Clouding The Campaign
Whilst the Icelandic volcano has caused chaos for travellers of all political persuasions and none, locally it seems to be having an especially difficult impact on the Conservatives and Unionists. The Tory spokesman Owen Paterson has been stranded here, unable to return to his Shropshire seat, whilst a growing number of Tory VIPs have had to cancel. The latest today is the Shadow Foreign Secretary William Hague, who joins a long list of volcano no shows including David Willets, Andrew Lansley, ian Duncan Smith and Nick Herbert.
The question is whether the main man, David Cameron, will make it as planned to the UCUNF manifesto launch. Yesterday he couldn't make it to the Scottish launch, having to settle for a video link instead. Dave has told us countless times that he is passionate about the union, but is he passionate enough to take the boat?
Whilst the Icelandic Ash has done more to break the East West link than the IRA ever achieved, a few other thoughts come to mind. What happens, should the volcano continue belching gas for two years, to our newly elected MPs. Traditionally they inhabit the business lounges at Belfast City and Heathrow jetting back and forth to take part in votes and debates. But will they have to decamp to London for months on end in order to participate? Or should we be looking at new technology such as video conferencing (Edwin Poots' idea for future North South meetings) or the secure casting of an MP's vote over the internet?
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