tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-46111572815676156662024-03-08T11:33:40.616+00:00BellgroveBelleMy view on the world, as a Councillor, mother, and campaigner for Scottish independence. Welcome.BellgroveBellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02011429534354744636noreply@blogger.comBlogger407125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4611157281567615666.post-77728679929311105712011-11-01T13:58:00.000+00:002011-11-01T13:58:24.287+00:00On being a woman in politics<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">A few things have recently been rattling around in my head which concern women in politics; I've been trying to gather some ideas as to why there aren't more of us, and how I might encourage female candidates to come forward. At the same time, I noticed that the launch of the <a href="http://www.countingwomenin.org/">Counting Women In campaign</a>, couldn't miss the <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-15451876">outrageous attack</a> on <a href="http://www.scotsman.com/news/cartoon/eilidh_whiteford_we_need_to_stand_up_to_bully_boy_culture_1_1938114">Dr Eilidh Whiteford MP</a>, and I've been enjoying Winnie Ewing's very readable autobiography. I've also been out on the doorsteps for Ken Andrew in Hillhead.</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">All of these together really say: the culture of politics in the UK is what's at fault. Women don't think it's for them and just disengage. </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Now, obviously that's a generalisation. I'm a woman, and I'm very engaged in politics. <i>I'm prepared to accept I'm a bit odd.</i></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">I chapped on a door the other week while canvassing. I had Alexander with me in the pram. A woman answered, I politely introduced myself and my purpose on her doorstep - she shook her head and told me she wasn't interested. I asked why. She firmly asserted that all politicians are just the same. I asked her if anyone from any political party had ever come to see her with a baby in a pram. She thought briefly, admitted that'd never happened, and sent me on my way. </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">I'm not sure whether that experience tells me whether I ought to a) leave the wee man at home or b) work on my doorstep pizzaz, but I bet that woman had opinions on all kinds of things. I don't think she believes them to be particularly political - provision of care services, or bin collection, say - but in the end they're determined by politicians. I want women like her to tell me what she wants and why it matters. More than that, I want women who care about issues to join political parties to further that cause. There are all kinds of causes promoted within the SNP, and I will most likely welcome you in.</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">I'm sure I've said before that I've always felt welcomed as a woman in the SNP, and that remains true. I'm not sure how Labour men treat women in general (<a href="http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/news/editor-s-picks/city-councillor-is-sacked-over-rape-hearing-remarks-1.1089224">not great</a> <a href="http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/news/charges-dropped-against-councillor-1.1065376">by some accounts</a>, which appear to be <a href="http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/news/13-councillors-lose-labour-appeal-1.1128955">no barrier to reselection</a>), but they're certainly not great at giving SNP women the respect they are due. <br />
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I recalled hearing when Winnie's book came out that she had been bullied while at Westminster. The <a href="http://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/people/mother_scotland_1_683301">Scotsman's 2007 interview put it thus:</a> </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><i>As the lone SNP member in the Commons - at best an intimidating place for an inexperienced politician - she found herself without friends, without party colleagues, without any supporting structures. She was completely alone. She was hundreds of miles from her husband and her children in an excessively macho and very hostile environment. "I was treated as the enemy, I was shunned and despised. It's a peculiar experience to suddenly find yourself hated. At times I did feel terribly lonely, close to despair." </i></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Reading the autobiography, you really get a vivid picture of the pressure Winnie Ewing was under as an MP on her own. Her every action was scrutinised; if she didn't attend a debate, the other parties would ensure it got in the papers. The nuances of what said were taken apart. She was under political and personal attack from all sides and, even more sinister, stalked by another MP. Interventions by others had some impact, but it must have been a great emotional strain.<br />
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What I didn't know was that when Winnie was appointed as an MEP (pre-democratic elections to Europe), the bad behaviour of two particular Labour bullies continued in the European Parliament when she was alone again, deliberately working to ridicule and undermine her for over a year. By the account in the autobiography, this only ended when the President of the Parliament intervened, threatening to have them withdrawn as being <i>"not fit to represent their country and Parliament in Europe"</i>.<br />
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You might think that, around forty years later, a female SNP MP might expect some kind of change to have occurred in attitudes, as with wider society. Women are accepted in a range of jobs, universities are gaining majorities of female students, there are innumerable opportunities and directions for careers. And then, there's Ian Davidson MP.<br />
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Eilidh has written <a href="http://www.scotsman.com/news/cartoon/eilidh_whiteford_we_need_to_stand_up_to_bully_boy_culture_1_1938114">a revealing article in the Scotland on Sunday</a> - I'd urge you to read the full article, but I think this small quote does illustrate the point perfectly:<br />
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<i>"It does not matter that all I had done was disagree with the committee. In fact what inspired Mr Davidson’s remark is utterly irrelevant. There is no action, no misbehaviour that justifies the threat or act of “a doing”. We hear too often of women being told they were “asking for it” in justification for intimidation or violence. I never expected to hear that from an MP in Parliament.</i><br />
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<i>But this is not simply an issue of aggression towards woman; it’s about a culture of intimidation and bullying affecting men and women that seems to flourish with impunity in the Westminster world."</i><br />
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The tragedy is that it's primarily through this Westminster lens that the viewing population sees politics and politicians. They see argument, they see confrontation; they see crowds of boorish suits moaning a weary "hear hear". And they switch off. They say "that's not for me". <br />
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They don't see a politician arguing the case with a housing association, trying to help a vulnerable tenant. They don't see someone working on a committee, trying to improve a policy that will help improve children's health. They don't see the joy that is presenting prizes to year groups of school students, with the hope that you can encourage them in that tiny second as you shake their hand. They don't know what a privilege it is to be invited into so many lives and homes, to meet with groups and organisations and offer what help you can.<br />
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The work of politics should never be that yah boo nonsense that men excel at and so many women hate. More women should be in politics for the fantastic difference they can make every day.<br />
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</div></div>BellgroveBellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02011429534354744636noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4611157281567615666.post-18044272516859506092011-10-30T00:25:00.002+01:002011-10-30T00:27:06.526+01:00Building in Bridgeton<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://s125.photobucket.com/albums/p64/AllyDoll/P1010242.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://s125.photobucket.com/albums/p64/AllyDoll/P1010242.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">I've been watching the new Glasgow Community and Safety Services building rise out of the ground near Bridgeton Cross over the past weeks and months, and on Thursday morning I got the chance to visit. <a href="http://www.clydegateway.com/">Clyde Gateway</a> were very helpful - both in minding Alexander while I donned a hardhat, and explaining how the building will work. </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">It's pretty impressive - the atrium area (shown in the photo) will dominate the building. There's a lot of light too, streaming in the big glazed areas facing south on London Road. The views over the city from the upper floors are also impressive - you can see the City Centre rooftops, up to Dennistoun, along to the new velodrome. </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://s125.photobucket.com/albums/p64/AllyDoll/P1010245.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://s125.photobucket.com/albums/p64/AllyDoll/P1010245.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Part of the rationale for the building of the offices is to show other developers why locating in Bridgeton can work for them - the development's still a few months away from having people sitting at desks, but you can just about imagine people working and meeting in the different spaces. </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://s125.photobucket.com/albums/p64/AllyDoll/P1010243.