Calton Hill

Independence Greek style? No thankyou.

2012-02-29T22:44:00.000Z

Following on from comments on his earlier post, this audio slideshow from the BBC News website does a good job of explaining why Calton does not want the Greek variety of independence.

Devo headache

2012-02-28T19:06:00.000Z

Oh great. Calton was still trying to get his head round devo-max and now we also have devo-plus to consider. It's enough to make you want to emigrate (preferably to somewhere sunnier). Calton suspects politicians are just trying to confuse bloggers like himself. They will certainly confuse the electorate. Calton had first-hand experience of the 2007 election-night disaster where automated systems struggled to cope with thousands of spoilt ballot papers and the one thing it demonstrated was that a significant percentage of the voters are as thick as mince and can't follow complicated ballot instructions to save themselves. So, the moral of the story is - keep it simple! No second question on the independence ballot paper, no mention of devo-anything, just independence yes or no. And please can someone come up with a better name for devo-plus! (Suggestions in the comments field welcome.)

Willie Rennie gets it

2012-02-27T19:41:00.001Z

When, oh when, are the SNP going to realise that they will not have the full range of fiscal powers that they want if Scotland does not have its own currency? John Swinney is talking through his hat. If he wants 'real independence' he needs to go the whole hog and cut loose from both Westminster and Brussels. We can't have an independent monetary or fiscal policy while tied to sterling or the euro. It just doesn't work. Sharing a currency with another country means agreeing on spending limits, interest rates, acceptable inflation and so on and so on (if we are lucky). If we are unlucky it means having our fiscal policy dictated to us by Germany. If Willie Rennie can grasp that then surely the Finance Secretary can grasp it. No?

Get the factor 50 on Alex

2012-02-26T19:13:00.001Z

There is no doubt that newspapers have political influence, however, last time Calton looked, Scotland was still being governed by the majority SNP administration at Holyrood, not Rupert Murdoch and News Corporation. It is therefore a bit of a cheek for the latter to be announcing a date for the independence referendum before the Scottish Government has even finished its consultation on the issue. The new Scottish Sun on Sunday must have really been struggling for a front page headline if that was the best they could come up with. Most peelie-wallie Scots know by now to avoid the sun because, however pleasant it might seem at the time to bask in its rays, the result is always damaging. Alex Salmond take note.

Right to Work wrong on work experience

2012-02-25T18:40:00.000Z

One of the big things our young people need these days is work experience. The longer a person is out of a job, the harder it is to get one, irrespective of what age they are, and the problem is compounded when the person is young and has never worked. Calton therefore thinks it is really unfortunate that the latest UK Government scheme to give young people work experience has been tarnished to such an extent that companies are exiting it in droves. Of course it is wrong for companies to use unemployed youngsters as cheap labour with no intention of giving them a permanent job at the end of it, however, a properly run scheme with real jobs for those who make the grade has much to commend it. Hopefully something can be hammered out between the DWP and businesses so that those who are not content to sit around on the dole and who would like work experience can get it. No-one has a right to work but those who want to work should be given every help and encouragement.

English Tories tax the sick

2012-02-24T21:31:00.000Z

Regular readers of this blog will have realised by now that Calton is not the greatest fan of Alex Salmond, however there is one thing that the SNP has done absolutely right - scrapping prescription charges. All the more so with the announcement yesterday of a rise in the charges the English have to pay to £7.65 per prescription, with corresponding rises in NHS dental fees and other charges. Prescription charges are not a tax on the rich - they are a tax on the sick and should not be part of any caring society. Ruth Davidson take note.

Warnings of gales in Cromarty, Forth

2012-02-23T21:32:00.000Z

Calton thinks that claims of Trump bullying the Scottish Government are overblown. Given the massive support for windfarms, both onshore and offshore, by the SNP administration, it seems to Calton that Trump is simply evening up the odds with his offer to fund anti-windfarm groups. He's also a worthy adversary for Alex Salmond, since both are puffed up and full of hot air. If the scenic beauty of Scotland's hills and coastline was not at stake it would all be just a storm in a teacup. As it is, this is one gale which is not going to blow itself out any time soon. Cromarty, Forth, east, gale 8 to severe gale 9, expected imminent.

Mushroom politics

2012-02-22T17:12:00.001Z

Scottish Secretary Michael Moore looks like he has been attending the Alex Salmond School of Question Evasion, judging by his performance at Scottish Questions earlier today. So now, not only do we not know what independence will mean for vital areas like defence and pensions, we also do not know what we might be offered in terms of devo-max if we vote 'no' to independence. Wonderful. Being kept in the dark and fed a load of manure might be good for mushrooms but it is not the way to treat the electorate. One bombastic, blustering minister is bad enough. Two, on opposing sides, is a nightmare. Come back Jim Murphy - all is forgiven!

Rupert and the kiss of death

2012-02-21T18:29:00.000Z

The Calton Hill award for most sycophantic comment of the ~~week~~ year has to go to Rupert Murdoch and his tweet about Alex Salmond. It is so stomach-turning that Calton cannot bring himself to quote it but you can read about it here if you really want to. Had Alex any sense he would quickly be putting some deep blue water between himself and the owner of News Corporation because, if a large ship sinks, it has a tendency to take every vessel within a mile radius down with it, and we haven't forgotten what happened to the News of the World (or Private Eye's brilliant cover on it). Unfortunately the First Minister seems to have been so dazzled by the Sun that he can't see the icebergs dead ahead.

Red card for sideline bullies

2012-02-20T17:40:00.000Z

Calton is not surprised that the nation's children spend most of their time indoors on the playstation, given the findings of a survey conducted by Children 1st into behaviour at sporting events. Children reported being called names, sworn at, threatened and physically abused by adults, usually parents. They also told of seeing adults fighting each other and threatening match officials. No wonder the poor kids are put off sport! And it's not just football - the same thing happens at events like fencing. Have none of the adults involved heard the phrase 'it's only a game'? Do they not know they are supposed to be setting an example? As it is, their conduct is shameful. Hopefully the Sideline Bad Behaviour campaign which has been launched by Children 1st today will help address the problem. Some parents certainly need to be given a red card.

All new hooses and nae work?

