Oh what a night

A fantastic fundraising dinner on Friday night - many, many pounds raised for campaigning in Edinburgh North and Leith. I had a great night but I'm assuming that no-one else did since I was speaking. It looks remarkably like I haven't fastened the collar of my shirt in those photographs - must be a trick of the light...

Expertly chaired by Shirley-Anne Somerville MSP and expertly organised by Ria Donaldson, it was one of the smoothest- running fundraisers I've been to in quite a while.

Kenny MacAskill was our guest speaker and his speech was so good that he got a round of applause before he even started - and a standing ovation for taking us on a journey around the world, engaging with the Scottish Diaspora from Nova Scotia to Auckland, from the southern states of the US to Hong Kong, Adelaide to Gujarat, and his contention that we should be proud to be part of the same nation. Some decent jokes as well!

Thanks to Martin Robertson for his photography.

Mind how you go!

What does the public think?

How do you judge what the public thinks of Kenny MacAskill's decision to release al-Megrahi? Well, you could study opinion polls; judge by the flow of correspondence; trust me when I tell you that when I'm campaigning people tell me that the decision was right or that they disagreed with the decision but thought he made it properly and they respect him for it (a few think that there shouldn't have been a decision to make); or you could listen to how people react to Kenny at a public National Conversation event. The clip is hosted on the Steamie where David Maddox has a different take on it.

Opposition parties "disgusting" - British diplomat who'd vote SNP

The former British Ambassador to Libya, Sir Oliver Miles, said on today's Scotland Live on BBC Radio Scotland:

“If I can make a personal comment on this, I find this rather extraordinary and rather disgusting because it seems to me that it was never intended, by the court for example that Megrahi should die in jail. The sentence he was given if he had had a normal life span it would have meant that he would’ve been considered for release in the future. To say that ‘he should have died in the prison’, seems to me the polite equivalent of the barroom language of ‘hanging is too good for him, throw away the key’. Now, I am frankly shocked, shocked, that all of our UK parties seem to by vying with each other to be more vindictive of the other. It’s enough to make me vote Scottish Nationalist, and I’m as English as they come.”

Here for the next 7 days: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00mcvbw/Scotland_Live_02_09_2009/

US praises Libya

I see the United States is praising Libya for its work in Sudan.

Another good quote

In midst of the petty pomposity and the high moral tone that is masquerading as debate today, Patrick Harvie's speech was good and Malcolm Chisholm's speech was good, but I'd like to highlight a quote used by Tricia Marwick MSP:

Cowardice asks the question, 'Is it safe?'
Expediency asks the question, 'Is it politic?'
Vanity asks the question, 'Is it popular?'
But, conscience asks the question, 'Is it right?'
And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular but one must take it because one's conscience tells one that it is right.

Martin Luther King

A free quote ...

When the debate is in full swing today, here's a few quotes to bear in mind:

While debating the legislation under which Kenny MacAskill released al-Megrahi, Peter Fraser, Lord Fraser of Carmylie, as a Conservative Minister of State at the Scotland Office said that the Government had

"no intention of penalising a short-term prisoner released on compassionate grounds if, for example, he unexpectedly recovers his health."--[ Official Report, House of Lords, 2 June 1992 ; Vol. 537, c. 870.]

Gordon Brown, while in opposition, said in the House of Commons on the 9th of June 1993:

My message to the Prime Minister is that he may be able to eliminate compassion from everything that goes on in 10 Downing Street. He may even, by a temporary legislative diktat at Westminster, abandon caring and compassion in his legislation. But he will never persuade the British people that caring and compassion should not be right at the centre of social policy in this country.

Gordon Brown to the RCN conference in May 2009:

I think you judge a country, and you judge the people of a country, not by the size of their wallets but by the breadth of their compassion, by the depth of their generosity, by the width of their goodness.

Iain Gray in a speech to the Co-op party, June 2009:

A parliament is not just about the policies it chooses. It is also about the values which drive that choice

and

And within that Parliament we should set ourselves a standard to work to that embodies our values and our vision so we do not lose our way.

Annabel Goldie in the chamber, 15th January 2009:

Annabel Goldie: Does the First Minister agree that the Scottish criminal justice system must be seen to demonstrate integrity, impartiality and fairness to the victims and to the accused? Can he assure the Parliament that any political decisions taken about the release of Mr Al Megrahi, the Lockerbie bomber, will be consistent with those principles?

David Cameron in the Conservative policy document 'built to last':

First, we ourselves have to change. We must be a modern, compassionate Conservative Party.

David Cameron accepting the leadership of his party:

"If you want to build a modern, compassionate Conservative Party, come and
join us."

Oh aye, some English guy (from memory - studied for my English O Grade, forgive any mistakes, will you?)

The quality of mercy is not strained.
It droppeth as the gentle dew from heaven
Upon the place beneath. It is twice blessed:
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes.
Tis mightier than the mightiest;
It becomes the throned monarch better than his crown.
His sceptre shows the force of temp’ral power,
The attribute to awe and majesty,
Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings.
But mercy is above this sceptred sway;
It is enthroned in the hearts of kings;
It is an attribute of god himself;
And earthly power doth then show like God's when mercy seasons justice.

Careful now!

Do you think they regret it?

It occurred to me that some people might be regretting the way they have behaved recently. If Iain Gray and Richard Baker had not been so desperate to make political capital out of the decision on compassionate release, perhaps Bill Rammell's comments would have remained secret (it was Rammell who actually signed the deals), perhaps Gordon Brown's anxiety over not getting his way would have remained hidden, perhaps Jack Straw's wheeling and dealing would have stayed under wraps. Instead, they have shown the cynicism at the heart of Labour's UK Government and the humanity and honour of Kenny MacAskill. Gray and Baker forced information into the public domain which damaged their own party leaders and showed that the Scottish Government acted strictly within the rules. If their consciences don't turn on them they may not have to wait long for their friends to turn on them.