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://s125.photobucket.com/albums/p64/AllyDoll/P1010243.jpg" width="320" /></a>Local people have been employed in the construction works, and although most of the jobs will be moving from a City Centre office to this one, this kind of development could really be a boost to local businesses, cafes, shops, and even various other retailers. It'll bring life to a bit of London Road that's quite lonely at night. </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">I'm looking forward to going back in the New Year, when more of the building works will be nearing completion. </div></div>BellgroveBellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02011429534354744636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4611157281567615666.post-47886325810460236722011-10-24T13:14:00.000+01:002011-10-24T13:14:07.589+01:00SNP Conference: A Family Affair<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.snp.org/blog/post/2011/oct/snp-conference-2011-family-affair">Posted originally on the SNP website on Friday</a>. </div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">I love coming to SNP conference in Inverness; it was the first one I came to in 2003, so I always associate it with that first time and the excitement I felt then. It was really something to be a young activist in the Eden Court, knowing that I shared a belief in independence with so many others. The party remains full of bright, committed, friendly people, and I think it’s one of the SNP’s greatest qualities.</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </span><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Being in the SNP is being part of a family. Even as I write this blog, on a laptop at the foot of the stairs in the old Bishop’s Palace part of the Eden Court, everyone’s been stopping to say hi and play with Alexander (aka Baby Nat) – Alex Salmond paused before his press interview to say hello (and has since come back and chatted about Casablanca), Auntie Nicola came to compliment him on his shoes, John Swinney was came and played a while with Percy, but Angus Robertson’s magic ear trick was sadly rebuffed. He's going to try again tomorrow!</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </span><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">It was in this friendly vein that Nicola’s speech began with by wishing Allan Angus – a fantastic activist I got to know living in Aberdeen – a very happy 78th birthday, and promising the twinkle-toed charmer a dance at tonight’s ceilidh. Her sincere thanks to activists for their hard work over the years was equally as warm and genuine.</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </span><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">I love to hear people talk about independence and the way that it motivates and inspires them. It’s different for everyone. There’s been a real focus in speeches today on independence as a means of bettering future generations – doing well by our children and their children. Alex Neil spoke of his renewed enthusiasm (not that it needed renewing!) since becoming a grandfather.</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </span><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Nicola spoke of the aspirations of working class families, who can be sure that their children will make it to University without being inhibited by fees. </div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </span><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">I was speaking to a very proud mum in my ward last week, whose daughter is now in second year at Uni. Her eyes were shining with joy, telling me how well she’s getting on. I’m just delighted to be part of a party that values free education.</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </span><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">I was glad to hear Nicola speak about how much more we could do with the full powers Independence will bring:</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </span><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><em>“Independence means no longer having to watch our national wealth being squandered by Westminster governments. </em></div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </span><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><em>"Independence means having an economic policy suited to our needs, with increased capital investment supporting and creating jobs.</em></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </span><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><em>"Independence</em><em> means having a welfare system that can tackle the scourge of child poverty. It means not having to put up with Tory policies that will consign tens of thousands of our children to a life of deprivation.</em></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </span><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><em>"Independence</em><em> means deciding for ourselves whether to send our young men and women into conflict. And it means knowing that we need never, ever, again be dragged into an illegal war. </em></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </span><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><em>"Independence</em><em> means getting to decide our own priorities. </em></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </span><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><em>"And, delegates, independence will mean no longer having to put up with the obscenity of Trident nuclear missiles on the river Clyde. </em></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </span><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><em>"Delegates, Our case for independence will be based on the simple but powerful belief that, as a country, we are better placed than anyone else to take the right decisions for our future. </em></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </span><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><em>"That with the talents and skills of our people, and control over our own resources, we can build a more successful, prosperous and socially just country. </em></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </span><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><em>"It's a message of empowerment and responsibility. A message of hope and possibility.” </em></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </span><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">This, as delegates, we already know in our hearts and our heads. I’m just loving taking that message out on the doorsteps, and those I’ve spoken to the doorsteps have been keen as well.</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div></div>BellgroveBellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02011429534354744636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4611157281567615666.post-36406997711656614472011-08-09T13:48:00.003+01:002011-08-09T13:50:18.646+01:00Parkhead Library<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.eeca.org.uk/local/images/parkheadlibrary.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="251" src="http://www.eeca.org.uk/local/images/parkheadlibrary.png" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">I've been keeping an eye on the renovations to <a href="http://www.glasgowlife.org.uk/libraries/your-local-library/parkhead-library/Pages/home.aspx.">Parkhead Library</a>. When the library closed on the 11th of April, it was due to be closed for twenty weeks. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">I contacted Glasgow Life last week to see if they had a date for re-opening, but sadly it'll now be the week beginning the 3rd of October before the library is open to the public again. </span></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">According to Glasgow Life:</span></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </span></i></span><br />
<pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>"the 20 week completion date was an initial </i></span></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>estimate by City Building who are undertaking the works. However, there has been significant </i></span></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>reinstatement work required to the ceiling which wasn't anticipated at the outset. This has </i></span></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>meant that specialist plasterwork has had to be undertaken, which unfortunately has </i></span></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>resulted in a slightly longer timescale for the re-opening of the library."</i></span></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i> </i></span></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I'm quite disappointed by this, as I know lots of people use the library not only for reading, but </span></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">for accessing computers, participating in classes, and just meeting people. I'll continue to </span></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">monitor the situation and will update on here if I get more info!</span></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></pre><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div></div>BellgroveBellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02011429534354744636noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4611157281567615666.post-30199417381147578032011-08-09T10:34:00.001+01:002011-08-09T10:35:15.908+01:00For weddings!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">It's my third wedding anniversary today, but thoughts of marriage have been playing on my mind since last week, when John Mason laid down his controversial motion in the Scottish Parliament.