2012-02-19T22:04:00.000Z

After the doom and gloom of this week's jobs figures, it was good to hear some positive news on Radio Scotland's Business Scotland this morning. Not only has Global Energy Group bought the old Highland Fabricators yard at Nigg with plans to get it working again for the renewables sector but Ross County FC are also hopefully looking ahead with promotion to the SPL in mind. Calton sincerely hopes they get it. He also hopes that Global Energy succeeds in bringing long-term jobs to Nigg, which has lain unproductive for 10 years. On his forays around Scotland Calton has noticed a growing replacement of industrial sites with housing developments e.g. the former Alcan site at Burntisland, Ravenscraig steelworks in Motherwell, the old Motorola plant at Dunfermline, converted warehouses in Leith. The list is endless. This is all very well but where are all the occupants of these houses going to work? Admittedly it would take some ingenuity to convert a large dry dock into housing, however it is a nice change to see it being brought back into industrial use. Lots of houses and no industry is not a recipe for success.

Nae luck Jimmie

2012-02-18T18:46:00.000Z

It transpires that the police probe into land deals by Glasgow City Council instigated by complaints from SNP MSP James Dornan has not found any evidence of criminality. That doesn't mean that there wasn't any stupidity involved, however, if there was (and Calton is not necessarily saying so) it isn't a crime. So nae luck then, however Jimmie can always console himself with the knowledge that the investigation has been somewhat overtaken by events anyway, due to the implosion of the ruling Labour group on the cooncil. Roll on May.

Have your say on the referendum

2012-02-16T18:08:00.000Z

Calton has just done his bit and responded to the Scottish Government's consultation on the independence referendum. You can do the same by clicking on this link. It's not quite so easy to respond to the Westminster consultation but, if you are keen, you can find it here. (Thanks to the BBC news website for providing the links.)

Old hat from the SNP

2012-02-16T18:01:00.000Z

Earlier this month Calton highlighted the fact that the SNP were using pre-2008 economic figures in their arguments for independence. Then it was John Swinney. Today Nicola Sturgeon was playing the same game in an interview on Radio Scotland. The question that has to be asked is this - so what if Scotland balanced the books pre-2008? That was then, this is now. The world is an entirely different place today compared to 4 years ago. The statistics which matter when considering whether Scotland will be better off independent are those for 2011, 2012, 2013 and beyond. It's about time the SNP got themselves up to speed on the current economic arguments instead of trotting out 4-year old nonsense.

SNP getting the wind up their coats

2012-02-15T18:24:00.000Z

It is becoming increasingly clear that the SNP has not thought through all the issues relating to independence, otherwise they would be able to respond to the Scottish Affairs Select Committee report on the referendum with some comments of substance. Instead, they have been reduced to quibbling over the use of 'separation' vs 'independence' and responding to some very reasonable questions with shoddy insults. Not good enough. The decision on whether we go for independence or not cannot be taken solely on the basis of emotionalism or nationalism. We need some hard facts on what will be a complex and difficult process. The Scottish Affairs Select Committee has done a very good job in highlighting the questions which remain unanswered and they deserve a better response from the SNP, if the latter is not to be accused of being all show and no substance, or, as they say in Morningside, all fur coats and no knickers.

More on the cost of island life

2012-02-14T20:53:00.000Z

Further to his earlier post on the cost of island life, Calton is pleased to see that more money has been made available to avoid huge increases to the ferry fares which hauliers have to pay to take goods to the Hebrides. It may seem unfair to those who live in the central belt that we should be subsidising islanders but when the alternative is considered it makes sense. Otherwise the islands will become empty (apart from sheep and windfarms) and there will be even more competition for scarce jobs and scarcer housing in the central belt. Calton is not a fan of large-scale government intervention however there are times when it is necessary. Communities cannot always be left to the mercy of the free market economy.

A paucity of progress

2012-02-13T21:37:00.000Z

The words 'modest' and 'Alex Salmond' do not normally occur in the same sentence, which is why it caught Calton's eye, however it turns out that, in this case, the adjective was referring to the progress made at the Salmond-Moore talks today and not to the First Minister. Given that the two of them have had weeks to prepare for these talks, so little advancement was disappointing. Michael Moore at least has the excuse of having had chickenpox. One wonders what Alex Salmond's excuse was. Calton has to agree with Johann Lamont, who is reported as saying that "it doesn't bode well for Scotland's referendum that the First Minister and the Scottish Secretary can't even agree what they agreed at their meeting." (She was referring to the fact that the FM thought that the referendum date was agreed whereas the SS still wants it earlier than October 2014.) So that means that the only thing which has been agreed is the role of the Electoral Commission. It's not looking good.

Glasgow Labour's better

2012-02-12T18:53:00.000Z

The SNP must be rubbing their hands with glee at the disintegration of Glasgow City Council's ruling Labour administration, which had to taxi in sick members in order to win the budget vote last week after the defection of several councillors. Those disillusioned and deselected ex-Labour members have now decided to form a new, rival 'Glasgow Labour' party to contest all Glasgow seats in the forthcoming local government elections. The SNP were already targeting Glasgow as a possible win - it must now be a shoo-in unless they too fall prey to the in-fighting and accusations of bullying which have dogged the Labour group.
(For more comment have a read of the Wee Red Squirrel's latest post.)

Advocates for Sea Eagles

2012-02-11T19:35:00.002Z

Balancing the interests of the various stakeholders in rural areas is not always easy, however Calton was glad to see that a report earlier this year put the damage done to flocks by his west coast cousins at less than 2% of lamb mortality. Sea Eagles eat mainly seabirds and fish, although they also eat carrion, which may explain why Calton likes to get his beak into politicians. It may also explain why they are blamed for taking lambs. Tales of Sea Eagles carrying off children are an unfounded rumour spread by the Scottish Gamekeepers Association, who are not exactly a disinterested party. The RSPB are countering this by appointing representatives to teach children more about these wonderful birds. Not forgetting the fact that the Mull Sea Eagles boost the island's economy by £2million. Of course, Calton is biased, but he does think that the reintroduction of his species into Scotland is a good thing. Sarah Boyack seems to agree.

