Andrew Reeves' Running Blog - but what am I running for.....

George Lyon MEP in Copenhagen writing for The Steamie

2009-12-18T06:28:00.004Z

George Lyon MEP is over in Copenhagen this week fighting Scotland's corner at the Climate Change talks.

While George Lyon is there he is writing for The Steamie blog and Twittering constantly during his time there as well.

It sounds like he is having a good time and keeping us all up to date as well - excellent.

Flyglobespan UPDATE

2009-12-16T20:17:00.004Z

It appears that those good folk of easyJet have stepped in to help stranded Flyglobespan passengers while spotting a commercial opportunity.

Over at their website,

"Following the announcement that Globespan has suspended its operations, easyJet, the largest UK airline, will offer those passengers stranded a special rescue fee of £60 (including taxes) to return home on the routes where our flights overlap with those of Globespan. These are:

Faro to Glasgow, Malaga to Glasgow, Alicante to Glasgow, Faro to Edinburgh, Malaga to Edinburgh, Alicante to Edinburgh and Geneva to Edinburgh.

Thanks to Mike Souter, easyJet have confirmed this offer is being offered to passengers stranded in the UK going the other way as well.

easyJet has made this offer available to any Globespan passengers due return home on these routes during the fourteen days (offer available until 23:59 - 30th December).

To claim the exclusive £60 rescue package, passengers should call easyJet customer services on one of the numbers listed below.

Passengers must provide the agent with their Globespan booking reference number and present their Globespan booking confirmation at check-in as further proof of booking.

From UK: 0871 244 2366

From Spain: 807 0700 70

From Switzerland: 0900 000 258

If you are calling from a country not listed above, you can call us on +44 871 244 2366.

Flyglobespan goes bust

2009-12-16T19:33:00.003Z

Yesterday I suspect passengers who had flights booked with Flyglobespan over the Christmas break were gloating somewhat over fellow passengers who had flights booked with British Airways.

How things have changed in 24 hours.

Unfortunately Flyglobespan, Scotland's biggest airline has now called in the administrators meaning that the Civil Aviation Authority is now responsible for bringing around 1,100 holidaymakers home who are currently on Globespan package holidays.

These are the lucky ones.

For the remaining 3,500 who booked direct and are overseas, the bad news is they are not covered, there are also around 27,000 people who have flights booked in the future through the ATOL insurance scheme, and around 90,000 people who have advanced bookings but have no ATOL insurance protection.

However, they may be protected under their own personal travel insurance or through their credit card transaction.

Flyglobespan was set up in 2002, employed 800 staff and operated from five UK airports, including Prestwick, Edinburgh and Aberdeen.

The staff have now all been made redundant, that must be an awful blow the week before Christmas. And not good news for Scotland.

Alex Salmond gets stood up in Copenhagen

2009-12-15T18:59:00.001Z

Alex Salmond has been left red faced and embarrassed after three prominent figures stood him up at an event where he was among the speakers.

California's Republican governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon and London mayor Boris Johnson were listed to speak at a session of the climate change summit in Copenhagen.

However, all three had pulled out of that event.

This is quite embarrassing for the First Minister because he had highlighted beforehand that they were among the scheduled speakers.

The event was billed as a "commitment session" in the Danish capital.

Although Scottish ministers are not part of the UK delegation to the summit itself, and will not be involved in the summit negotiations there are a large group of Scots over there including the First Minister, George Lyon MEP and Patrick Harvie MSP.

The Scottish Government on Friday boasted that Alex Salmond was appearing with Arnold Schwarzenegger in Copenhagen.

Perhaps Alex Salmond should have checked this with Mr Schwarzenegger first.

The last thing they need in Copenhagen right now is more hot air from Alex Salmond!

First he wasn't invited and then he got stood up - whoops!
------------------

Tony Blair was going to invade Iraq anyway, whatever the reason

2009-12-14T06:32:00.007Z

Charles Kennedy and Sir Menzies Campbell must be feeling a little smug this week after Tony Blair's confession about Iraq, although knowing both of them as I do neither would ever admit that.

Tony Blair told Sky News that he believes it would have been right to invade Iraq even if it had been known that Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction did not exist.

It appeared at the time that Tony Blair and George Bush were two of a limited number of people who believed all their own hype. But let us remember that most, and I do mean most Labour MPs including Gordon Brown and the Conservative MPs, including David Cameron supported Tony Blair and George Bush on this issue.

It was the Liberal Democrats who stood up to the bullying and harassment in the House of Commons, day in and day out over this. I wonder how many are completely embarrassed and ashamed now knowing their leader would have attacked Iraq anyway, whatever the reason.

The interview, with Fern Britton was broadcast this weekend on BBC1.

I for one am pleased and proud to be a Liberal Democrat on this issue and we must never let the people forget that it was Labour and the Conservatives who took us into this illegal war in Iraq.

Gay Trooper Ben Rakestrow is out in Afghanistan

2009-12-13T08:44:00.001Z

I saw this story first on the BBC news newspaper review yesterday morning, and found myself intrigued that a story of one of the Army's finest who has come out to his fellow troops was being covered by a red top newspaper in a positive way.