</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">During summer recess when MSPs are in their constituencies (not on holiday, <a href="http://moridura.blogspot.com/2011/08/where-are-they-theyre-on-their-holidays.html">as some may think</a>), visiting organisations and constituents and taking the time to prepare for the session ahead. This is particularly true of those newly - elected MSPs. It's not really a time to take stances unless you're very keen to do so, as anything remotely newsworthy is certain to get in the papers. <a href="http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/politics/party-row-over-gay-marriage-intensifies-1.1116244">And</a> <a href="http://news.pinkpaper.com/NewsStory/5841/7/08/2011/scottish-nationalist-hits-back-as-gay-marriage-row-escalates-within-the-snp-.aspx">so</a> <a href="http://www.scotsman.com/news/Alyn-Smith-Faith-in-equality.6814325.jp">it</a> <a href="http://www.christian.org.uk/news/snp-govt-to-consult-on-gay-marriage-later-this-year/">does</a>. </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">A Scottish Government consultation is to be held later in the year on equal marriage; it's well known that John is a man of faith, but I must say I didn't expect this motion at this time. The wording for those who've missed it, is as follows:</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><i><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=4611157281567615666&postID=3019941738114757803&from=pencil" id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder1_gvResults_ctl00_ctl04_lnkIndividualMotion" style="font-weight: bold;">Motion <span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder1_gvResults_ctl00_ctl04_lblMItemNumber">S4M-00586</span> - <span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder1_gvResults_ctl00_ctl04_lblMViewMSPName">John Mason</span> ( <span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder1_gvResults_ctl00_ctl04_lblMConstituency">Glasgow Shettleston</span> ) ( <span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder1_gvResults_ctl00_ctl04_lblMParty">Scottish National Party</span> ) : <span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder1_gvResults_ctl00_ctl04_lblMTitle">The Equal Marriage Debate</span></a></i></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><i><span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder1_gvResults_ctl00_ctl04_lblMTitle"> </span><br />
<span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder1_gvResults_ctl00_ctl04_lblMMotion"> </span></i></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><i>That the Parliament notes the current discussion about same-sex marriages and the Scottish Government’s forthcoming public consultation concerning equal marriage; further notes that, while some in society approve of same-sex sexual relationships, others do not agree with them; desires that Scotland should be a pluralistic society where all minorities can live together in peace and mutual tolerance; believes that free speech is a fundamental right and that even when there is disagreement with another person’s views, that person has the right to express these views, and considers that no person or organisation should be forced to be involved in or to approve of same-sex marriages.</i></div><i> </i> <i><br />
</i> <br />
<i> </i><br />
<div id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder1_gvResults_ctl00_ctl04_pnlSupporters" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><i> Supported by: <span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder1_gvResults_ctl00_ctl04_lblSupporters">Dave Thompson, Bill Walker, Richard Lyle</span></i></div><div id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder1_gvResults_ctl00_ctl04_pnlSupporters" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><i><span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder1_gvResults_ctl00_ctl04_lblSupporters"> </span></i> </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">The motion, and the interpretation of it has provoked a lot of debate, both within the SNP and outwith. It has opened the party to criticism, when the notion of disapproving of equal marriage is not party policy or anything approaching the view of most members I know. </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Three years ago, Joe and I had a civil ceremony in the beautiful <a href="http://www.tradeshallglasgow.co.uk/">Trades Hall in Glasgow</a>, where we were strictly instructed not to mention God or religion anywhere in the proceedings. My family are notionally Church of Scotland, but since I hadn't been any kind of regular attendee at any church, I felt it would be a bit rude and hypocritical to suddenly decide that I wanted to be married in a church. It was a lovely ceremony, with poems by my brother and Joe's brother, and family and friends around us. </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">I can't support the current situation, where for some, a marriage can't be called a marriage. To me, that is immoral and discriminatory. If two people love each other enough to stand up in front of friends and family, to commit to sharing a future together, they deserve to be recognised and celebrated by society, regardless of their gender. Some Churches may question this, but I wonder what their opposition serves other than to turn people away from organised religion. It may be that we could consider adopting <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wedding_customs_by_country">practice such as in France</a>, where everyone has to have a Civil Ceremony, followed by a religious one if people so choose. </div><br />
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">For the sceptics and the critics, it's worth noting that an increasing number of MSPs have signed Patrick Harvie's amendment to John's motion. I hope that those who try to pin a badge of inequality on the party I love will bear this in mind.</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><i><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=4611157281567615666&postID=3019941738114757803&from=pencil" id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder1_gvResults_ctl00_ctl06_lnkIndividualMotion" style="font-weight: bold;">Motion <span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder1_gvResults_ctl00_ctl06_lblMItemNumber">S4M-00586.1</span> - <span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder1_gvResults_ctl00_ctl06_lblMViewMSPName">Patrick Harvie</span> ( <span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder1_gvResults_ctl00_ctl06_lblMConstituency">Glasgow</span> ) ( <span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder1_gvResults_ctl00_ctl06_lblMParty">Scottish Green Party</span> ) : <span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder1_gvResults_ctl00_ctl06_lblMTitle">The Equal Marriage Debate</span></a><br />
<span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder1_gvResults_ctl00_ctl06_lblMMotion"> </span></i></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><i>As an amendment to motion S4M-00586 in the name of John Mason (The Equal Marriage Debate), leave out from “desires” to end and insert “considers that the balance between these views has changed substantially over recent decades, with the 2006 Scottish Social Attitudes Survey showing 53% in agreement with equal marriage and only 21% in disagreement, and a poll in 2010 showing 58% support with only 19% against; congratulates the Scottish Youth Parliament on the launch of its Love Equally campaign for equal marriage and civil partnership, a campaign that it voted to select after consulting over 42,000 young people across Scotland; believes that the Scottish Government is recognising this shift in public attitudes with its forthcoming consultation on equal marriage; considers that allowing same-sex marriage and mixed-sex civil partnerships would in no way undermine the rights and freedoms of those who do not wish to participate in them, and further believes that it would be both right and popular for secular and religious Scots alike to be free to reach their own view on the legal status that is right for their own relationship instead of being banned by law from having their relationships recognised on equal terms.”</i></div><i> </i> <i><br />
</i> <br />
<div id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder1_gvResults_ctl00_ctl06_pnlSupporters" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><i> Supported by: <span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder1_gvResults_ctl00_ctl06_lblSupporters">Jamie Hepburn, Linda Fabiani, James Dornan, Sandra White, Liam McArthur, Jim Eadie, Kevin Stewart, Maureen Watt, Dennis Robertson, Joe FitzPatrick, Gil Paterson, George Adam, Kezia Dugdale, Alison Johnstone, Neil Findlay, Aileen McLeod, Joan McAlpine, Jean Urquhart, John Finnie, Drew Smith, John Park, Willie Rennie, Richard Baker, Mark McDonald, Jenny Marra</span></i> </div></div>BellgroveBellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02011429534354744636noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4611157281567615666.post-1495507916768169922011-08-01T11:23:00.001+01:002011-08-01T11:23:46.467+01:00Return to blogging<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: justify;">The past few months have flown past scarily fast. I never intended to give up blogging - I just couldn't find the time and energy to devote to it. I do think it's important though, and I hope (having given the blog a wee facelift) that I'll manage to stage a return to blogging.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I put a fair bit of effort into establishing and keeping up the blog; with so much going on in my ward, it would be a shame to let it die now. Twitter has been a good medium for sharing news quickly, but it lacks the depth of information or opinion that a good blog post can provide. So please forgive me blogosphere, and watch me fill this space! </div></div>BellgroveBellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02011429534354744636noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4611157281567615666.post-20186081990311752502011-04-09T09:03:00.000+01:002011-04-09T09:03:31.640+01:00Glasgow City Council fails to heed it's own advice<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p64/AllyDoll/CouncilPub.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p64/AllyDoll/CouncilPub.jpg" width="282" /></a></div>Just the other day, this letter appeared in my inbox, warning Councillors that we should be very careful what we send out during the period of the Scottish Parliament elections Quite right too - and not only because there are <a href="http://news.stv.tv/election-2011/battlegrounds/glasgow/southside/constituency-candidates/">several Councillors</a> bidding for one seat in particular.<br />
<br />