The cost of Highland life

2012-02-10T18:25:00.000Z

Further to his post on the cost of island life, Calton is pleased to see today that the OFT has decided to look into the higher costs of rural living, including the islands. He has long been of the view that the Highlands and Islands should not be just a playground for young professionals from the central belt, nor should they be primarily a retirement home for rich pensioners from the south of England. Surely it is not beyond the ability of the Scottish Government to put in place the infrastructure needed to attract and keep industry in the Highlands and Islands without ruining the landscape and damaging the existing tourist industry. Without such infrastructure, there is a real possibility that we will see another Highland Clearances in ten years' time and the only things moving in the empty glens this time will be the wind turbines!

Even more offshore wind from Trump

2012-02-09T19:02:00.001Z

Calton would like to make it clear that, in his opinion, Donald Trump is an obnoxious tycoon who is far too used to getting his own way and throwing his teddies out the cot when he doesn't. That said, he did have some valid points to make in his rant to Alex Salmond over offshore windfarms. Why are we being taxed to provide contracts for overseas companies to build wind turbines? Do we really want to be surrounded by a ring of offshore windfarms? Has anyone actually done a study on the likely impact on our tourist industry? Calton was interested to note that the tens of thousands of jobs mentioned by Alex Salmond yesterday has become 'thousands' according to a Scottish Government spokesman and 'hundreds' according to Chief Executive of Scottish Renewables, Niall Stuart, lending credence to Calton's view that the First Minister's statistics were somewhat overblown.

A victory for common sense

2012-02-08T17:57:00.000Z

Calton is pleased to see that sense has prevailed and the authorities have decided not to charge 'Big Man' Alan Pollock for ejecting a young man, who was verbally abusing the conductor, off a train.

Lots of offshore wind from Alex

2012-02-08T17:20:00.000Z

Calton is a bit worried about where Alex Salmond's 'tens of thousands of jobs' to do with the offshore wind industry is going to come from. If a development of 350 turbines planned for the Moray Firth is only going to provide 280 long-term jobs, it looks like our coastline is going to disappear in a forest of offshore windfarms in order to meet Alex's figures. Either that or the First Minister is being somewhat disingenuous in not making it clear that the tens of thousands of jobs are only in the construction phase. Even then, the Moray Firth development is only expected to provide 1400 temporary construction jobs. Calton is not totally against offshore wind farms but is concerned that the Highlands is once again being fobbed off with another boom and bust industry rather than sustainable developments and improvements to infrastructure which would benefit locals in the long term.

The cost of island life

2012-02-07T18:08:00.000Z

Coming originally from the west coast, and with relatives on the islands, Calton is all in favour of the Road Equivalent Tariff (RET) because living on an island is not cheap, even for a sea eagle. He therefore welcomes the announcement that it is to be extended to more islands and more ferry routes, however it seems that Transport Minister Keith Brown is giving with one hand and taking away with the other, since larger commercial vehicles are facing a 172% rise in fares from April 2012. Given that hauliers are already being hammered by the high cost of diesel, such a price hike will only end up being passed on to island consumers, who already pay a premium for the necessities of life. Pensioners and families are not paid extra pension or child benefit because they live on an island. Poverty is not just an urban phenomenon. If we don't want to see our islands depopulated we need to give them some support and continuing RET for HGVs seems a sensible way to do it. Hopefully Keith Brown can be persuaded to agree.

Poles apart - more's the pity

2012-02-06T20:03:00.000Z

Two items on Radio Scotland caught Calton's attention today - one was the program Poles Apart on Polish immigrants in Inverness and the other was a report on youth unemployment in Newsdrive. Some think that the two issues are connected. The simplistic argument is that lots of Eastern Europeans have flooded into Scotland, taking all the jobs, and so our young people can't find work, hence the rise in youth unemployment. Calton thinks the issue is a lot more complex, one of the problems being that some of our young people are, quite frankly, unemployable. They aren't interested in menial work, they have no self-discipline, they have no qualifications and, as long as the state pays them dole money and their parents provide free board & lodging, they have no incentive to get a job. Maybe it's time to get tough on our able-bodied, unemployed youth because, if Poles can come over here and get jobs, so can they.

The Tories are revolting

2012-02-05T19:15:00.001Z

Over 100 Tory MPs are revolting over subsidies for windfarms. They also want to make it easier for local people to object to them. Calton is not sure if their proposals also apply to Scotland but, if not, here's hoping for a similar revolt at Holyrood before the Highlands disappears under a mass of giant white turbines. At a time when consumers are faced with increasing energy bills and decreasing income in real terms, we cannot afford to be subsidising a form of energy generation which is ineffective and unreliable. There are grave doubts about whether it is even environmentally friendly, due to the need to increase traditional generating methods to cope with the troughs in wind generation. It's time for a rethink of our energy strategy.

Statistical spin

2012-02-03T18:28:00.000Z

An academic has today claimed that the SNP are cherry-picking the statistics which they use to bolster their case for independence. (An example being John Swinney in his recent David Hume lecture citing figures from before the financial crash to claim that an independent Scotland's debt would be substantially lower than that of the UK now, as if the crash hadn't happened.) Calton is not surprised. Disappointed, yes, but not surprised. Of course the SNP deny the claim. Well they would, wouldn't they! Lies, damned lies and statistics. We are going to see a lot more of all three before Autumn 2014.

Sack the lot of them

2012-02-02T19:17:00.000Z

After the childish behaviour displayed by our elected representatives during First Minister's Questions today, Calton thinks we might be better scrapping Holyrood and putting the lot of them on the dole. The thought of that rabble running an independent Scotland is certainly not an attractive one. Yet again, Alex Salmond did not give proper answers to any questions relating to the actual issues raised by independence, such as defence and monetary union, and yet again, Ruth Davidson and Johann Lamont failed to pin him down. The Labour leader was the one who came closest when she said that the First Minister wanted 'independence at any cost'. Quite. Why let the facts get in the way of your ambitions? It took Ms Lamont a while to get to her punchline about Alex Salmond being the 'Fred Goodwin of Scottish politics' but the comparison is apt. Hopefully it will not also be prophetic, for Scotland's sake.

Information on the EU

2012-02-01T22:05:00.001Z

For those who wish to know why Calton is not a fan of the EU, read this report by Stratfor.

Misinformation on the EU? Moi?

