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Election 07

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Eyes down

  • Betsan Powys
  • 25 Apr 07, 03:04 PM

If you haven't already spotted our election give it a go. Someone's already suggested we should come up with a box for party freebies. Tick 'em off as you're offered:

Number 3? Free kids brekkie
21? Key of the door (with 拢5000 thrown in)
42? Light bulb for you
34? Ask for more (than a free toothbrush)

Make sure Blaenau Gwent candidate Trish Law isn't sitting at your table or you won't get a look in. There may be an election campaign on but that hasn't got in the way of her regular Bingo nights in Cwmbran. And it obviously pays to mix business with pleasure. Two big wins in two weeks and a bumper win for her daughter I hear. Is the lady on a winning streak?

Try not to clean them out again though Trish. You'll be after their votes next week ...

For the record ...

  • Betsan Powys
  • 25 Apr 07, 12:58 PM

I seem to be saying 'for the record' a lot at the moment so let me say it once again:

For the record there was no time to take a pee/ park the car legally/eat yesterday let alone get to a computer. It started very early, finished very late and no, there was no time for a visit to the pub (fy ffrind Bedd G!) You know that when you get a call from the Secretary of State's man venting the boss's anger before you've left the house in the morning that it's going to be that kind of day ... and it was.

Of course a story about the possiblity of any Labour/Plaid deal was going to ruffle feathers. That's why we did nothing about it until we had something worth saying - thanks team. But for the record (told you) we were right to cover the story, right to do it when we did and what's more, I'm happy we got the story right. There. Said my piece. Brilliant blogging all round yesterday. Sorry I missed it.

Sorry too that I got a parking ticket - where's the bus when you need it?

2 minutes to spare

  • Mark Devenport
  • 25 Apr 07, 12:09 PM

Northern Ireland questions in the Commons trailed to a halt two minutes early today, meaning that Tony Blair had to spring into action earlier than he had expected.

The early finish came after a number of questions were dropped from the prepared list - the SDLP's Alasdair McDonnell wasn't on hand to ask a question about medical training, and the DUP's Sammy Wilson wasn't there to ask about provision for young people with disabilities. The UUP's Lady Hermon was there, but did not put a question on the list about Alzheimers treatment and the Tory MP Philip Hollobone didn't ask a question about the future size of the Northern Ireland Office.

The missing questions were compounded by missing MPs - the DUP team was much smaller than usual as many of their MPs are busy getting briefed on their new responsibilities at Stormont.

During Prime Minister's questions, the DUP's David Simpson did ask Tony Blair something. Not about Northern Ireland, though. He wanted to know why the government is spending 拢30 million on a new London academy to teach parents to recite nursery rhymes to their children.

So if you had two minutes to spare to ask Peter Hain and his ministers any question at all, what would it be?

Up with the larks

  • Brian Taylor
  • 25 Apr 07, 11:19 AM

Come the revolution, wrote Denis Healey, we shall abolish teeth.

The former Chancellor, it seems, had persistent trouble with his molars. I sympathise. It is hard to think great thoughts while pestered with painful gnashers.

Should the day dawn, my personal favourite for abolition would be business breakfasts. The very concept is oxymoronic.

At breakfast, one should not do business. One should sit sullenly munching toast, preparing for the horrors ahead.

Conversation should be limited to the occasional grunt.

However, I dragged myself along to the SNP breakfast gig last Friday and today鈥檚 bash with the Chancellor.

Both were held in the middle of the night, starting some time around 0730.

Alex Salmond served scrambled eggs and smoked salmon (not personally, you understand.)

The Chancellor鈥檚 choice was croissants, fruit, cheese and a species of salami. Or, as we would call it in Dundee, biled ham.

Both were designed to impress us with the extent of business support for the various causes.

I bid one Brian Souter. I鈥檒l see your Souter 鈥 and raise you Tesco chairman David Reid.

Labour had more names and more big names. But their list was backing the Union 鈥 while the Nationalist list was backing the SNP directly.

You choose how to travel. You choose where to shop. You choose your domestic government in Scotland.

Which is where we鈥檙e at now. Choice.

The strategies of the two leading parties couldn鈥檛 be more different in informing that choice.

The SNP has been caution itself. Independence is for another day, referendum day.

It鈥檚 new model Alex Salmond 鈥 calm, unassertive. As if he would pick a fight with anyone, let alone London!

By contrast, the Labour campaign has veered between frustration and ferocity.

The ferocity comes in the attack on independence and SNP accounting.

Again today the Chancellor said that the Nationalists were deliberately disguising, for example, the reduced value of North Sea oil which affected their sums. (The SNP dissent.)

Privately, the frustration lies in the problem of persuading the electorate to focus solely on the devolved Scottish election at hand.

Labour canvassers talk of being greeted on doorsteps with complaints about Blair, Prescott, Blunkett, Brown and pensions etc etc.

One spoke of trying to break through a 鈥渨all of ignorance鈥.

Folk think they can vote SNP without consequences, without really changing anything.

They鈥檙e unsure about SNP policies, many apparently imagining that voting Nationalist means quitting the EU.

So, expect more, much more, in the same vein for the final week. Sweet assurance from the SNP. Vocal challenge from Labour. You choose.

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