You'll see in the second paragraph that the Glasgow Magazine is mentioned - how odd therefore that the Council itself has been <a href="http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home-news/council-is-forced-to-withdraw-42-000-magazine-1.1093645">caught using that very publication to make blatant party political statements</a>! </div>BellgroveBellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02011429534354744636noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4611157281567615666.post-25825154780078198082011-03-27T00:45:00.000+00:002011-03-27T00:45:11.955+00:00Illiterate Labour<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p64/AllyDoll/Labour.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p64/AllyDoll/Labour.jpg" width="464" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">My mum passed on to me this rather poor piece of campaign literature from Labour in Clydesdale. Labour are claiming to support the apprenticeships and the Council Tax freeze which they voted against, present falsehoods about NHS cuts, are apparently now against tuition fees which they introduced in government, and are promoting the 'two week cancer guarantee' (sounds a bit scary, but relates to waiting times, which have actually fallen under the SNP's stewardship). </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">The real sweetie in the letter is in the fourth paragraph. I've </span><a href="http://bellgrovebelle.blogspot.com/2010/02/great-news-to-see-snp-governments.html" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">noticed before</a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> that Labour have a bit of a problem when it comes to literacy. This letter is just embarrassing - two typos in the paragraph which calls for bringing literacy teachers 'back' into schools for goodness sake. The simplest spell checker could pick that up. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Furthermore, I'm not sure where these imaginary literacy teachers went, or how something which never existed can be brought back; as ever for Labour, the facts just get in the way of a nice wee bit scaremongering. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">If this is Labour's standard of campaigning, I do hope they contact lots of people... </span> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div></div>BellgroveBellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02011429534354744636noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4611157281567615666.post-84080696587410252142011-03-23T17:12:00.000+00:002011-03-23T17:12:31.148+00:00Would you like your road repaired?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">I've just received the following email... if you have any suggestions please get back to me and I'll add them to my list!</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Dear Elected Member</span></i></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></i></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><i><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Following the Council’s decision to award a further additional £8M capital to address the road condition challenge in Glasgow we are currently finalising our suggested programme for next year.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Could I, therefore, ask that you provide me with any detail based on local knowledge of locations or schemes that you would wish to have considered in the 2011/12 spend before we finalise this proposal. Thereafter we will discuss the draft programme with Area Committees and other interested groups.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">A response by Thursday 31 March 2011 would be appreciated as it would allow us to consider your priorities with those currently being developed by our Roads Investment Group.</span></i></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><br />
Thanking you in anticipation for your assistance.<br />
<br />
Regards.<br />
<br />
<br />
Robert<br />
<br />
Robert Booth <br />
Executive Director <br />
Glasgow City Council <br />
Land and Environmental Services <br />
231 George Street <br />
GLASGOW G1 1RX</i><br />
<br />
</div></div>BellgroveBellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02011429534354744636noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4611157281567615666.post-30593085149364546352011-03-16T15:22:00.000+00:002011-03-16T15:22:22.697+00:00Skittish Labour's Council Tax Confusion<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Things really must be getting desperate over at John Smith House - <a href="http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/politics/labour-abandons-plan-to-reform-council-tax-1.1090120">Labour's recent u-turn on the Council Tax</a> demonstrates how few ideas they have for governing Scotland. </span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">At Full Council back on the 28th of October, Glasgow City Council Treasurer James McNally proposed a motion saying that a continued freeze on Council Tax was <i>"not sustainable"</i> and called on the Scottish Government to <i>"restore the flexibility to councils to set a reasonable level of Council Tax without suffering financial penalty"</i>. All very interesting euphemisms for increasing taxes, I'm sure you'll agree. </span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Glasgow Labour were far from the only part of that party calling for an increase in Council Tax, however. Iain Gray had made remarkably <a href="http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home-news/revealed-labour-s-council-tax-bombshell-1.1058937">similar comments in the Herald on the 3rd of October</a>:</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>“It does not look to us that the council tax freeze is sustainable... They (local authorities) have to have as much flexibility as possible."</i></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Labour were against the freezing of Council Tax, they said, due to the alleged threat to public services. That threat, if it ever existed, seems to have vanished like yesterday afternoon's snow flurry over Glasgow. </span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">In the Scottish Parliament, they claimed various catastrophes would strike: </span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>David Whitton (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Lab): </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-style: italic;">"The cost of the unfunded council tax freeze does untold damage to local authority services, just so the SNP can claim to have helped the average band D council tax payer to save a few pence a week."</span></i></span></div><div> </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-style: italic;">"Campaigners in Scotland warned that people would die as a result of the cuts, which councils blame on the SNP Government's council tax freeze."</span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>On the 30th October 2010 Des McNulty made<a href="http://www.scottishlabour.org.uk/speech-to-scottish-conference-by-des-mcnulty"> a conference speech claiming that:</a></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-style: italic;">"The consequence of freezing the council tax is cuts in our children’s education"</span></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Where do all these spokespeople, Councillors and MSPs stand now? Do they still believe that the Council Tax freeze, which has helped hard-pressed householders (including those on fixed incomes such as pensioners), is dangerous? Or did they never really believe that in the first place, prepared yet again to put the party political interest before the needs of ordinary people? I think they owe Scotland an apology, and at the very least an explanation. </span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div></div>BellgroveBellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02011429534354744636noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4611157281567615666.post-26438676460522676342011-03-14T22:11:00.000+00:002011-03-14T22:11:52.028+00:00Conference Weekend<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/thesnp/5526195748/" title="DSC_0361 by theSNP, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC_0361" height="332" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5215/5526195748_8d012a254a.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
Really enjoyed SNP campaign conference over the weekend - not least as it was in Glasgow so I didn't have the hassle and expense of travel and accommodation! </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">It's great arriving at conference, going into the venue to meet so many people you know. The SNP feels like an extended family to me - even though we are now the largest political party in Scotland with over 16,000 members, conference is like a big reunion, full of smiles, hugs, promises to catch up, and the odd dotled old auntie or uncle who you love despite their various eccentricities (I'm naming no names!). </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">It's a bit different now I have Alexander - Joe's parents were visiting and they looked after him on the Saturday morning; everyone wanted to know where he was and why he wasn't attending! I put the opportunity to good use to pop around some of the exhibitor stalls, speaking to the Fire Brigades Union, Shelter and Action for Children among others. It's important to get the chance to find out what their key issues are, and to pass on some of the issues going on in my ward.<br />
<br />