2012-02-01T21:30:00.000Z

Regular readers of this blog will know that Calton is not a fan of the EU. It was therefore with no little concern that he discovered that the EU Commission is busily handing out free teaching resources to our teachers with the stated aim of reaching children before they “form prejudices and are misinformed by other sources”. That would be "other sources" like this blog then. The EU Commission claim that the publications "offer a balanced introduction to the European Union" - readers can make up their own minds after watching the clips on this page. UKIP have taken the matter up with Nigel Gove, Minister for Education in Westminster. Calton would do likewise with Michael Russell, Cabinet Secretary for Education in Holyrood, were it not for a sneaking suspicion that schoolchildren are not the only ones who have been brainwashed by the EU.

Back to Fred

2012-01-31T19:40:00.000Z

Given that Fred Goodwin received his knighthood in 2004 for 'services to banking', it was entirely appropriate that he was stripped of it today, since he was responsible for bringing the Royal Bank of Scotland to its knees. He still walked away with a huge pension pot, only agreeing to refund some of it under the threat of legal action by RBS. Calton agrees with Vince Cable, who said at the time that Goodwin "obviously has got no sense of shame", unlike his replacement Stephen Hester, who has just turned down his annual bonus. The fact remains that there is something rotten in the heart of our banking system which needs to be addressed rather than relying on bank bosses to 'do the decent thing'. The unbridled capitalism of the Blair-Brown years has to be reined in and the enormous gulf between rich and poor must be narrowed if we want our society to be fair and prosperous. The alternative is increasing social unrest.

Protectionist? Moi?

2012-01-30T19:30:00.000Z

Calton is generally in favour of free tuition in Scotland however he does not see why we should be providing it to students from other EU countries when more than half of those countries charge fees to Scottish students studying in their institutions. Predictably, there has been a rise in the number of EU students coming to study in Scotland and a drop in the number going to England since England introduced tuition fees and Scotland scrapped them. If Scotland becomes independent but stays within the EU and England does the same, we will also then have to provide free tuition for England students since they will be a fellow EU country rather than a part of the same country, as they are now. Scottish students studying in England would pay English tuition fees as they do now. Of course the solution would be for Scotland (or the UK) to leave the EU, which is Calton's preferred option. Protectionist? Mais oui! Given that EU students are costing us £75 million a year, can we afford not to be?

Not so fast

2012-01-29T19:21:00.000Z

Calton is now back home and enjoying the benefits of broadband again after the struggles of posting from Glencoe yesterday on very-narrow-to-non-existent-band, which leads him to think that installing broadband in the Highlands would do much more for Highland businesses, and therefore employment, than installing windfarms. He is not alone in thinking this. There are plans to bring super-fast broadband to some areas of the Highlands, however it is not happening nearly fast enough to keep up with demand. Some may say that you go to the Highlands to get away from modern life but, increasingly, visitors expect not only good mobile phone coverage but also mobile internet. Calton is one of them, because how else can he keep his readers up-to-date when he is on one of his occasional forays up North?

View from the heights

2012-01-28T15:17:00.000Z

Calton has decided to have a break from politics for a couple of days and so has flown up to Glencoe for a Burns Supper with some fellow mountain-lovers. From his vantage point above the Devil's Staircase this afternoon he could see for miles around and not a wind farm in sight, which is increasingly unusual in the Highlands these days. His keen eye spotted the ski tows on Meall a' Bhuiridh and the reservoir which used to supply the aluminium smelter at Kinlochleven but both of those have blended into the landscape over the years, something which large wind turbines are unlikely ever to do, and both the ski development, and the smelter in its heyday, provided more local jobs than windfarms do. What the Highlands needs is sustainable, long-term employment, not blots on the landscape which require very little maintenance once installed (unless they blow up in a gale)!

Die another day - maybe

2012-01-26T18:42:00.000Z

It was nice to see Alex Salmond being forced to answer some questions about what independence would actually mean in First Minister's Questions today. Johann Lamont is shaping up to be a reasonable opponent for Alex, with Ruth Davidson providing good backup. Sadly, neither of them quite managed to pin Alex down as he twisted and turned over the issue of monetary policy. He hid behind the fact that Westminster politicians no longer set the Bank of England interest rate while completely ignoring the fact that they do set the inflation target that the BofE has to meet. Had either Johann or Ruth picked him up on that it would have been a killer blow. Unfortunately neither of them did and so the First Minister lives to fight another day. You're going to have to do a bit better than that, ladies!

Much ado about nothing

2012-01-25T17:52:00.000Z

Calton listened to the First Minister's speech in Holyrood earlier today and at the end of it, he had to agree with Willie Rennie - it was all 'much ado about nothing'. OK, so we now have a question (although a second one has not been ruled out) and we have agreement that the Electoral Commission will oversee the referendum. We are still getting a bit bogged down in the details rather than concentrating on the 'substantive arguments', as Ruth Davidson calls them. Thankfully, Douglas Fraser has written an excellent article on an independent Scotland's currency options, which confirms the points Calton has made in earlier posts - in particular, Alex where's your bottle.

Do not resuscitate

2012-01-24T19:20:00.001Z

Please, would someone put a 'do not resuscitate' notice on Margo MacDonald's End of Life Assistance bill. It's only been a year or so since it was killed off and here it is, coming back to life again like something in a bad horror movie. If it really meant assistance at the end of life Calton would be all for it, but since it actually means assistance to kill oneself, and not necessarily at the end of one's life, he is opposed to it. He is just not convinced that
a) enough safeguards can be put in place to prevent abuse
b) it will not adversely impact the provision of good palliative care and
c) it is not the start of a slippery slope to full euthanasia.
It would be nice if the bill were to suffer a sudden death, however it looks like being another long-drawn out process, consuming lots of parliamentary time and effort which would be better spent getting justice for the Farepak victims and harpooning loan sharks. If Margo is a reader of this blog, she obviously isn't taking it to heart!