So, firstly ten out of ten to The Sun. (I really never thought I would hear myself ever say that!)

But it does prove that finally gay people are being accepted, accepted that our sexuality does not change how we do our job, bizarrely we don't all jump on every person we see of the same sex!

Secondly, this also proves that our Armed Forces are also starting to grow up and become a little more all encompassing on the "gay" issue. It is similar to when they accepted (finally) that women were going to go out onto the frontline and the initial response from the top brass was where would they sleep?

Well, I have always found a bed is good for sleeping on. Seriously though, I get where they were coming from but it was they who were creating the problems. Like gay men and women coming out in the Armed Forces it will always take a little time for people to adapt, the banter to die down and I am sure Ben Rakestrow has had his fill of shower jokes etc, it isn't homophobic as some may say, it is the banter of life in our armed forces.

Ben Rakestrow serves with the 2nd Royal Tank Regiment and is back from Afghanistan where he was in the same convoy as Lieutenant Colonel Rupert Thorneloe when the commanding officer was killed in an explosion.

Ben, like every other man or woman, straight or gay in our armed forces is a hero in my eyes.

Ben is only 21 and my only concern about this whole episode is his choice of duvet cover, come on Ben, Zac Efron? Get a grip mate :-)

How can any pensioner ever trust Labour again?

2009-12-12T17:11:00.005Z

When Alistair Darling announced in the pre-budget report that pensions would be increased by 2.5% many, if not all pensioners must have sensed a little relief knowing they would at the very least get an increase in their weekly pension.

But as time ticked on the Labour plans started to unravel as people realised that yet again the Labour budget was all spin.

The State Earnings Related Pension (Serps) will in fact be frozen, the small earnings-related supplement called the graduated pension will also be frozen and the additional pension of £57.05 paid to 41,000 men who have wives under 60 will also remain at this years rate.

According to the BBC "Also under threat is the increase in the extra pension of £7 a week paid to 1.2 million over 60s who have delayed their retirement. That could also be included in the freeze policy when details are revealed on Monday."

So, Alistair Daring was quite obviously not entirely honest with the pensioners of Britain when he got up last week in the House of Commons and said "basic state pension will not be frozen, but will rise by 2.5% in April".

That to me implies a pension would go up by 2.5%.

As the BBC have worked out this is a pile of rubbish and given the fact of how many pensioners in this country still live in poverty, still cannot afford to heat their homes and cannot afford to eat properly Alistair Darling, Gordon Brown and the Labour Party should be bloody ashamed of themselves for this manipulative play on words.

It is time for honesty in today's politics and Labour have been far from honest with this announcement.

Ashay Ghai wins Bearsden South by-election from Cameron's Conservatives

2009-12-11T13:32:00.002Z

The Cameron bounce doesn't exist in Scotland in the same way as it appears to in England.

Yesterday the voters went to the polls in the Bearsden South by-election to select a Councillor to replace the Conservative who had resigned.

Bearsden South ward is in the Westminster constituency of East Dunbartonshire where Jo Swinson is the MP.

Cameron's Conservatives threw everything plus the kitchen sink at this by-election and saw this as a way of "getting rid of Swinson" according to one email forwarded to me.

There were four candidates, Ashay Ghai for the Scottish Liberal Democrats, Rachel Higgins for the Conservatives, Fiona McLeod for the SNP and Manjinder Shergill for Labour.

The turnout was 36.22% and the quota was 1891.

The first preference votes cast in stage one were as follows;
Ashay Ghai - Lib Dem - 1110
Rachel Higgins - Con - 1261
Fiona McLeod - SNP - 783
Manjinder Shergill - Lab - 626

The votes in stage two following Labours votes being redistributed were as follows;
Ashay Ghai - Lib Dem - 1381
Rachel Higgins - Con - 1306
Fiona McLeod - SNP - 972

The votes in stage three following the SNPs votes being redistributed were as follows;
Ashay Ghai - Lib Dem - 1770
Rachel Higgins - Con - 1499

Ashay Ghai was elected as the Councillor for Bearsden South gaining the seat from the Conservatives.

So, Gordon Browns government party came a dismal fourth, Alex Salmonds Scottish government party came a bad third and David Cameron loses another Councillor and still has no mandate for government here in Scotland.

A great day for Ashay Ghai, Jo Swinson MP and the Scottish Liberal Democrats.

A bad day for Gordon, Alex and Dave.

Well done Ashay.

The Orwell Prize for Bloggers

2009-12-10T23:10:00.002Z

The Orwell Prize, Britain’s most prestigious prize for political writing, is inviting entries for a Blog Prize for a second year.

If you’d like to enter, you need to submit 10 URLs you’ve written in 2009.

They do not have to be from the same blog, but they should all be written by you – the prize is self-nominating.

The entry form can be found here at this site, with full rules and regulations here.

The entry deadline is 20th January 2010.

The winner of the prize receives £3000 and an Orwell Prize plaque. Richard Horton (Jack Night) and Oona King are the judges of this year’s Blog Prize.

Entries are also being invited for the Book Prize and Journalism Prize.

If you would like to refer to the prize on your blog please link this here to ensure that other budding entrants know where to find us.