I also got called to speak on a resolution calling for our Government to re-introduce the policy of minimum pricing for alcohol. I've submitted speakers cards a few times at conferences past, and hadn't expected to be called this time either - so I was a bit surprised to hear Bruce Crawford call my name! I highlighted the issue of Labour in Glasgow City Council being implored by the Director of Public Health to support minimum pricing, but instead doing the equivalent of putting their hands over their ears and going 'lalallalala, can't hear you!'. It still drives me nuts that they would make such an important public health issue into a political football. </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Joe dropped Alexander off just before his namesake (joking, really!) got up on the platform for the keynote speech. It was one of the finest speeches I've ever seen Alex Salmond deliver. He presented a real, tangible vision, calling on Glasgow as the former workshop of the empire to create a "new empire of the mind". </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><blockquote><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">"We intend that this nation - this Scotland - researches and develops, constructs and fabricates and then supplies and maintains the new green energy systems that will dominate this century. </span></i></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"></div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"></div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">We intend that this city of Glasgow, marine engineers the 21st century just as it once led the marine engineering of the 19th - when ships from the Clyde carried a nation in their hold."</span></i></div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></i></div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">"The green energy revolution in which we are embarked is the right course. It is the right course for Scotland, for Europe and for the planet. We shall be the green energy powerhouse of the European continent and a world leader in many of the key technologies."</span></i></div></blockquote><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
Alex also made it clear how little the other parties have to offer, and their narrow, vested interests; by contrast, we can really speak to and for all of Scotland.<br />
<blockquote><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div></blockquote></div><blockquote><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">"We speak for the poorest Scots the low paid families and pensioners who have benefited most from our freeze on the council tax and our ending of prescription charges.</span></i></div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></i></div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">We speak for the young delivering the 25,000 apprenticeships that Labour voted against, lowering class sizes and keeping education free</span></i></div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></i></div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">We speak for the vulnerable – we are protecting them with 1,000 extra police officers who have led crime to a 32 year low.</span></i></div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></i></div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">We speak for the aspirational. The millions of Scots who want a better future for themselves, their children and their grandchildren.</span></i></div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></i></div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">We speak for those who want to start their own business. The small business bonus has cut or abolished rates for 80,000 small businesses. Labour voted against that as well.</span></i></div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></i></div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">We speak for the communities of Lossie and Leuchars who have served this country well and expect loyalty not betrayal in return. </span></i></div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></i></div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Delegates we speak for all of Scotland and all of Scotland needs the Scottish National Party"</b></span></i></div></blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
This last part of his speech is almost like poetry, with some great turns of phrase.<br />
<br />
<blockquote><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span>We have the best team on the park and we govern for the whole of Scotland.</span></span></i></div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span>But politics is nothing without a bigger vision </span></span></i></div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span>In government, much is in the day-to-day </span></span></i></div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span>But you must still keep an eye on the horizon </span></span></i></div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span>On the big prize</span></span></i></div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span>For us that prize is independence </span></span></i></div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span>But independence is a means to an end </span></span></i></div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span>That end is a society safe, happy, healthy </span></span></i></div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span>Confident in its skin </span></span></i></div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span>A global citizen acting to help the world where it can </span></span></i></div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span>Because the map makers’ ink is becoming smudged on every border </span></span></i></div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span>Globalism, the rise of the knowledge economy, the big economic changes, the great environmental challenges</span></span></i></div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span>All point to a world where the responsibility of the nation </span></span></i></div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span>Is to raise people who are responsible to the world </span></span></i></div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span>And the definition of a nation is a community of people with a shared commitment to their culture and to their children </span></span></i></div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span>By having a strong sense of ourselves </span></span></i></div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span>That allows our new communities from Asia to know what it meant to be Scottish </span></span></i></div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span>And to give them something to join, to be part of </span></span></i></div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span>And that sense of self is built on community </span></span></i></div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span>On the shared value of helping each other out, lending a hand</span></span></i></div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span>On a sense that society should try to be as equal as it can be </span></span></i></div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span>That is what we value and what we think is the purpose of government. </span></span></i></div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span>To the rights of the ordinary to triumph over vested interests.</span></span></i></div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span>In our capital city of Edinburgh there stands a monument to Thomas Muir and his fellow friends of the people</span></span></i></div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span>His memory should cast a beam across the work of every civil servant in the Scottish Government and every Minister – because the monument to Muir and his fellows revolutionaries spikes out of Calton graveyard like a shaft of stony light across from St Andrews House.</span></span></i></div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span>And this monument contains Muir's own vision:</span></span></i></div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span>“I have devoted myself to the cause of The People. It is a good cause - it shall ultimately prevail - it shall finally triumph.”</span></span></i></div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span>And his message was not just for this place, but for every place</span></span></i></div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span>For his spirit, for Robert Burn's spirit, Jimmy Reid’s spirit, our spirit, </span></span></i></div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span>It is for the common weal.</span></span></i></div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span>The rights of man - and of women</span></span></i></div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span>And the legitimacy of the ordinary over the powerful</span></span></i></div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span>This party has travelled a similar path</span></span></i></div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span>This movement, this nation, has been patronized, talked down, told it wasn't good enough.</span></span></i></div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span>And yet this party has risen from a few MPs and a land without a parliament, to a Scotland with a parliament, and an SNP government</span></span></i></div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span>We never lost the strength of hope - and we fought on to triumph.</span></span></i></div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span>But we, in our mix of the national and the international, of the personal and the political, we fought not to govern over people</span></b></span></i></div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span>But for the people to govern over themselves</span></b></span></i></div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span>It is for that reason and that reason above all that we are the Friends of the People of Scotland and for that reason we shall prevail."</span></span></i></div></blockquote></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">I was very proud indeed of Alexander, who sat on my lap, bright, happy, quiet and attentive all the way through the speech. He repeated the trick for John Swinney on Sunday, but was a bit more restless for Nicola. I can only guess it's because he sees Auntie Nicola a lot more often!<br />
