The full monty
Department of Too Much Information. The disclosure that Alex Salmond occasionally broadcasts to an astonished nation in the nip. Without his jim-jams. Wide to the world.
Those of us who regularly bother the citizenry over the wireless frequently resort to use of an ISDN line to allow us to broadcast in quality sound from home.
This is particularly useful when sundry programmes want us to participate in the middle of the night 鈥 which is anything before 0800 in my book.
Of course, in line with 大象传媒 tradition, I always don formal morning dress for such gigs. But it would seem the First Minister sometimes skips the nuisance of garbing himself.
Perhaps he follows Tom Jones鈥 advice and leaves his hat on. Frankly, I couldn鈥檛 bring myself to ask.
Anyway, it offered an opening to Jack McConnell 鈥 one of the few he鈥檚 had since the election. In Holyrood today, he said that his successor was now palpably the 鈥渆mperor with no clothes on鈥.
What could be better than citing Hans Christian Andersen? More politicians should study Andersen, the Grimms, Perrault and fairy tales generally. It would give them a new perspective on reality.
But what was Jack鈥檚 point? It was that Alex Salmond was a modern toom tabard. That he was unable or unwilling to pursue aspects of his manifesto, that he was in office but not in power.
Herewith a key struggle ahead. Labour will claim that the SNP are ineffective, that they cannot deliver. Ministers will point to their core announcements such as scrapping the graduate endowment.
Then there is another category: policies which the Executive will introduce, knowing that they face possible/probable defeat.
Into this category comes local taxation. Alex Salmond said today that he would introduce legislation to scrap the council tax. The SNP favours a local income tax.
As discussed previously, Ministers may not be able to command a majority for their scheme. (Tories and Labour want a reformed council tax, the LibDems favour LIT but with local variation, the Greens want Land Value Taxation.)
In which case, A. Salmond will hold up his hands and blame the wicked opposition for thwarting him.
Which could foreshadow a propaganda battle as the various parties seek to persuade the people wherein lies the path of truth and justice. Fairy tales anyone?
I'm 
Comments
Jack McConnell is already viewed as a failure in the eyes of the majority who are not resident in those previously most favoured of lands, Strathclyde; yes I know the region was abolished in 1996, but the mindset remains.
Where Jack was positive in his actions and plans they were not always viewed as having the majority of Scotland鈥檚 resident鈥檚 interests at heart; Jack鈥檚 latest plan I feel will turn out to be his own political bear trap. The plan is obviously to destabilise the current SNP Government and force another election; he will not be viewed as a champion, he will be viewed as a wrecker.
While Jack may be keen to point out that the SNP only managed to capture 32.9% of the vote his attention should be drawn to the fact that after five and a half years in office he was rejected by the Scottish voters with 32.2% of the vote; if voters are forced back to the polls as seems Mr. McConnell鈥檚 aim I feel they will be less than understanding.
Jack should bear in mind it was he who lost Labour the Election of 2007 because he was no longer governing with a consensus of the Scottish people, merely pleasing his own inner circle and his London Master; this will come as no surprise to him privately, for as those dark clouds gathered in April and May of this year Jack was systematically promising 鈥楿鈥 turns on many of his flagship policies which he had previously defended to the hilt.
What will he offer in the future? More of the same or modified policies? Either way this will be his second bear trap he will have constructed.
It is interesting, I was speaking to my wife just after the Scottish Election. She had pointed out that although our SNP vote had helped give them the Election, surely the "Minority Goverment would prevent them from doing anything effectively"
I remember answering her with the statement...
"The Minority SNP goverment may just end up being the best thing for them... Think about it this way. They can push forward with all their crowd pleasing policies while the rest of parliament thwart them... PR wise, this would be a dream for any publicist. What better way to portray Mr Salmond then as the beaten hero, the man who fights on his own for his country while the enemy tries to stop him at every turn. It will play into the imagination of a majority of Scots, because even if we are against independence, we still carry the title of being Scottish."
We are just over a month into SNP power. I think they are playing the game with a delicate touch which shows, if nothing else, real political prowess. They know the fact above as well as I do. Infact I think they are banking on it. I don't think this is stupid in anyway... If things continue in the same vein, we may be very close to an SNP majority administration in 4 years... Still along time to go mind you, but can you imagine the possibilities...
Ron Rye (2),
I concur with your analysis. Interesting times indeed.
Slainte
ed
Ron Rye not everyone who voted SNP want SNP. I can imagine the possibilities and it scares me to death.
The problem with having a pictorial mind is the ability to picture items graphically from a verbal description, having been delivered of the description the graphic had to be erased; I chose to replace it with the Monty Python piano player who was filmed playing an upright in the middle of a moor being equally devoid of his clothing.
Brian please consider your bloggers when choosing which information to pass on to those of us outside the Holyrood village.
Well, with that image in mind, I expect to loose a bit of weight in the coming weeks, as it has put me right off my dinner! Yuck!
Hardly conducive to the cultivation of a statesmanlike image, is it, Mr Salmond?
After watching the SNP and Mr Salmond in action over the last month, I feel that any doubts about how well the SNP could run Scotland have been well and truly disabused.
It is so refreshing to hear politicans answering questions with answers, and in the case of Mr Salmond keeping his cool whilst being attacked by the 'impartial' presenter of Newsnight.
What a shame that us lot over the border get the 2nd rate Scottish MP's, whilst you keep the best for yourselves!.
Surely, there are more relevant issues happening in Scottish politics deserving debate, than this?.
Why would people believe what they read in The Sun? Alex Salmond never said he does interviews in the buff! He was pulling a journalists leg and when asked if he does early morning interviews in his dressing robe he quipped, "aye, and sometimes without the robe".
Never let the facts, etc.