The great benefits black hole

2012-01-23T22:40:00.000Z

There's been a bit of a hoo-ha tonight over the Lords' vote to exclude child benefit from the Government's proposed household benefit cap but Calton thinks it's a bit of a distraction, given that the real black hole into which benefit money is disappearing is excessive rents on large private properties rented by unemployed families. Properties which working families can only dream of owning (or renting). Many working families have to relocate to find or keep a job. What's so wrong about unemployed families having to do the same in order to find a cheaper place to live and so be less of a burden on the taxpayer? The current situation, where a single mother can live in a privately rented 5-bedroom, double-garage house in a nice area all paid for by the state, while a few doors down, an elderly woman who has worked all her life, along with her husband, to bring up a family has never been able to afford more than a small 3-bedroom home, cannot be allowed to continue. It's just not fair.

Too much rhetoric, not enough information

2012-01-22T20:58:00.000Z

Calton seconds Nick Clegg's request for the SNP 'to provide answers about what it (independence) means for defence, for taxation, for investment, the currency'. At the moment there's too much rhetoric and not enough hard facts coming from Alex Salmond and his party. Take, for instance, the First Minister's statement that 'we will share a currency ... but we won't have diktats from Westminster for Scotland'. A great soundbite but Calton is not sure how it will work in practice, given that, although the Bank of England was made independent by Gordon Brown, it still answers to Westminster if inflation goes above the Westminster Government's target of 2%. Sounds like Alex wants to have his cake and eat it - just like another European leader Calton can think of.

Spend, spend, spend

2012-01-20T21:43:00.000Z

The other thing that worried Calton about Alex Salmond's performance at yesterday's FMQs was the fact that he still doesn't seem to get it when it comes to the necessity for cuts. Labour's Jim Murphy got it, Ed Balls and Ed Milliband now get it but no, not our Alex. He's still following the Gordon Brown strategy of spend, spend and, err, spend. Where are we going to get the money from Alex? Calton thinks we should be told.

The old blame game

2012-01-19T18:02:00.000Z

Like Johann Lamont, Calton is getting a little tired of hearing Alex Salmond trot out the same old chestnut about not having the economic levers necessary to help the Scottish economy. Not because it isn't true - the First Minister is quite correct in saying that Westminster still holds many of the powers he would like to deploy - but because, even if Scotland becomes independent, he will still not have the economic levers if we stay in the EU. Perhaps that is why the SNP is so keen on continued EU membership - it is much easier to stand up and complain that, much though one would like to help the unemployed, one's hands are tied, than to actually do something about it. At the moment the First Minister spends a lot of time blaming Westminster. The prospect of him spending the years post-2014 blaming Brussels is a very real one, although not one Calton particularly wishes to contemplate.
'Plus ca change - c'est la meme chose'.

Keep it simples

2012-01-18T17:50:00.000Z

Calton thinks there should just be one referendum question: independence - yes or no? After all, if the answer is yes, who cares about devo-max? And if the answer is no, another debate can still be had on the extent to which we want to be devolved. Simples. Because his poor head is still spinning after reading about all the possible options and permutations (and opportunities for gerrymandering) outlined in this post by the wee red squirrel.

Hungary's downfall

2012-01-17T20:50:00.000Z

In all the debate about whether an independent Scotland would be part of the EU, it is worth looking at what is currently happening to EU (but non-Eurozone) member Hungary. Its credit rating was downgraded to junk status at the end of last year over fears of mounting debt and sluggish growth. Its currency is now at an all-time low against the Euro. Now the European Commission has started legal proceedings against Hungary over what it perceives as undemocratic decisions taken by Hungary's government which, among other things, threaten the political neutrality of Hungary's central bank.

The problem, as Calton sees it, is that an unelected commission is trying to force a democratically elected government (with a 2/3rds majority) to change its legislation, with the threat of economic sanctions if it does not do so. Now, in this instance, Calton happens to agree with the European Commission's concerns, however the principle remains - should an undemocratic institution interfere in the affairs of a sovereign nation? Is this really what Alex Salmond wants for Scotland?

Harris's Downfall

2012-01-16T18:17:00.000Z

Calton has to admit that he found Tom Harris's video 'Joan's Downfall' really funny. He also thinks that Tom was entirely correct in deciding to resign from his post as Labour's media advisor given that his brief was to 'improve the level of political debate on social media'. Joan McAlpine has sunk it to the level of mud-slinging with her anti-Scottish comments on twitter, however that doesn't mean that others have to join her. The trouble is that, yet again, attention is being drawn away from the real issues to trivia. Fortunately the wee red squirrel has kept his eye on the ball. Calton is now resolving to do likewise.

Stushie now stoking anti-Scottish sentiment

2012-01-14T16:14:00.001Z

Calton does not think that the debate on independence is advanced by dubbing those who oppose the SNP's referendum plans as 'anti-Scottish'. Rookie MSP Joan McAlpine really needs to be reined in by her party, otherwise the whole discussion on Scotland's future will descend into the saltire-waving emotionalism described in the article referred to yesterday, which is not a good basis on which to make such an important decision. Of course that may be exactly what Alex Salmond wants. Independence at any price, whether or not the economic arguments stack up or the consequences have been thought through. It's certainly beginning to look like that, given the deafening silence from the SNP leadership regarding Ms McAlpine's comments on Thursday.

A view from the other side

2012-01-13T18:00:00.000Z

Here is a link to a thoughtful article on the independence referendum from an English person living in Scotland.

The Tesco effect

2012-01-12T18:18:00.000Z

Tesco's share price has plummeted with the announcement of a fall in like-for-like sales over the festive period compared with last year, wiping almost £4bn off the value of the company. According to Robert Peston, "the company admits it misjudged the desire of its British customers for promotional discount coupons in these straitened times". According to Calton, Tesco also misjudged the effect dropping its sponsorship for Cancer Research's Race for Life would have on its customers, particularly when combined with an announcement that it was supporting Gay Pride in 2012. The Daily Mail had a field day, proving that there IS such a thing as bad publicity, and Calton knows several shoppers who decided to take their custom elsewhere. Tesco has now, belatedly, decided to continue supporting Race for Life but the damage has been done and the 'Tesco effect' is now synonymous with 'PR disaster', in Calton's mind at any rate.

Is the stushie stoking anti-English sentiment?