</div></div>BellgroveBellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02011429534354744636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4611157281567615666.post-74184828159967877762011-03-09T16:18:00.000+00:002011-03-09T16:18:58.607+00:00Calton meeting tonight<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I've been asked by Betty Cosgrove, Chair of the Calton Area Association to let people know that there's a meeting tonight in the Thenew Housing Association offices on Green Street about plans for the memorial gardens. It's from 6pm-8pm. I have a surgery tonight, but hope to make it along!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div></div>BellgroveBellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02011429534354744636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4611157281567615666.post-91208651405991374182011-03-09T14:59:00.000+00:002011-03-09T14:59:43.047+00:00I can't knit, but I can sew...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p64/AllyDoll/07032011213.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p64/AllyDoll/07032011213.jpg" width="180" /></a>Prompted by <a href="http://twitter.com/#%21/blottedcopybook">a tweet</a> and <a href="http://www.blottedcopybook.co.uk/international-womens-day-and-the-garterstitch100-project/">blogpost</a> by Vonnie, I popped over to the <a href="http://www.tramway.org/">Tramway</a> on Monday afternoon to lend a hand to the <a href="http://garterstitch100.posterous.com/">Garterstitch 100 project</a> for <a href="http://www.scotsman.com/features/Art-preview-Loop-Tramway-Glasgow.6729416.jp">International Women's Day</a>. The project aims to highlight the estimated 100 million women missing from the world today by creating a blanket with 100 million stitches; people have been knitting small squares so that together it will create a giant patchwork blanket. </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">I'm not the best knitter (my Gran White is excellent and my mum can crochet, but I'm a bit ham-fisted), but I hoped I could do something to help. I was in luck - all the beautiful, multicoloured squares that so many people had made needed to be sewn together, first into strips of ten, then blankets of 100! I managed to sew together seven strips, and these were quickly added to blankets. It was quite exciting seeing it all come together. </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p64/AllyDoll/07032011212.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p64/AllyDoll/07032011212.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">I couldn't manage over on Tuesday for the Loop 100 events for Women's Day, but I hope to pop over and see the blanket, which will be at the Tramway until Sunday. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div></div>BellgroveBellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02011429534354744636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4611157281567615666.post-10965078028374943432011-03-08T14:51:00.001+00:002011-03-09T13:58:22.568+00:00Riverside Museum<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">I was invited by <a href="http://www.glasgowlife.org.uk/Pages/default.aspx">Glasgow Life</a> to go on Friday morning for a wee sneak preview of the Riverside Museum, the new Museum of Transport down by the Clyde. Like many folk, I did love the old museum and wasn't quite sure I would like it; I was very pleasantly surprised. </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">The museum is a striking building, although close up, it does seem a bit grey. The real treats are inside. </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">I'm not sure how much I'm allowed to say without giving up any secrets, but I can say that the big vehicles are all in place - trains, trams and cars of all descriptions. Some of the model ships are in place, lovingly cleaned and beautifully displayed. Other ships will get the chance to move as if sailing! There's a new old street, which feels so realistic you feel you could pick up some messages and get a pint while you're there. I can't wait to see the finished article!</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">According to the website, there will be more items on display than even in the old museum - with lots of interactive displays to put the items in context. I hope, since I asked questions about this at committee some time ago, that these will be built to last. We were told on the tour that museum curators will be able to add information, so there will always be more to discover. </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Part of the reason we got a preview was to spread the word about the <a href="http://www.riversideappeal.org/why-support-the-riverside-museum-appeal/">Riverside Museum Appeal</a>. All this restoration, preservation and inspiration doesn't come cheap - some £74million in fact. The Appeal hopes to generate £5million towards that total, and has nearly achieved that. They need your help to make it to the target. Please do check out the link, and find out more!<br />
<br />
P.S. thanks to <a href="http://twitter.com/#%21/Michaels_Dad">@michaels_dad</a>, I now know that there is also an <a href="http://riversidemuseum.wordpress.com/">excellent blog for the project</a>! </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div></div>BellgroveBellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02011429534354744636noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4611157281567615666.post-47665661180058091712011-02-23T12:27:00.000+00:002011-02-23T12:27:50.432+00:00More Scottish Government money comes to Glasgow!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">I'm attending an update event on the Commonwealth Games tonight at Tollcross Leisure Centre (5pm, all welcome!), so I was particularly pleased to see in my news feed this morning that Glasgow will be getting even more money from the Scottish Government related to the Commonwealth Games. </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">The Scottish Government are already providing 80% of the funding for the Games; this additional sum of over £1m will go towards the redevelopment of the Theatre Royal and the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall.</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">I've heard a few people in arts organisations mention that they were a bit concerned that the focus would be sport, sport, sport in the run up and legacy for Glasgow 2014, so it's good to hear that these important cultural venues will be getting investment too. </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_234741707"><br />
</a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2011/02/23105031">From the Scottish Government press release</a>:</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><blockquote><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><i>"Culture and External Affairs Minister Fiona Hyslop confirmed the Scottish Government has allocated more than a million pounds from its 2011/12 budget for work on the Theatre Royal and Glasgow Royal Concert Hall.<br />
<br />
Scottish Opera will receive £605,000 to progress plans to upgrade the Theatre Royal while the Royal Scottish National Orchestra (RSNO) will receive £413,000 towards the redevelopment of its new home at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall.<br />
<br />
Ms Hyslop said:<br />
<br />
"Hosting the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow is a fantastic opportunity to create a lasting legacy for the people of Scotland.<br />
<br />
"The Scottish Government's funding commitment will enable Scottish Opera and the RSNO to take the first steps with the redevelopment of these venues, enhancing the programme of cultural activities on offer in 2014 and beyond and supporting Glasgow's continued status as UNESCO City of Music.<br />
<br />
"These projects form part of the major regeneration work going on in Glasgow in preparation for the Commonwealth Games, which includes more than £1 billion of infrastructure projects which are already helping generate significant economic benefits for Glasgow and the whole of Scotland.<br />
<br />
"The Scottish Government is passionate about delivering a successful Games which is not only a spectacular sporting extravaganza but which also showcases Scotland's world-renowned culture and creativity. Our intention is to make a further substantial capital contribution to the overall construction costs of the Theatre Royal Redevelopment and the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall projects."</i></div></blockquote></div>BellgroveBellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02011429534354744636noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4611157281567615666.post-26642216462232139562011-02-22T16:16:00.000+00:002011-02-22T16:16:00.083+00:00Improvements for cyclists and pedestrians<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Some info on forthcoming improvements for cyclists and pedestrians in the Calton ward. </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><i>Glasgow City Council will shortly be commencing cycling and pedestrian infrastructure enhancements on Morris Path, London Road, Claythorn Park, Stevenson Street, Crownpoint Road, Fielden Street and Camlachie Street.<br />
<br />
The main works which have been approved following statutory consultation; are to construct a new footway shared cycle path, from Glasgow Green to Parkhead Forge utilising existing footway with improved pedestrian safety and lighting along the length of the route. <br />
<br />
In addition the following works will also be undertaken:<br />
<br />
Upgrades to the Pedestrian Crossings at Fielden Street / Alma Street and Crownpoint Road.<br />
<br />
Installation of Pedestrian Crossing on London Road at Claythorn Park / Morris Path.<br />
<br />
Lighting upgrades along the route with the installation of enhanced lighting columns.<br />
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Installation of Raised tables at Stevenson Street / Tobago Street.<br />
<br />
Newlay Civil Engineering Ltd, 55 Glencraig Industrial Estate, Airdrie, Lanarkshire, ML6 9AS have been appointed to undertake these works and intend to start on site week commencing 21 February 2011, the duration of the whole of the works being approximately 8 weeks. <br />
<br />
