of life are child care and education, and who realise that true independence for people is not in the form of building borders up, but indeed taring them down.

There are several areas the Labour Party are wishing to cover under the umbrella issue of children and families, including safer play areas and wider access to green spaces for our children, in line with the Forestry Commission and children's organisations, nursery places for the most vulnerable two year olds, because under Labour no child will be left behind, and dialogue between schools and parents as to how to ease the transition between nursery and primary school.

There are also more sensitive issues which the consultation is hoping to cover, including respite care for vulnerable families and government funding for carers having short breaks. A Charter of Support for families will be drawn up by families themselves through this consultation, and will create a greater level of understanding between government and carers over what is expected of each.

The people of Scotland will also help a future Labour government in their creation of a network of family learning centres providing childcare, parenting skills, and guidance on parents getting back into work.

An issue which has grasped many families recently across Scotland and the United Kingdom has been that of emotional well being. I have heard it said that there's nothing worse than living with a mental disability, and the second worst thing is living with someone who has a mental disability. A Labour government would be committed to ensuring that emotional well being will play a more prominent role in any health care and education setting, and it will be parents who will make the recommendations on how that should be done.

I am proud to stand by these proposals, as I feel that within this document is so much of what the Labour Party stands for, and it is with much regret that we have been lowered to the level of debate that we have seen in the Scottish Parliament in the last year.

To contribute to A Positive Start for Every Child, please contact children@labourlistening.org.uk

A Nationalist Conversation

When the SNP were elected last May, they claimed to want to start a 'national debate'. There is no debate to be had with nationalism, because their very existence is based solely on the fact that the debate for them over whether Scotland should stay in the union or not has already been concluded. I wouldn't form a political party whose only policy was to paint Edinburgh purple to then get elected and open it up to debate on whether it should be purple, or maybe blue or pink instead. The national conversation is one of the biggest wastes of public money I have seen, and I have seen a fair bit in the last year.

It was announced today that despite it costing the tax payer £48 000 to print copies 'Choosing Scotland's Future', they have sold a mere 262. At least John Grisham can sleep in peace knowing that it probably won't knock his next thriller. But for the rest of us, it's not quite as rosy. This figure is for me symbolic of what this government's priorities are, and when it comes down to it, people really aren't interested.

Personally, I love the website. I love it how some of you Nats out there (many of whom will be reading this) leave your comments about 'burning the Union Jack' and do nothing but rant rant about how we get completely ripped off by the 'land of milk and honey', because you do my job for you; it makes your whole party seem stupid, and silences those within it who genuinely do want what's best for Scotland, and who want to take part in a constructive debate. The Nationalist conversation is so over run by the for-mentioned 'nasty bloggers' that it completely undermines the whole thing, even if it is nationalist propaganda paid for by public funds.

Parliamentary Questions opened up some interesting facts;

1) Three people are employed full time to run the National Conversation.

2) The voluntary sector has received £87 000 to facilitate it (despite the fact that so many voluntary organisations are being forced to close).

3) The website's regulations are in line with the 'blogging convention'. (A trusty document if ever there was one...)

It is impossible for the SNP to show as much interest to anything else other than Independence, because they simply do not care. Take a look.

Any schools built? NO

Any hospitals built? NO

Any support for voluntary organisation? NO

Any support for students? NO

Any support for first time buyers? NO

Any support for the disabled? NO

Any drive to build up resentment with England and stir up racism? YES YES YES...

We are now living in political stagnation. If you think the £1 you paid to cross the Forth Road Bridge was Scotland's biggest problem and injustice you were wrong. Politics is hard, it's tough, and it's about time the SNP realised that they're no longer a party in opposition, but a party in government.

A Walk to Remember...

