LibDems plan Savage Cuts in Public Expenditure

We are used to finding it hard to pin down LibDem policy on most issues. Now, on public expenditure, we finally know exactly where they stand. In Nick Clegg’s own words “"I have said there will need to be cuts, cuts that are savage and bold.” Even the Tories have not gone this far (yet).

The Highland economy is already facing a tough public expenditure regime - the Council is looking to trim its budget by £60m over the next 3 years - as we start to pay the price of the SNP's political programme. The impact of further "savage" cuts will be severe.

Danny Alexander is right at the heart of such plans. As Nick Clegg’s Chief of Staff, he has responsibility for drafting the LibDem manifesto for the election. In Danny's own words (Inverness Courier, 30th June) "spending cuts will hit the poor hardest". For years, the LibDems have been lining up to demand new services and programmes and criticising Labour when we have had to make difficult decision on spending priorities. Now we know exactly what they are planning to do if they get into power - or into coalition with the Tories - "savage" cuts!

Danny Alexander is carrying Cleggs’ knife in the Highlands. We must get organised to stop him.

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Child Protection

This article in today's Guardian by Polly Toynbee is well worth reading. In all the media furore about political correctness, it captures for me exactly why Ed Balls is right to push through this legislation. Parents must be able to be confident that the people they DON'T know who are in contact with their kids on behalf of schools and clubs have passed a simple check. It won't cost volunteers anything and it simplifies the current system by putting all the checks in one place. On this issue, John Humphreys and others on Radio 4/5 should stop attacking politicians and start giving them some credit.

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1010

Inspired today to sign up for the Guardian's 10:10 campaign. BIg picture political campaigns to save the planet risk making us feel good about the headline targets whilst assuming it will all just happen through what the government does. Committing to reduce my households carbon footprint by 10% by the end of 2010 makes it very personal. Now we need to work out how to make it happen.......

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On Megrahi

I’ve no doubt that coming to a decision about the best way forward on the Al-Megrahi case must have been a hugely difficult decision for Kenny MacAskill. Its one of those situations where there is no clearly “right” answer and required a weighing up of conflicting legal, political and humanitarian issues.

The SNP, however, has achieved the worst of all outcomes by allowing its political ideology to play a key role in the process.

My personal view is that, on balance, it was right – in humanitarian terms - to move Megrahi into a situation where he could best spend what is left of his life closer to his family. This, however, could have been achieved by transferring Megrahi back to a prison in Libya. The UK government had spent considerable time working out the terms of just such a process. Megrahi would have continued to serve out his sentence, but this solution would have strengthened the UK’s relationship and influence with Libya and would also have earned the UK credit with many Arab states and organisations. Over time, such an outcome would have many benefits for us all, in both economic and security terms.

Crucially, since he was still serving a jail sentence, Megrahi could continue to pursue his appeal.
But agreeing to work with the UK government, in the best interest of us all, did not fit with the SNP’s political strategy, which requires conflict with London to be engineered at every opportunity, so as to build the case for independence. Salmond effectively boxed himself and MacAskill into a corner last year, when he was publicly critical of the Prisoner Transfer Agreement and how it had been negotiated.

By releasing Megrahi on compassionate grounds, MacAskill and the SNP Government have achieved the worst of all outcomes. Megrahi is welcomed home as a hero, damaging UK and US relationships with an important Arab power. Scotland’s status in the world has been diminished. And we will never get to hear the new evidence which might have shed some light on the real story behind the Lockerbie disaster.

We should remember that the next time the SNP tell us they have Scotland’s best interests at heart.

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Help the Highland Tiger

Enjoyed Thursday afternoon at the Grantown Show.

As well as meeting many local people just enjoying a fine time in the sun, it was interesting to talk to some of the community groups on their stands. I was most impressed by the volunteers of the Badenoch & Strathspey Community Transport Company, who provide a brilliant service making sure that all sorts of people can get around the community when they need to but also just to socialise.

And you couldn't miss the marvellous images used by http://www.highlandtiger,com/ to promote their work protecting wild cats.

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Scrappage Scheme Success

I must admit I was sceptical about the Car Scrappage Scheme when it was launched earlier this year. With its focus on trading in old vehicles for new cars, I was not sure it would work.

So I was delighted to read today that Peter Mandelson's Industry Department has announced that more than 150,000 people have taken advantage of the scheme. As a result, car sales have grown by 13.5% since last year. Even more significantly, the CO2 emmissions associated with new cars sold are down 25% from the old vehicles traded in.

Seems the scheme is working for consumers, the car trade and the environment.

Now that's something we can all be proud of.

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Raigmore Campaign

I had mixed feeling about starting to campaign in August, with so many activists and voters on holiday, but this weekend's experience made it worthwhile. Only a small team, but we put out 300 leaflets round the Raigmore Estate on Friday afternoon and followed it up with some door knocking on the Saturday morning.

Talking to people on their doorsteps on Saturday was encouraging. Labour voters were still Labour voters and a good few were pretty dismissive of Danny Alexander, who they think is "all talk". There was a lot of support for Gordon Brown, who many seemed to feel was getting an unjustified pillorying from the media, whilst he was just trying to do the right thing.

Maybe we are doing more right than we think?

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