International Human Rights Day and Uganda

2009-12-10T21:51:00.007Z

Today is International Human Rights Day and so I thought I would finally blog about the situation for LGBT people in Uganda.

The Ugandan Parliament is discussing the anti-homosexuality Bill, which violates the equality and non-discrimination provisions of the African Charter on Human and People's Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Uganda is a signatory.

These breaches of international humanitarian commitments undermine the right to privacy and individual liberty and thereby set a dangerous legal precedent which threatens the human rights of all Ugandans. They are part of a wider drift towards an authoritarian state.

President Museveni is fast turning into another Robert Mugabe and the world already has way to many of those. Late last month President Museveni said: "I hear European homosexuals are recruiting in Africa.

“We used to have very few homosexuals traditionally. They were not persecuted but were not encouraged either because it was clear that is not how God arranged things to be.”

I have been gay all my life and I have never recruited anyone, where do I get the membership forms from? I know I shouldn't make light of such a serious situation but this crap coming from the mouth of a President of a country is just unbelievable.

As Peter Tatchell says the new anti-homosexuality Bill, if passed, proposes the death penalty for 'aggravated' and 'serial' homosexual acts and extends the existing penalty of life imprisonment for anal sex to all other same-sex behaviour.

Membership of LGBT organisations and funding for them, advocacy of LGBT human rights and the provision of condoms or safer sex advice to LGBT people will result in a minimum sentence of five years and a maximum of seven years for "promoting" homosexuality.

Surely, preventing the spread of AIDS should be something of importance to the Ugandan government? I am utterly appalled that this kind of legislation is being proposed and good on Peter Tatchell (not often I say that) for pushing this one into the public domain.

Pink News is reporting today the Ugandan government may drop some of the harshest parts of the Bill, wow that's so big of them! I would like the Queen as head of the Commonwealth to throw Uganda out for this ridiculous proposed legislation.

David Bahati, the MP for Ndorwa West who proposed this nonsense really should be bloody ashamed of himself, he claims this legislation will protect children, youths and traditional families, he sounds like he would fit in with the British Conservatives with that kind of clap trap, that was where they started with Section 28.

I applaud Gordon Brown for raising the issue with Presidnet Museveni at the recent Commonwealth Heads of Government conference in Trinidad.

It is time to take a stand against this homophobic hatred from a head of a country.

Make your voice heard today by emailing the Ugandan High Commissioner here in the UK, Joan Rwabyomere on info@ugandahighcommission.co.uk and together we can stop this nonsense.

What was the point of the SNPs 2007 Election Manifesto

2009-12-08T06:37:00.007Z

Every political party in the run up to each election put a lot of work into their election manifesto, it is their selection of "pledges" for the election campaign so that voters can make their clear and informed choice when they go into the polling station and make their mark on the ballot paper.

I know from the European election earlier this year and the work already going into our general election manifesto that this is a major piece of work for the staff of political parties.

Thinking through the ideas, ensuring the costings are correct and that each idea is affordable and deliverable and for democratic parties then selling them to their members.

So what were the SNP thinking back in 2007? I have to be honest, I have never known a party break so many of it's election pledges;

This is the list of their election promises that they have failed to deliver or just dumped;

Reducing class sizes

Teacher numbers

Abolition of council tax/replacement with Local Income Tax

£2000 first-time homebuyers grant

Kinship care allowance

Dumping student debt (and replace student loans system)

Matching brick for brick the school building programme from the previous Lib Dem/Labour government

Nursery teacher access

Dualling A9 (and endless other transport commitments from STPR)

Recruiting more doctors

PPP/PFI alternative (Scottish Futures Trust not a funding mechanism)

Lighter business regulation

Support for renewables

This is pathetic, basically Alex Salmond and the SNP made all of these promises just to get elected and once they had formed their minority administration they have dumped their promises one by one instead concentrating on trying to deliver Alex Salmond's one sole obsession of independence.

Yet, this is the one promise that (a) cannot be delivered because 75% of Scottish people do not want it and (b) is a complete waste of £12million when we have a major recession on and that money could be better used instead of the SNP forcing a poll next year where they will be seriously humiliated.

The other major thing the SNP tried to do, was to try and sell off 25% of Scotland's forests including the most profitable parts of the forestry industry but following a major campaign launched by the Scottish Liberal Democrats and many environmental groups the SNPs minister at the time, Mike Russell was forced into a u-turn and then was sacked.

Can you really trust the SNP and Alex Salmond?

They have broken 13 of their election promises from the 2007 election, tried to sell off a quarter of Scotland's forests but are determined to waste £12million on independence.

SNP all over the place on sheep tagging

2009-12-07T14:50:00.010Z

If you had asked me two years ago, would I be blogging about sheep tagging, I would have said categorically no, but now it is an extremely important part of my political work.

George Lyon MEP and Jim Hume MSP have both campaigned long and hard against the EID proposals that now, unfortunately come into force on the 1st January.

Following comments made by the SNPs MEP Alyn Smith, George Lyon the Lib Dem MEP for Scotland and the Lib Dem's rural affairs spokesperson Liam McArthur MSP have jointly written to Richard Lochhead MSP to seek urgent clarification on the Scottish government's policy on the implementation of EID.