2012-01-11T22:00:00.000Z

Calton does not, as far as he knows, have any English blood in him (although an ancestor with the surname Winchester has some explaining to do) however he does not believe in blaming the English nation any more than he would blame the Cameron clan for the activities of one David Cameron. It was therefore with some concern that he read the comment on his recent post on independence. If the current stushie between Holyrood and Westminster causes an increase in anti-English sentiment in Scotland then the sooner it is settled the better. We don't need that sort of bigotry and we don't want people who are making a positive contribution to Scotland to feel unwelcome here just because they are not Scottish. What is the definition of Scottish anyway?

Get on with it Alex

2012-01-11T13:27:00.000Z

Regular readers of this blog will know that Calton is not in favour of a snap referendum on independence. He thinks that at least some time is needed to thrash out the pros and cons of leaving the union, however Autumn 2014 is far too far away. Depending on Alex Salmond's definition of Autumn, it could be 34 months before the ballot. That is nearly 3 years of legal wrangling and political point-scoring which will not inspire business confidence in Scotland and which will be a massive distraction from the real problems we are facing. Calton thinks that the SNP should bring the referendum forward to Autumn 2013 - that is still in the second half of the current parliament and it's not as if they haven't been thinking about it for long enough. Time for them to actually get on with it.

The stushie continues

2012-01-10T18:14:00.000Z

Calton took his head out from under his wing just long enough to listen to Michael Moore's statement to the House of Commons this afternoon. Since that didn't seem to add anything new to the debate, he has nothing more to say at the moment, however there are a couple of worthwhile articles on the referendum by fellow-bloggers the wee red squirrel and barbarian politics which those who are interested might like to look at. In the meantime, Calton has stuck his head back under his wing to avoid having to hear any more interviews with Alex Salmond, who, of course, is in his element at the moment.

The stushie has started

2012-01-09T18:42:00.000Z

Calton would be preening himself on the perspicacity of his prediction were it not
a) utterly predictable and
b) totally depressing.
As it is, he feels like sticking his head under his wing and keeping it there.

Cameron's initiative - a dangerous game?

2012-01-08T17:04:00.000Z

It will be interesting to see what the outcome is of David Cameron's attempt to seize the initiative regarding the independence referendum. Calton has already stated that he does not think the referendum should be this year however, reading between the lines of what Cameron said to Andrew Marr this morning, it sounds like he would like the referendum to be sooner rather than later. This puts Cameron on an obvious collision course with Alex Salmond and Calton's concern is that the focus will shift to yet another stushie between Holyrood and Westminster rather than concentrating on the arguments for or against independence. The last thing Scotland needs is to be bounced into an early referendum by Westminster. Calton thinks that Cameron is playing a dangerous game by increasing the pressure on Alex Salmond. Hopefully the First Minister will hold his ground.

The latest suggestion from the loony left

2012-01-07T23:08:00.000Z

Calton thinks that Professor Brian Ashcroft (Mr Wendy Alexander) is completely off his trolley in suggesting that higher inflation is the answer to our current economic woes. He may be Emeritus Professor of Economics at Strathclyde University but he doesn't seem to have grasped the basic fact that higher inflation encourages people to take on debt and discourages saving, which is what got us into this mess in the first place. It also particularly penalises pensioners, whose savings are eroded, and low paid workers, whose wages do not keep pace with inflation. To suggest that we are all in this together and so savers should be prepared to take the hit while others borrow up to the hilt is not just bonkers - it is downright wicked in Calton's opinion. He sincerely hopes that our politicians treat Professor Ashcroft's suggestions with the contempt they so richly deserve.

Death by 999 cuts

2012-01-06T19:54:00.001Z

At last - a Labour politician prepared to come out and admit that Labour would have had to make cuts if they were in power. Calton has a lot of time for Jim Murphy, which is more than he can say for a lot of Labour politicians, and Murphy's comments as reported in the Guardian yesterday only serve to strengthen Calton's admiration for the man, even if he doesn't agree with all Murphy's views (notably those on Europe).

It's high time Labour came clean and admitted that the difference between the cuts they would have made, had they remained in power, and the cuts the Coalition government are making is insignificant, compared to the scale of the problem.

2012 Wish List - continued

2012-01-05T16:14:00.000Z

Ruth Davidson has said that nothing is off the table in a review of Scots Tory policies. In the light of that, Calton would like to add the following to his 2012 wishlist:

The Scottish Conservative Party to provide a credible opposition to Alex Salmond's 'Independence in Europe' policy by putting the case for remaining within the UK and distancing ourselves from Europe. That way, we stand a chance of being able to cut some of the EU red tape which is hampering our businesses. It will also put some clear blue water between the Tories and pro-EU Wilhelm Rennie/Yohann Lamont, thus giving the voter a bit more choice come 2015.
The Scottish Conservative Party to drop its policy of re-introducing prescription charges. No-one should have to stand in a pharmacy, clutching a much-needed prescription, wondering if they can afford to pay for it, as many hard-working people used to do before the SNP abolished the charges. If money needs to be raised, tax sugary drinks instead.

Gunning for Glasgow

2012-01-04T17:40:00.000Z

Taken in isolation, the complaint by Cathcart SNP MSP James Dornan into land deals made by Glasgow City Council for the 2014 Commonwealth Games is highly commendable. While the games will undoubtedly be a feather in Glasgow City's cap, it is important to ensure that taxpayers' money is not wasted or spent unwisely, and it does seem to Calton that the council have had to pay through the nose for land which, not so long ago, was worth buttons. Of course, it is pure coincidence that Glasgow is currently a Labour administration which the SNP have in their sights for the 2012 council elections.

Where angels fear to tread...

2012-01-03T18:25:00.001Z

Given that one of Scotland's main health problems, after alcohol, is obesity, Calton wonders if it was really a good idea for Johann Lamont to appoint the obviously overweight Jackie Baillie to the position of Health, Wellbeing and Cities Strategy spokeswoman. Jackie is known for her campaign for a public enquiry on the CDiff outbreak at the Vale of Leven, and has also successfully campaigned for greater protection of disabled parking spaces, however Calton fears that she will struggle to convince the masses of the necessity to lose weight unless she does so herself. Calton knows that he risks making himself deeply unpopular with this post, and Lord knows, there are probably other MSPs with less obvious but more damaging habits health-wise than Mrs Baillie, however is it too much to expect our leaders to lead by example?