Alex Salmond and Bertie the walrus

I do remember recently reading an "in-depth" interview in the Church of Scotland's magazine 'Life and Work' with Alex Salmond. The picture on the front made him look cheery in a warm and friendly kind of way. If you were to have shuvved two pens in his top lip he'd have done a cracking impression of a great big happy walrus. I like that. It's cute. (Do not fear, I shall stay well- clear of the many fish jokes I could insert if I felt so inclined.) But the interview, a disappointing read for many reasons, was cut short because the FM needed to have a sandwich. I paused and stopped breathing for a second or two as I flicked back to the front cover and thought to myself, "Do you really think he needs another sandwich...?!" It really upset me.

And so i was delighted that George Foulkes recently invited him for a walk down the High Street of Edinburgh to meet and greet constituents. This of course came after Alex quite unfairly said "If George Foulkes bothered to see his constituents..." at FMQ's last week, despite the fact that that very morning George had met dozens of them at the protest to keep creches open. I understand why the Nats have a problem with George. It's because he is a political threat to the Nationalists, proved by the fact the SNP have a go at him at every possible opportunity. However, one thing he certainly can't be blamed for is meeting his constituents.

When was the last time Alex met his?

I doubt he'd meet many in his Ministerial car which he takes rather than walk 200 yards... What does that say about a person? How arrogant is that??? That's what upsets me most about it. He never answers a question in the chamber, and he never takes a walk on his own or uses public transport. Is it because he's scared? Jack McConnell would regularly walk into town, so security isn't an issue.

I think it's an awful shame that people who put themselves up and up so much don't actually like themselves. They love causes and people to compensate for not actually loving themselves. It's really sad and I see it so much in him.

He never takes responsibility. Never takes account.

I hope he takes a walk with George. I think he could do with seeing just a bit for what life is actually like for people.

When will he noticed that people aren't 'freed' with nationalism, but with education and health care? They're the real challenges, the real borders.

I would love to see the day this walk happens, as long as it doesn't lead to a jogging club. I'd hate to have to see them both in spandex...

Bring on the day when Alex puts his feet on the real ground. The ground of people. The ground of reality. The ground of Scotland.

Obama for President

Look how big he is. He's actually leaning on the building behind him. I think this is symbolic. I also now know what love feels like.

Was it just me that noticed it was neck and neck until the 'Scotland for Obama' Rally and t shirts swung into action?

I know those super-delegates had their eyes on Edinburgh when it came to the final few weeks. In fact, I think Kez was a super delegate...

I am absolutely delighted with what we've been hearing from America over the last few hours. The time for change has come, and I'm delighted I and others from different parties got to play a small part in that happening.

Coming to the End of the Line

It's been a long and winding road, sometimes obstructed with those who for no other reason than their own glory looked to their side instead of looking forward. But it appears, ever increasingly, that the race is over, and the true battle has begun.

I don't think these Primaries have been good for the Democrats. They have historically been a party in America whose dreams and ambitions out weigh their ability to win elections and commit to doing what so many of them passionately believe. In Britain, we always manage to have a leadership contest based on positive change and ambition. Look at the Liberals or Conservatives for instance; each candidate was able to stand up and be proud of their self nomination without criticising the other candidates. (I shall now wait with anticipation until some keen bean Nationalist leaves a comment along the lines of "I didn't see Gordon Brown competing in a leadership contest".....) I simply can't wait...

Hillary Clinton would make an outstanding President of the United States, she really would. However, it seems as though she will stand down by the end of the week, and pass the stage on to Barack Obama, who I believe holds the key to change and a new America.

I'm Back, Baby!

Look at how happy these children are that I'm back to blogging...

Well it just didn't feel right being away for so long, so here I am. For no other reason than lack of time and energy I was away, and I've decided I'm now back for more political, and some times a little personal, debate.

I wouldn't think it's fair to describe blogging as a great vent for anger. It feels like that sometimes, but it's not, it's much better. It gives me an opportunity to build my day the way I see fit; The way I see fit to govern a country or our moral conscience, and I miss it when it's not around.

Please leave comments and bring new and old people onto the site. You never know, you may even enjoy yourself... Actually, probably not, but you know...