The call by George Lyon and Liam McArthur comes after comments made by the SNP MEP Alyn Smith. Mr Smith is quoted as saying that the Scottish government does not think that helping Scottish sheep farmers fund the implementation of sheep tagging (EID) is "worth doing".

Alyn Smith also has said that he has been "quoted out of context by the Lib Dems".

Watch the video here and see what you think.

Liberal Democrats, along with the National Farmers Union, have repeatedly called on the Scottish government to help meet the cost of this regulation, when it comes into effect in just a few weeks on 1st January 2010.

Sheep farmers all over Scotland are already worried about the financial implications of the recession and now have have to meet the costs of implementing this utterly ridiculous sheep tagging scheme which could result in Scotland losing more sheep flocks from our hills, uplands and islands and yet more sheep farmers being forced out of business.

It would be astonishing if the Scottish government did not commit to fully fund the central database as the NFU and the industry have asked for.

Other countries, such as France, Spain, Italy and Greece have all used RDP funding to help ease the financial burden forced upon their farmers but the SNP minority government are doing absolutely nothing.

The SNP are obviously all over the place on this issue. It is time they stood shoulder to shoulder and made a firm decision and helped our farmers across Scotland to pay for this scheme.

RBS must cancel bonuses

2009-12-06T15:43:00.005Z

I am somewhat astounded that the Board of Directors at the Royal Bank of Scotland are being so petty and arrogant at the same time.

Vince Cable MP was right to call their bluff over this and say go on then, quit.

The Directors defence was they have to pay these bonuses out of £1.5billion for them to remain competitive.

I disagree, no-one in the banking community is hiring new staff at the current time and secondly, if the Board of Directors had kept their finger on the pulse and run their bank responsibly they wouldn't have needed the massive public funded bailout resulting in the British taxpayer owning 70% of the bank.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer should have a vote in this and the right to veto these outrageous bonuses.

I don't give a damn if these bonuses are tied into the members of staffs contracts or conditions of service, bonuses should be paid as a reward for good work. How do the Directors justify these bonuses this year?

I appreciate the staff within the investment arm have generated £6billion of profit, but perhaps the bonus should therefore only be assessed on 30% of that amount?

The entire board of Directors of the Royal Bank of Scotland cannot in practice all quit at the same time. The Financial Services Authority would not allow this to happen, but the directors would be able to announce a collective intention to quit, so that replacements could be found in an organised manner.

And the final word goes to my former boss, Vince Cable MP, the Liberal Democrats Shadow Chancellor who said; "I would welcome their resignations, as the bank cannot hold the taxpayer to ransom.

"As a state run bank, the Government must finally take control and ensure that both its pay and lending practices are in the public interest."

As usual on these matters it is only the Liberal Democrats Vince Cable talking sense.

Scottish Liberal Democrats at The Glasgow Wave

2009-12-05T18:51:00.017Z

Not the best weather for marching through the streets of Glasgow, although it was much better in Glasgow than when I left Edinburgh. I met up with a group of Liberal Democrats at Glasgow Queen Street station before we headed to Ibrox to meet the rest.

A group of 20+ there to meet us before we all headed off to Bellahouston Park where our numbers continued to grow with George Lyon MEP, Katy Gordon, Robert Brown MSP and Alison McInnes MSP and many of Liberal Youth Scotland.

Robert, Alison and George all went off to do the official photos while we did our own and then we were off.

A slow 2.5miles walk with the 4,000 to 5,000 others according to the Strathclyde Police marching with us. At one point spontaneous mexican waves started amongst the masses while we were waiting for the whole group to catch up.

Noticeable by their absence was the SNP, bar 2 parliamentarians spotted hovering around here and there and this was particularly strange especially given all the noise they've made about wanting to attend the Copenhagen talks and also absent were their Holyrood bedfellows the Conservatives - that's right, David Cameron's party were missing, remember his vote Blue get Green nonsense, well today nobody could see them.

Well it was the Liberal Democrats last election manifesto that was declared the most green, yes even more green than the Green Party - its not just about talking green, its about being green!

A great day, a great turnout in Glasgow and we have sent our message loud and clear to Gordon Brown and the Labour government.

George Lyon, the Liberal Democrats MEP for Scotland who is fighting Scotland's corner in Europe is going to Copenhagen next week.

Back in the early 1990s, the Kyoto Protocol started the ball rolling on international agreements on climate change, but then quickly lost momentum. The problem with Kyoto was that in omitting the world's largest CO2 producer in the United States and the soon to be world's largest producer of CO2 in China, the agreement lacked the authority to back up its intent.

This cannot be allowed to happen in Copenhagen.

Whatever happens, we must come away from Denmark with more than a souvenir group photo and a multitude of warm words.

This time round, under President Obama's leadership, the US are listening to, and acting on, environmental concerns. Copenhagen has the chance to succeed where Kyoto failed. That is an opportunity that cannot be missed.

If Europe is to play its part in combating climate change, then Scotland must be at the forefront of those efforts.