Every effort will be made to maintain loading/ unloading facilities within the area affected, although some disruption will be inevitable and it may be necessary for local residents and businesses to liaise with the contractor regarding deliveries/ rubbish removal, etc, as work progresses.</i></div></div>BellgroveBellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02011429534354744636noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4611157281567615666.post-3292770637420158842011-02-22T16:13:00.000+00:002011-02-22T16:13:06.348+00:00Roadworks!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Some info on upcoming roadworks in the Calton ward area.</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><i>The main changes which have been approved following statutory consultation; are t<b>he proposals to amend the existing waiting and loading along the route in order to construct a new on carriageway segregated cycle path on London Road from Bridgeton Cross to Kirkpatrick Street and footway widening works on James Street and London Road from Kirkpatrick Street to Boden Street to provide a new 4.5m wide shared pedestrian / cycle path.</b><br />
<br />
In addition, the following works will also be undertaken:<br />
<br />
<b>Upgrades to the Pedestrian Crossings at James Street / Arcadia Street & London Road / Dunn Street.</b><br />
<b><br />
Bus stop upgrades along the route with the installation of High Access kerbs and enhanced bus shelters.</b><br />
<br />
Newlay Civil Engineering Ltd have been appointed to undertake these works and intend to start on site week commencing 21 February 2011, the duration of the whole of the works being approximately 8 weeks. <br />
<br />
Every effort will be made to maintain loading/unloading facilities within the area affected, although some disruption will be inevitable and it may be necessary for local residents and businesses to liaise with the contractor regarding deliveries/ rubbish removal, etc, as work progresses.</i><br />
</div></div>BellgroveBellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02011429534354744636noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4611157281567615666.post-32691995043721758222011-02-09T17:50:00.011+00:002011-02-09T18:56:01.943+00:00Budget passed, Labour out of step!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I'm just rushing out to my surgery, but I'm delighted to hear the Scottish budget has passed. Labour failed again to rise above their petty politics for the greater good of Scotland. The other parties managed to find common ground. </span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Take it to the doorsteps: Labour do not support the following: </span></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: small;"></span><br />
<pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>A further £11.5 million to create 25,000 modern apprenticeship places - a </i></span></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>record high</i></span><i><span style="font-size: small;"> for Scotland;
</span></i></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Abolition of prescription charges and the Council tax freeze;</span></i></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></i></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Continuing Small Business Bonus Scheme;
</span></i></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Invest an additional £15 million across 2010-11 and 2011-12 in funding </span></i></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">for college bursaries; </span></i></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></i></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">1,000 additional police officers;
</span></i></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">£10 million support for SME employment creation – focused on new </span></i></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">starts, sole traders and small firms to take on new employees by </span></i></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">assisting with employment and recruitment costs and assist with </span></i></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">exports;</span></i></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></i></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Provide 7,000 flexible training opportunities for SMEs - 2,000 more </span></i></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">than originally planned in the draft Budget;</span></i></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></i></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Invest £8 million to provide enough funding for an extra 1,200 college </span></i></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">places;</span></i></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></i></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Maintain educational grants (EMAs) for pupils and college students </span></i></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">most in need which were cut south of the border;</span></i></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></i></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Extending the Living Wage of £7.15 to all agencies the Government is </span></i></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">responsible for and Scotland's NHS; </span></i></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></i></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Guarantee a probation place for every newly-qualified teacher and </span></i></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">provide enough teaching jobs for every post-probationer in 2011-12;</span></i></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><i>
</i></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">New Early Years and Early Intervention Fund, with start-up funding of </span></i></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">£5 million;</span></i></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></i></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">£2m Freight Facilities Grant;</span></i></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><i>
</i></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">£1m Post office Diversification Scheme;</span></i></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></i></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">£12.5 million for Urban Regeneration Companies – increase of £6 million </span></i></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">on the Draft budget;</span></i></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></i></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">£16 million further investment in Housing;</span></i></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><i>
</i></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Protect Health Spending and continue provisions for free personal care;</span></i></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></i></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">£2.5 billion infrastructure investment programme;</span></i></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></i></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Infrastructure Commitments such as the new Forth crossing, New South </span></i></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Glasgow Hospitals project and school building programme;</span></i></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">
£70 million Renewables Infrastructure Fund – over four years;</span></i></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></i></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>£48 million support for energy assistance package and Home Insulation </i></span></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Scheme.</i> </span></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">All this done in spite of £1.3 billion in cuts started under Labour.</span></pre></div>BellgroveBellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02011429534354744636noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4611157281567615666.post-53166624909900806562011-02-09T08:57:00.002+00:002011-02-09T08:58:56.940+00:00Steak and Cherry<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/51161000/jpg/_51161255_restaurantfire.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/51161000/jpg/_51161255_restaurantfire.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Big city centre fires are quite unusual these days due to improved fire detection; last night's fire in Sauchiehall Street looks to have been quite serious and could have been much worse. The crews who attended made some rescues in what must have been quite challenging circumstances, and they rescued a family from the top floor of the building. </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">If you live in a flat, you're dependent on the fire safety of those around you - an even greater risk if you live above a restaurant or shops. I consider it a responsibility to have a smoke detector - and <a href="http://www.strathclydefire.org/your-safety/at-home/is-your-home-safe/fire-risk-assessment.aspx">Strathclyde Fire and Rescue will come and fit one for free if you ask</a>. Do it today. </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">On a less serious note - I was only in the Steak and Cherry once, at the end of a very random night out, but I'm still sorry to see it go. </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </pre><blockquote><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Shortly after 11pm on Tues 8th Feb 2011, Strathclyde Fire and Rescue's Operations </i></span></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>support centre in Johnstone received reports of fire at the premises of The Steak & </i></span></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Cherry Restaurant in Sauchiehall street, Glasgow.Initial appliances from Cowcaddens, </i></span></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Springburn and Yorkhill community fire stations were quickly mobilised and in </i></span></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>attendance.</i></span></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i> </i></span></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>The blaze which is thought to have started in the kitchen area of the premises, </i></span></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>quickly spread to the upper floors and roofspace of the tenement style property. Due </i></span></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>to the construction of these property types,hidden fire spread via enclosed voids and </i></span></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>spaces, are notoriously difficult and dangerous for crew to tackle.