I hear that Mr Baker was on Newsnicht (I was working) and did not exactly cover himself in glory. As his performance was explained to me, I couldn't help thinking of Spitting Image for some reason. In memory of Tony Hart, here's the gallery:

Mind how you go!

Megrahi documents

The documents relating to the Megrahi decision have been released and are all available on the Scottish Government's website - fascinating, I propose that everyone takes a wee while and has a read ... all done? Good, let's discuss! I'm sure everyone is in agreement that the documents make it clear that Kenny MacAskill MSP did everything by the book - by every chapter, page, paragraph, sentence, word and letter of the book. If not, feel free to disagree, but in the meantime, let's head on down to some details.


First, let's turn to the meeting in Greenock prison, you'll find it on page 14 of 21 of the notes of meetings. Present were the Justice Secretary, two fairly senior civil service officials, al-Megrahi and the prisoner's solicitor, Tony Kelly. Here's an interesting question that just occur ed to me - if Labour MSP James Kelly was to take part in tomorrow's debate would he have to declare an interest in that his brother is the solicitor for the prisoner in question? I'm fairly certain that Tony Kelly's professional demeanour would ensure that no details of the case were discussed with his brother, but would James still have to declare the interest? Just a thought.


Anyway, back to this meeting, I'm sure that paragraph 12 will be of interest

Mr MacAskill stated it was necessary to highlight that when he makes his
decision on prisoner transfer , he can only grant a transfer if there are no
court proceedings ongoing.

Richard Baker, so ably described by a person who terrifies peat, will hold this aloft like a prize without pointing out the next bit:

Mr MacAskill stressed that this was a decision for Mr Al-Megrahi and his legal team alone.

See, the thing about Richard Baker isn't really that Labour is being insulting by having someone of so little ability in a shadow cabinet position, it's that Labour is being insulting by having someone of so little ability standing for election in the first place.

You'll also note the further details on the security implications of keeping the guy in Scotland - 30 police officers to make the house ready for him, 48 to guard him when he got there - if he lived on his own and never left the house, if his family stayed with him there would be additional security risks and if he had to go out - like to the hospital, considering he's dying of cancer - the police would need a convoy and more police at the hospital. One must admit that one is surprised that Ms Goldie would like to see regular convoys of armed police officers through Newton Mearns and armed police officers at the hospital ...

If, of course, the conditions of the licence are not adhered to, the extradition treaty with Libya covers the revocation.

There's also a wee thing about the family. If you look at page 4 of the documentation about contacts with the Libyan Government, you'll find paragraph 15 indicating that the prisoner's family have difficulty visiting him because they had difficulty securing visas and permits to come to the UK.

It seems to me, even taking into account my partiality, that Kenny MacAskill has been shown to be a statesman here and the opposition parties have called this badly wrong. I understand that their amendments to Kenny's motion to be debated reek of political opportunism. Kenny's motion was published in Tuesday's Business Bulletin and reads

S3M-4748 Kenny MacAskill: Decision on Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi—That the Parliament notes the decisions by the Cabinet Secretary for Justice to reject the application by the Libyan Government to transfer Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi under the prisoner transfer agreement between the United Kingdom and Libya and to release Mr Al Megrahi on compassionate grounds; notes that the decision on compassionate release is in accordance with the recommendations from the Scottish Prison Service and the Parole Board for Scotland, and endorses the decision as being consistent with the principles of Scottish justice.
Supported by: Nicola Sturgeon

Richard Baker's amendment will, apparently, seek to remove the entire second half of the motion about compassion and replace it with allegations with no rationale about mishandling, conflicts of purpose, inappropriate precedents, and queries about the medical advice, and finishes with a 'don't agree with compassionate release' flourish. The amendment from the Conservatives is supposed to agree entirely with the Labour one while adding something along the lines of 'should have probed his medical condition and other ways of looking after him', while the Lib Dems are complaining that they should have been told about the decision first. There was also, apparently, a Green amendment which wasn't accepted by the PO calling for an enquiry - I assume that it must have called on the UK Government to do something, that would have been ruled inadmissible.

We can only hope that Labour, the Conservatives and the Lib Dems rediscover the shreds of decency they used to have before the debate kicks off - they can withdraw their amendments and act with some dignity, and perhaps save just a little of the societal regard they seem intent on throwing away.

In praise of young Maddox

That chappie with the Scotsman masthead tattooed on his posterior to show his undying loyalty to his employer, David Maddox, has scribed a piece in today's paper which is well worth reading. Herewith a few excerpts:

the SNP coming out stronger

the events of the summer have been an important rite of passage for the SNP in Government, which, while painful, it has come through

One comma too many in there, but I'll let him off.

nobody can accuse Mr MacAskill of lacking moral courage or dignity

it is obvious that he actually made [his decision] based on his view of compassion and justice.

[Nicola Sturgeon's] cool and assured handling ... left many in England wishing she was their health minister

Mr Swinney has dealt with the crisis in the sort of measured and constructive manner that is typical of the way he conducts his ministerial business

There's lots more in there as well, I suggest you pop out and get yourself a copy (or wheech down to the library for a swift peruse). An excellent piece of column-writing and one I can thoroughly approve of!

Mind how you go.

1,000 more police - another promise kept

In our manifesto in 2007, the SNP promised 1,000 additional police officers in Scotland. Today there are 1,044 more than in 2007 - promise delivered a year and a half early. Not bad, I think.

Actual figures - 16,234 police in May 2007 and 17,278 now.

Jolly good show, what?