Sadly the SNP and Labour have spent most of the run-up to the summit bickering about who gets to sit at the top table. This is an all too familiar problem. While they engage in a political arm wrestle others are concentrating on the job in hand - creating the jobs and investment in renewable energy that will see Scotland out of recession.

The constant playground arguments between Labour and the SNP do a disservice to Scotland. It is not good enough both for our economy and for our environment.

Liberal Democrat MEP George Lyon is going to the Summit to make sure that Scotland's voice is heard and we get the investment we need to deliver our renewable energy future.

Scotland has the potential to be Europe's renewable energy powerhouse. It is estimated that 25% of Europe's renewable energy capacity could be generated in Scotland through our wind and tidal reserves.

The EU has already shown a massive vote of confidence in Scotland's renewable energy industry by investing £100 million in renewables projects.

Liberal Democrats want more investment like this to come to Scotland. It is needed if we are to use the drive towards a more renewable future to Scotland's advantage.

Send Gordon Brown a clear messge today!

David Cameron tries to muscle in on Nick Clegg

2009-12-05T06:48:00.002Z

Once again we see the Conservative leader David Cameron try to muscle in on ground taken by Nick Clegg.

The Conservatives have announced today that they will double the tour allowance to troops returning from Afghanistan, from £2,400.

This coming after months of campaigning by Nick Clegg and the Liberal Democrats on costed plans to increase the overall pay for our troops.

It is becoming more and more obvious that Nick Clegg and the Liberal Democrats are impacting on the Conservative vote because this is not the first time we have seen this happen and nor will it be the last.

As I have said before, Nick Clegg leads and then David Cameron follows along behind. I blogged on the 11th July and again on 26th August.

It is very obvious that David Cameron fears the overall threat of the Liberal Democrats and also knows unlike them we don't put out policies until fully costed so when people pinch our proposals they know we have done our homework.

Well Dave the troops may enjoy a doubling of the Afghanistan allowance, what Nick Clegg and the Liberal Democrats are proposing though goes a lot further and puts our troops pay on the same footing as our police and fire personnel, a proper fair pay not just a wee gimmick.

Read our proposals and sign our petition for Fair Pay for our Troops.

Subrosa shuts down the blog - another one bites the dust

2009-12-04T17:42:00.004Z

What the hell is happening in the Scottish blogosphere?

Recently there have been some blogs disappearing from amongst our midst, such as Advanced Media Watch, Wardog, Moridura, and even Jeff at SNP Tactical Voting is wondering what the end game for bloggers is.

And now another day and another blog has shut down. Today it is the turn of Subrosa and to be honest this is all becoming strange and somewhat weird now. It appears someone has discovered Subrosa's identity and she wants to ensure her family is safe.

I blogged on Sunday about Mike Russell MSPs former staffer Mark MacLachlan who had been "uncovered" as a blogger who also hid behind a pseudonym.

That doesn't mean they were the same, in fact chalk and cheese spring to mind.

Now I appreciate that losing Mark MacLachlan's blog, and some say the same of Wardog is no great loss.

I say as I find. I enjoyed Wardogs blog and although I really disagreed with some of the postings it was an interesting read. Mark MacLachlan's blog was rude and just angry rants and to me just causing trouble. Advanced Media Watch and Subrosa I really did enjoy, didn't always agree but the debate was always inspiring.

They were both on my daily reading list and for slightly different reasons. Subrosa's continued support for our troops was admirable and I am genuinely going to miss this blog.

I am also pleased that Jeff is continuing because that blog disappearing on top of AMW and Subrosa would not have been good for Scottish blogging.

I know some of this does have history and there are some people in Scotland really should be ashamed of themselves over this whole sorry matter. In some respects I wish I knew more about the history and that I had even been here during the whole thing.

Blogging and journalism can and should live together in harmony. I appreciate sometimes that us bloggers will get a scoop that will annoy journalists but that is how the world is now.

We all have to learn to work alongside each other and maybe event together on some things.

We live in a different electronic age to that of five years ago and who knows what will be happening in five years time or how that will affect us?

Newspapers in the current hard copy may no longer exist as more and more people move to electronic communication, I don't think so for the record, I think newspapers will still exist but so will blogging.

Blogging has moved on from the initial online diary concept and journalism has moved on from the old Fleet Street days, now both sides have to learn to co-exist in better harmony in Scotland than now.

Highland Cattle Rescue Appeal - calling all animal lovers

2009-12-04T05:49:00.006Z

As many of my readers know there are generally three things in life that keep me posting - politics, obviously, LGBT issues and animal rights.

Today, it is animal rights I want your help with.

One of the many charities I actively support and help is the Hillside Animal Sanctuary which mainly operates from Frettenham near Norwich. They don't put the animals down unless they really have to or it is better for the animals welfare.

So, last year Hillside took on a family of Highland Cattle from an elderly owner who began to struggle to look after them, there are 19 remaining with the owner who has now approached Hillside to see if they will take the whole lot.

The herd includes 6 pregnant cows with calves at foot, Hillside have been working with the owner during this year visiting the animals, leaving food and tending to their needs.

Hillside have the room to take them on and this is obviously something they are keen to do but it really does place a massive additional burden on what is really quite a small charity especially in the winter when their feed costs increase.