In your dreams, Willie

2012-01-02T18:59:00.000Z

Calton thinks that Willie Rennie is indulging in a flight of fantasy in thinking that "liberalism, not nationalism, will dominate Scottish political landscape in the years ahead", given the way the constituency map of Scotland changed from orange to yellow in the 2011 election. If there is a rich seam of liberal values in Scottish history it did not translate into Libdem votes. The jury is still out on whether the Scots voted SNP because they wanted independence or because they wanted a centre-left party and were fed up of Labour. (Calton suspects the latter.) What is certain is that they didn't want a bunch of Libdems who seemed to be prepared to abandon their principles and go in with any party as long as they were in power.

Murdo Fraser has realised that the Scots Tories need to divorce themselves from the English party to stand any chance of gaining more seats at Holyrood. Calton wonders how long it will take our Willie to come to the same conclusion?

Calton's New Year Message

2012-01-01T16:43:00.000Z

It is understandable that both Johann Lamont and Ruth Davidson should choose to use their New Year messages to urge Alex Salmond to get on with the independence referendum. The current uncertainty (and continual sniping at Westminster) is not good and could make international companies jittery about investing in Scotland until they see which way things are heading. However, Calton does not think this year is the time to make such an important decision. In common with fellow-blogger the wee red squirrel, Calton believes that a lot more debate needs to take place around the independence issue before it goes to the people. We also need to wait and see what is going to happen in Europe before deciding whether to go for the SNP's oxymoronical 'Independence in Europe' vision or stay with Cameron's isolationist policies. It is therefore with some reluctance that Calton finds himself agreeing with the First Minister's policy of waiting until the second half of this Parliament before holding the referendum, albeit for different reasons!

Who controls our destiny?

2011-12-30T21:22:00.000Z

How can Scotland take full control of her own destiny if she is a part of the increasingly undemocratic European Union? That is the question Calton is asking himself after reading excerpts from Alex Salmond's New Year Message on The Scotsman's website. He is also rather worried about the reference to 'the UK’s counter-productive obsession with austerity'. That sounds to Calton rather like the First Minister has jumped on Labour's bandwagon, which, as we all know, is called 'spending our way out of debt'. Of course, if we do become independent and part of Europe, we will soon find that this is not an option, just as spending their way out of debt is not an option for Greece, Ireland, Italy and Spain. Calton wonders if Herr Salmond has realised this yet. Probably not. Hence item 3 on Calton's 2012 wishlist.

2012 Wish List

2011-12-29T17:58:00.000Z

CBI Scotland director Iain McMillan has said today that the Scottish Government must direct its entire energy to rebuilding the economy, according to the BBC News website. Calton couldn't agree more and would therefore like to add the following to his New Year's wishlist:

Alex Salmond to concentrate on the Scottish economy instead of point-scoring against the Westminster Government.
The whole Scottish Parliament to forget about redefining marriage, legalising assisted suicide and other bills which, quite frankly, have far too much time spent on them when you take into account how few people they will benefit.
The SNP to stop thinking that the basket-case which is now Europe is going to be the answer to Scotland's economic problems.
Labour to stop thinking that a large public sector is a good thing.

Not in my back yard, thankyou!

2011-12-28T16:31:00.000Z

It was announced today that approval has been given for a new 59 turbine windfarm in Moray and an extension to one in Lewis. Just over a month ago a 33 turbine windfarm in Sutherland was similarly given the go-ahead. Calton has always been rather doubtful of the wisdom of spoiling our beautiful countryside with large-scale windfarm developments and, after seeing the photos of the turbine which caught fire in the last big storm, has definitely, and unapologetically, become a windfarm NIMBY, because there's no way he wants burning debris landing on his eyrie!

Much is being made in today's announcements about the number of jobs which will be created, however most of these jobs will only be temporary construction jobs and it is unclear at present what the impact of the increasing number of windfarms will be on our tourist industry, which is one of the main employers in rural Scotland. The few permanent jobs provided by windfarms could easily be outnumbered by the jobs consequently lost in the tourist sector. Instead of building more and more windfarms to power homes, Calton thinks that investment should be directed towards making homes more energy-efficient and developing more reliable (and less incendiary) energy-generating methods.

More on the 'Big Man'

2011-12-27T19:03:00.000Z

Following on from my earlier post on the great train ejection, the Wee Red Squirrel (not to be confused with the Red Squirrel of the North) has some pertinent things to say, with which Calton agrees entirely. See here.

Too many young lives lost

2011-12-27T17:47:00.000Z

Calton is sure he is not the only one concerned about the number of reports of knifings and shootings in Scotland over the festive period. It has been nothing less than shocking - a very real indictment on our society. There is no easy answer to this however two things are clear - firstly, that those convicted of violent acts are back out on our streets all too soon, and without having been rehabilitated. Daryn Maxwell, who has been convicted recently of murdering Reamonn Gormley, is a case in point. Secondly, the link between violence and alcohol abuse is proven beyond all doubt. Calton therefore fully supports the minimum pricing for alcohol bill, a bill which would have been on the statute books long ago had it not been for the opposition parties in the last parliament, because anything that deters people getting tanked up on cheap booze has to be a good thing. He would also like to see much tougher sentences for anyone caught carrying a knife and far more rigorous parole conditions for those convicted of violent crime. We need to rid our streets of violent thugs and make them safe again.

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-24T13:45:00.002Z

Calton would like to wish all his readers a very merry Christmas and a peaceful New Year.

New Labour team - same old policies

2011-12-23T17:06:00.000Z

Ken Macintosh, Scottish Labour's new Finance Spokesman, is to be commended for resisting the opportunity to just blame the SNP and Westminster governments for Scotland's rising unemployment when questioned by John Beattie on Radio Scotland two days ago. Unfortunately, much of what he recommended to solve the current economic problems we face just sounded like the same old Labour policies of borrowing our way out of debt and the continuance of a large public sector with rising council tax to pay for it. Calton is afraid that Scottish Labour will have to do a bit better than that if they are to win back the hearts and votes of the Scottish people!

Alex where's your bottle?

