Wednesday 28 January 2015

Fracking: No moratorium/Moratorium


On Monday 26 January, in Westminster Labour claimed a 'victory' over fracking, while in fact abstaining on a vote for a moratorium. Jim Murphy, leader of Scottish Labour, has claimed to be against fracking but didn't even show up for the vote.

On Wednesday 28 January, in Holyrood, the Scottish Government announced its support for a moratorium on fracking, following the lead of the Scottish Greens who proposed a ban last year. Keep your eye out for the consultation, and your chance to ask for the moratorium to be made permanent.


Friday 9 January 2015

The face of Jim Murphy

This photo of Jim Murphy is courtesy of Wednesday's National. Worth more than the 50p, not counting anything else in the paper.

Murphy is a piece of work. He changes his position on major issues. Repeatedly in interviews he claims Labour voted one way when they voted the other. And his main argument to vote Labour?
“Nearly 200,000 Yes voters ... can decide whether to vote Labour to get rid of the Tories or to vote SNP and keep the status quo.”
Implicit here is the notion that no alliance between Labour and SNP will be possible, or even thinkable. It is the same bullying strategy we saw in the referendum: collaboration with Scotland is not an option, even if it is in the UK's best interest; vote our way or you will suffer the consequences.

Meanwhile, Murphy's deputy, Kezia Dugdale, has leaked the truth: “I think what we are setting out to do is to be the largest party, I have no qualms whatsoever about working with the SNP.”

I'm not looking forward to a repeat of Better Together's mistruths and bullying during the referendum. Are there no issues Labour wishes to debate?
Murphy