You can read more about the family of Highland cattle here.

Which is where I hope you come in. You can help by ordering some Christmas cards direct from Hillside, or purchasing a 2010 diary or just a simple small online donation.

This is the link. To make an online donation scroll right down to the bottom and follow the instructions, if you are asked for a sanctuary number you enter 5090631, please, please do try and help us rehome these 19 beautiful Highland cattle.

The alternative is unthinkable.

Catholic Cardinal in homophobic rant - shock!

2009-12-03T18:16:00.005Z

Cardinal Javier Lozano Barragan, a leading Catholic cardinal and retired head of the Vatican's Council for Pastoral Assistance to Health Care Workers has today said that gay and trans people "will never enter the kingdom of heaven".

Now, I will be honest, and this is purely my own opinion, I don't give a damn what he thinks.

However, there are many people who respect and listen to the Catholic Church and that is where I therefore get angry about things such as this, because people like Cardinal Barragan get listened to and can sway opinion, although the Vatican is distancing themselves from Cardinal Barragan, they are on the whole as bad.

Cardinal Barragan went on to say; "People are not born homosexual, they become homosexual, for different reasons: education issues or because they did not develop their own identity during adolescence.

"It may not be their fault, but acting against nature and the dignity of the human body is an insult to God."

Now, for those who know me, will know I have known I was gay for years and years, in fact I recall at least from 7 years old that girls did not interest me as they did other school friends. So I really do disagree, because yes I was born gay (and am very proud of it).

Now slightly in his defence, he sometimes does talk a little sense, back in 2006, Cardinal Barragan reportedly said that condoms could be the lesser of two evils if one partner in a marriage was HIV+.

Now, although on its own that does sound awful, now see what the Pope himself said "don't use condoms - even to prevent the spread of Aids".

Not only is he ill informed but then he went on to say "the traditional teaching of the Church has proven to be the only failsafe way to prevent the spread of HIV/Aids".

Utter crap.

The Vatican have stepped in on the Cardinal Barragan comments and Father Federico Lombardi, a Vatican spokesman, has said that the official Vatican stance was that while homosexual acts are sinful, gay people have a disorder and should be treated with respect.

The Times have reported that it was "highly unusual" for the Catholic church to indirectly criticise a high-ranking Vatican official.

When all said and done though, the Catholic Church is sort of split on this, like any organisation there are individuals who have their own opinions, but they really do need to think what they are saying here, as their opinions are listened to and acted upon.

Safe sex should always be practised and I am afraid Cardinal Barragan and Father Lombardi gay people are gay, as Stonewall say "get over it".

The Wave in Glasgow and Copenhagen

2009-12-02T18:38:00.005Z

This coming Saturday in Glasgow there will be thousands of people marching to support the fight against climate change including many Scottish Liberal Democrats with Alison McInnes MSP, Robert Brown MSP and George Lyon MEP.

The Wave is going to be sending a message to our government that they have to take climate change seriously and stop setting silly targets and just talking about it.

I am very conscious that I play a very small part in this fight against climate change, but every little bit really does help.

I recycle, in fact we only throw out two carrier bags worth of rubbish per week, and most of that is cat litter, but as we have no garden there is nowhere else to dispose of that.

I either walk or travel by bus, to be fair I cannot drive (yet) but Edinburgh City Council run an excellent city car hire scheme so I will only drive when absolutely needed.

On visits to my work around Scotland I travel by bus or train, yes flying would be easier and sometimes even cheaper, but that's the price you pay.

We are using low energy light bulbs and often just have a lamp on, we do not leave anything on standby, as I say all small things, that add up.

George Lyon MEP, will be fighting Scotland's corner in Copenhagen and has set up a great campaign page on his website here.

So far 19 of the 38 people on the UK Government's official delegation have committed to flying to get there, that really does defeat the object a little. Both Simon Hughes MP and George Lyon MEP are travelling to the summit by train. With the Copenhagen Conference itself expected to generate 41,000 tons of CO2 (roughly the same amount emitted by Morocco in one year), it would be nice if the UK's delegation could set an example!

If Europe is to play its part in combating climate change, then Scotland must be at the forefront of those efforts.

Sadly the SNP and Labour have spent most of the run-up to the summit bickering about who gets to sit at the top table. This is an all too familiar problem. While they engage in a political arm wrestle others are concentrating on the job in hand - creating the jobs and investment in renewable energy that will see Scotland out of recession.

The constant playground arguments between Labour and the SNP do a disservice to Scotland. It is not good enough both for our economy and for our environment.

Liberal Democrat MEP George Lyon is going to the Summit to make sure that Scotland's voice is heard and we get the investment we need to deliver our renewable energy future.

Scotland has the potential to be Europe's renewable energy powerhouse. It is estimated that 25% of Europe's renewable energy capacity could be generated in Scotland through our wind and tidal reserves.

Send Gordon Brown a message today that he cannot ignore.

World AIDS Day - remembering absent friends

2009-12-01T19:16:00.007Z

Today is a day of remembrance for me, as every World AIDS day is. I came out twenty five years ago when AIDS wasn't even talked about so many of my gay friends that I grew up with or people on the Nottingham gay scene that I knew like I were oblivious to this awful disease.