2011-12-22T14:04:00.000Z

Calton is not normally a fan of the Red Squirrel of the North however Danny Alexander is quite right in highlighting the dangers of Scotland becoming independent and yet continuing to use Sterling. If the SNP are sincere in their desire to have the fiscal levers needed to strengthen recovery, boost growth and create jobs then they need to have fiscal autonomy, ie their own currency and their own central bank. Becoming independent yet tied to Sterling would leave us in a worse position than we are at present. Ditto becoming independent and adopting the Euro. Calton is not the only one who is starting to question why Alex Salmond does not understand this. Does he not have the bottle to go for full independence for Scotland, political and fiscal?

Frau Merkel wants to have her kuchen and eat it

2011-12-21T17:08:00.000Z

Calton makes no apology for once again commenting on events beyond the borders of Scotland because, with our First Minister's avowed desire to see Scotland at the top table in Europe, we ignore what is happening there at our peril. Today the European Central Bank gave out 489bn Euros-worth of 3-year loans to European banks at 1% interest and with lower collateral requirements which is the equivalent of your bank lending you £2000 at 1% for a clapped out old car. The hope is that the banks will use the money to buy up the debt of the likes of Spain and Italy, thus making the ECB a lender to sovereign nations at one remove. In other words, we are only one step away from seeing the ECB become a national bank for the nation of Eurozone, ie fiscal union. And fiscal union means political union. As Angela Merkel said to the Bundestag early this month - "We have started a new phase in European integration ... we aren't just talking about a fiscal union, rather, we have begun creating one." However in the same speech, she also said "A joint liability for others' debts is not acceptable", reiterating the German opposition to the introduction of Eurobonds. This is because, while the Germans want fiscal union, they don't want to be responsible for the debts of other nations like Greece and Spain. A case of the Germans wanting to have their cake and eat it then.

(See also Stephanie Flanders on the BBC News website.)

Wanted - Santa for Farepak victims

2011-12-20T15:49:00.000Z

Calton thinks it is shocking that, more than 5 years later, those who lost money when the Christmas hamper firm Farepak collapsed are still waiting for compensation. Even more worrying is the fact that it could easily happen again since pre-payment schemes such as Farepak are still not covered by legislation. It strikes Calton that this is the sort of thing that Margo MacDonald should be getting involved in, as it disproportionately affects the poorer members of Scottish society. She would benefit a far greater number of people if she tackled this issue as opposed to spending her time trying again to legalise assisted suicide. Come on Margo - be Santa for the Farepak victims this Christmas!

Wohnen Sie Deutsch sprechen?

2011-12-19T21:18:00.000Z

Calton must be getting clairvoyant. Yesterday he posted about a Greater Germany and, lo, today the German Foreign Minister is quoted on the BBC news website as saying "For us, Europe is not only our destiny but also our desire. It is the lesson we learnt. Please understand for us Europe is much more than a currency or a single market... It is a political union we want." If that doesn't strike fear into your heart it's hard to imagine what would. Calton kann Deutsch sprechen enough to buy a beer in Munchen but he doesn't want to see it become Scotland's national language!

Something fishy in the state of Europe

2011-12-18T17:26:00.000Z

Calton has always thought that 'independence in Europe' is a contradiction in terms. Why cut loose from a democratically elected parliament in Westminster only to submit to an unelected bureaucracy in Brussels? Do we really want to become part of a Greater Germany, the creation of which is the only way forward if the Euro is to survive? David Cameron has very sensibly told Merkozy where to go, in order to protect the City of London. Would that someone would do the same to protect what's left of the Scottish fishing industry!

Heading for oblivion

2011-12-16T19:41:00.000Z

If Calton had been blogging at the time of the Scottish Conservative leadership election, he would have said that the conservatives (small c) had consigned themselves to oblivion, however, even with his far-sightedness, he did not anticipate how quickly this prediction would come true. Just a couple of months later, Ruth What's-her-name's profile is so low her wheel rims are striking sparks off the tarmac. The appointment of Michael Tait, recent winner of the Tartan Bollocks award, as her media director is unlikely to help unless he can invent a personality for her. Annabel Goldie may not have been everyone's cup of tea but at least she had a media presence. Ruth What's-her-name's main achievement since being elected has been to out-grey Mr Gray. Only the candidates for the Labour leadership are less conspicuous. If Murdo Fraser had deliberately planned the demise of the Scottish Conservative Party to make way for his new centre-right unionist party he couldn't have done it better.

Whom the Gods wish to destroy

2011-12-15T16:33:00.000Z

Calton looked down from his eyrie on the hill this morning and spied a small gathering clothed in purple and white outside New St Andrews House. On closer inspection this turned out to be a group of Scotland for Marriage supporters, come to hand in a letter from 70 evangelical ministers in favour of maintaining traditional marriage. Calton suspects they may be wasting their time - those whom the Gods wish to destroy they first make mad, which may account for Alex Salmond's spectacular loss of political nous on this subject. His overall majority seems to have gone to his head to the extent that he does not seem to either realise or care that his 'mind to back same-sex marriage' will cost him dearly, not just in votes but also in financial backing. Mad indeed.

Softly, Softly

2011-12-14T19:12:00.002Z

Calton used to think that 'Softly, Softly' was the title of an old police TV series. Now it's the way the BBC treats truculent young men who swear at conductors and get thrown off trains for their pains. Every effort is made to allow said young men to air their side of the story, all in the interests of 'balance'. This morning on the Call Kaye Radio Scotland program we were invited to feel sorry for such a young man, who could clearly be heard on a YouTube video being abusive to a man who was just doing his job. Well, Calton for one has no sympathy for the foul-mouthed lad and every sympathy for the conductor and the last thing we need is for the BBC (which is supposedly a public service broadcaster) to be giving lads like him the oxygen of publicity - it just encourages them to carry on their abuse. It's at times like this that Calton wishes there was still a jail on Calton Hill - and it wouldn't be the Big Man who ended up in it if Calton had his way.

Moving the Goalposts Salmond-style

2011-12-13T19:42:00.000Z

In the biggest act of gerrymandering Calton has seen since the Irish were told that they had given the wrong answer in the European referendum, the Scottish Government decided last week to open the consultation on same-sex marriage to anyone, regardless of whether or not they live in Scotland. Clearly the people of Scotland were not giving the answer which Alex Salmond wished to hear and could not be trusted to make up their minds on this important issue without outside help. One wonders whether the same thing will happen come the long-awaited independence referendum if the Scots do not come up with the 'right' answer!