Over the years I have lost friends and colleagues to AIDS and it is always a constant reminder to me how important sex education is, which is why I get angry when people in influential positions such as the Pope who said "don't use condoms - even to prevent the spread of Aids".

Not only is he ill informed when he went on to say "the traditional teaching of the Church has proven to be the only failsafe way to prevent the spread of HIV/Aids".

It is such a load of crap, condoms can and do help to prevent the spread of AIDS and HIV.

So, please take a moment today and remember those no longer with us because of this awful disease.

My thoughts today are especially with the family and friends of Trevor and Jason, two very good and close friends who I shared time with in Torquay.

Trevor gave me a job at The Double Two Night Club and Summerlands Hotel nearly twenty years ago now and it really was the best year of my life topped only by meeting Roger one night, at the very same nightclub.

Jason was a really good friend who many people rejected and warned me against getting close to, his HIV+ status meant nothing, it was his friendship I valued.

I miss you both.

Detention for Fiona Hyslop as Tavish Scott goes top of the class

2009-12-01T12:21:00.004Z

So, Alex Salmond has today sacked Fiona Hyslop as Education Secretary and moved her to a non cabinet position covering the external affairs and culture portfolio and to add insult to injury the responsibility for the constitution has been removed from the post.

Mike Russell (previously Environment minister sacked for proposing to sell off 25% of Scotland's forests) has now been moved from Culture minister to Education Secretary. Let's hope his first idea isn't selling off 25% of the schools!

This reshuffle has come about partly because of the Scottish Liberal Democrats.

On Saturday, Tavish Scott informed all four main parties in the Scottish Parliament that he was intending to propose a motion of no confidence in Fiona Hyslop as Education Secretary in the allocated Liberal Democrats opposition day in Parliament on Thursday.

Alex Salmond obviously didn't want to go through the pain of a debate where the Liberal Democrats launched a full frontal assault on Education, so he has pushed Fiona Hyslop rather than be publicly humiliated in Parliament.

Although as Tavish Scott rightly points out, this isn't about Alex Salmond, Fiona Hyslop or even Mike Russell it is about the children, it is about all of those children going through school.

There are 54,000 children across Scotland in P7 classes who face the start of the new Curriculum For Excellence next August. Yet, here we are only eight months away and teachers still have not had the details of the assessments and the exams that they need to do their job properly and ensure our children have the best start.

Without a fresh approach and some new thinking, the new curriculum will be under-planned and under-resourced and I am sure the SNP will blame the local councils and teachers alike if this happens.

As I blogged on Saturday there is a crisis not only in teacher numbers but also the relationship between the government and the councils. The latest figures show there are 1,300 fewer teachers than this time last year and class sizes continue to rise.

Fiona Hyslop threatened to nationalise every school in Scotland and remove any role for local government. No-one believes that the Minister in Edinburgh can possibly run every single school and nor should they, that is why we elect local councillors and employ good staff who implement the education strategies.

The other bizarre part of this re-shuffle is that the First Minister has now personally taken responsibility for the forthcoming bill on an independence referendum.

Why?

The First Minister should be way too busy to take a bill through Parliament. So, is this decision because no-one else is with him? Not enough talent in the SNP benches? Or just that Alex Salmond isn't busy enough and this will help fill his day?

Seriously though, I do not think the First Minister is sending out the right message if he has to personally oversee a Bill through Parliament at the time we are going through a major recession.

Chris Rennard joins two front bench teams in the House of Lords

2009-12-01T11:46:00.002Z

There’s been a small reshuffle of the Liberal Democrat team in the House of Lords. The main change is that Chris Rennard has joined the front bench teams for both Constitutional Affairs and for Communities & Local Government.

This change will add some serious experience to these two teams.

Other changes included Sue Miller stepping down from Home Affairs, who has been replaced by Sally Hamwee and Graham Tope takes over at Communities & Local Government.

Andrew Reeves monthly stat porn

2009-12-01T02:09:00.003Z

Once again to Stephen Glenn, I am going to continue the monthly summary of my visitor stats according to google analytics for November 2009.

I have done this for the last two months here and here and it was quite interesting for me just to see, other sites do this as well.

The busiest day on my blog last month was Sunday 29th November when the Mark MacLachlan smear story broke and Zac Goldsmith admitted being a non-dom.

Last month I had 2,091 absolute unique visitors, down from 2,549 in October but up from 1,311 in September. They made 3,066 visits and 4,207 page views.

So, my top 10 referring sites for the last month were;

1. Google (1)
2. Lib Dem Blogs (3)
3. Twitter (1)
4. Facebook (2)
5. Lib Dem Voice (4)
6. Blogger (5)
7. SNP Tactical Voting (7)
8. Norfolk Blogger (6)
9. Scottish Round Up (8)
10. Christopher Lovell (30)

Last month I wrote 58 blog posts, the second highest amount.

The top 10 stories by direct page views that you've read most were;

1. SNP Minister Mike Rusell's Aide Mark MacLachlan in smear campaign
2. Labour candidate Peter White calls the Queen "vermin" and a "parasite"
3. Hypocritical Tories - Zac Goldsmith admits to being a 'non-dom' and avoiding paying tax in UK
4. David Cameron's Conservatives Jedward Poster
5. STV Debate for the 4 main parties in the Glasgow North East by-election
6. Racism alive and well in David Cameron's Conservative Party
7. Scottish Lib Dem Conference aftermath
7. St Austell says no to Caroline Righton's Conservatives
9. The Caroline Righton smear campaign moves onto Wikipedia
10. Caroline Righton - the silence is broken
10. John Lamont is the most expensive MSP and the Conservatives stick their fingers up to Kelly Report

So this month's mixed bag is about the Glasgow North East by-election, many many problems within David Cameron's Conservative party, Caroline Righton & the Tory smear campaign in Cornwall (again) and John "Bubbles" Lamont MSP.

The visitors to my little blog came from 52 countries this month, down from 54 last month, the top ten were as follows;

1. United Kingdom (1)
2. United States (2)
3. Canada (3)
4. Belgium (6)
5. Ireland (5)
6. France (7)
7. Australia (10)
8. India (15)
9. Germany (8)
10. Philippines (29)
10. Netherlands (12)

SNP Minister Mike Rusell's Aide Mark MacLachlan in smear campaign

2009-11-29T07:43:00.010Z

Alex Salmond and Mike Russell will not be happy chaps this morning as the often talked about cybernat bullying is finally exposed as the News of the World uncover (now former) senior aide Mark MacLachlans disgraceful online bullying/hate campaign.

Mike Russell's office manager Mark MacLachlan has now resigned (or been sacked) not only from his job but also membership of the SNP.

Mark MacLachlan hid behind the pseudonym Montague Burton on his blog, “The Universality of Cheese”, this blog has now been taken down, although we have had a bit of a period of blogs closing in Scotland, this is one we are all happy to see the back of.

Jeff over at SNP Tactical Voting does offer a small bit of defence of Mark himself, after having met him twice. Although on this occasion I do feel Jeff is wrong about this not being the SNPs "Damian McBride" affair. The SNP will suffer more than blog damage from this.

On the eve of the SNP's attempt to waste time and money by introducing the Referendum bill this is not only bad timing for Alex Salmond but this smear gate will no doubt take column inches away from his beloved independence campaign.

Tavish Scott says in today's Scotland on Sunday this is Alex Salmond's "Damian McBride" moment - spot on Tavish.

"This is Alex Salmond's Damian McBride moment," said Tavish Scott, the Lib Dem leader.

"We need an apology from him and for him to disassociate himself from this blogger immediately.

"This poisonous SNP bile attacking anyone who dares criticise Alex Salmond's nationalists was paid for by the Scottish taxpayer. I want a full investigation by the Permanent Secretary into what other SNP special advisers, researchers and hired hands are involved in this kind of odious politics.

"Scott added: "If Mark MacLachlan posted any of his defamation's and smears in office hours, while being paid by the taxpayer and while using facilities provided at the taxpayers' expense, Mike Russell's position is untenable and Alex Salmond should sack him."

In The Sunday Herald they report "He also alleged a married Labour MSP visited gay cruising spots, badmouthed the daughter of Lord David Steel, the former presiding officer at Holyrood, and described several opponents as “c***s”. Mr MacLachlan had been employed at public expense since 2007."

The News of the World who exposed Mark MacLachlan's trail of hate, smears and lies seems to have gone on for some time. I do however wonder if Mike Russell knew what his office manager was up to? Given how close knit the SNP operation is and everyone is told what to do and say and when to do it I don't see how others including Mike Russell didn't know about it.

That is one thing I am sure we will never really know the answer to.

The one thing that has been very obvious to me is that the SNP may have got rid of Mark MacLachlan quickly, but this won't go away as many of those that he has attacked and spread rumours about may now well take legal action against him.

David Maddox called last Wednesday "black Wednesday" for the SNP, this is a much blacker Sunday and the SNP should be ashamed of the actions of this former senior member of staff and congratulations to the News of the World for uncovering the actions of this person and bringing to a halt this trail of hatred and bullying type of political action from within the top levels of the SNP minority government.

Mariah Carey's GMTV diva moment

2009-11-29T07:18:00.007Z

I blogged earlier this month about Mariah Carey's diva moment when she was turning on the Christmas lights in a London shopping centre. You can read it here.

Thanks to GMTV's Kate Garraway who blabbed like there was no tomorrow, and to be honest she is right to blab about it on this one.

According to the wonderful Kate Garraway Mariah Carey employed two people to lower her onto the GMTV sofa so her dress didn't crease.

If she had just sat down like us mere mortals have to the dress would have creased.

You can read more about it here courtesy of The Daily Record where Kate Garraway revealed that Mariah Carey also has someone walk backwards in front of her in case she falls and that she had staff behind the camera ensuring she looked great at all times!

What does she do when she has had a crap on the toilet? Does she wipe herself or........

Although, she apparently took her own toilet roll with her for the GMTV interview.

Really, is it not about time the TV companies just said no, you want to come on our show, you just be a normal person without these utterly ridiculous demands.