On arrival the crews were faced with a rapidly developing fire involving the </i></span></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>restaurant itself and spreading to occupied residential tenement flats above. These </i></span></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>intial crews had to deal simultaneously with the original fire, it's spread to the </i></span></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>upper floors and more immediately,a family trapped by smoke in their top floor flat. </i></span></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i> </i></span></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>In total two males, two females and a child were rescued by firefighter's using fire </i></span></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>service ladders, which had been manhandled into position to an elevated area to the </i></span></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>rear of the property.</i></span></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i> </i></span></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Commenting on this aspect of the incident in particular, Area commander Garry Milne </i></span></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>commended the crews saying " the rescue of this family from the upper floors, was a </i></span></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>textbook ladder rescue".</i></span></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i> </i></span></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>The family was subsequently transported to the Royal Infirmary for a precautionary </i></span></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>check-up. </i></span></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i> </i></span></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>While this rescue was underway,firefighters assisted by their Police colleagues </i></span></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>systematically searched and cleared adjacent flats.
Additional fire engines and crews were quickly ordered on to the incident, with at it's </i></span></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>height, 11 engines, including two with a high reach capability responding and around 70 </i></span></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Firefighters in attendance.
Premises and flats on either side of the affected part of the building were evacuated as a </i></span></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>precautionary measure and in conjunction with Strathclyde Police and Local authority </i></span></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>partners, overnight accomodation was arranged for householders who required it.
The blaze was brought under control by a combination of high volume water jets being </i></span></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>directed down from a high reach fire appliance and the sustained and determined efforts </i></span></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>of Firefighter's entering with hand held hose lines.
Control of the incident was assisted greatly by Strathclyde Police organising traffic control,</i></span></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>cordons and an initial rest centre for residents evacuated.
A joint investigation into the cause of the blaze will be carried out by Strathclyde Fire and </i></span></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Rescue and Strathclyde Police. It is expected that crews will be in attendance for some </i></span></pre><pre style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>considerable time and local traffic diversions have been put in place.
There is no further information available at this time.
</i></span></pre></blockquote><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"></div></div>BellgroveBellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02011429534354744636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4611157281567615666.post-17939521714171240012011-02-08T17:37:00.000+00:002011-02-08T17:37:17.060+00:00Oh, what tangled webs they weave...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">I found Newsnicht unusally satisfying last night. It was something of a relief to see that finally, finally, the truth has caught up with the Labour Party in Scotland and bitten them on the bum. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">I've seen it often enough - scaremongering over bus passes when we actually expanded the scheme, saying Glasgow is 'ripped off' when we have the Commonwealth Games, M74, Southern General, the new rail line linking the East End to Edinburgh and new housing for social rent popping up all over the city (and much more besides!). </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Megrahi affair was particularly distasteful, attempting to make party political gain on the back of Scotland's justice system and the families of the Lockerbie dead. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: small;">All the time, when they had been notching up the fury against Kenny MacAskill for taking the legally and morally correct decision to release Al Megrahi, their counterparts in London had been bending over backwards for some time to help Libya secure his release by any other means. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: small;">Other bloggers out there have made particularly good points on the matter, so I feel it best just to point you in their direction: <a href="http://joanmcalpine.typepad.com/joan_mcalpine/2011/02/lockerbie-megrahi-and-the-truth.html">Joan</a>, <a href="http://moridura.blogspot.com/">Moridura</a>, <a href="http://scotgoespop.blogspot.com/2011/02/and-we-did-not-seek-their-view-either.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ScotGoesPop+%28SCOT+goes+POP%21%29&utm_content=Google+Reader">Pop</a>, and <a href="http://lallandspeatworrier.blogspot.com/2011/02/labour-hypocrisy-gray-sidelined-or.html">Peat Worrier</a>. This video of the hapless Richard Baker on Newsnicht is a must-watch.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">"</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: small;">That leaves you with only three positions; either you knew and have been completely hypocritical, you didn't know and were completely sidelined by London in this or you knew and thought that the Prime Minister, the foreign secretary, the entire Government were unprincipled in the decision they were making and you would stand against them. Which is it?"</span> </i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br />
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</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/VIfv4RsZPu0" title="YouTube video player" width="480"></iframe></span><br />
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</span> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: small;"></span></div></div>BellgroveBellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02011429534354744636noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4611157281567615666.post-88054254298701375442011-02-04T16:35:00.001+00:002011-02-04T16:36:55.758+00:00January<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">I can't believe it's been more than a month now since I've posted. I've been so busy! Work is coming in steadily from constituents, I've been meeting groups, and catching up on briefings. There have been meetings of the Board of Strathclyde Fire and Rescue, Health and Social Care Committee, and External Governance Scrutiny. Baby Alexander is now seven months old, starting to eat a variety of food and get about more under his own steam. </span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Here are a few photos to illustrate what I've been up to! </span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p64/AllyDoll/11012011078.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p64/AllyDoll/11012011078.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Campaigning! With less than 100 days until the Scottish Parliament elections, I've been out working for our candidate for Glasgow Shettleston, John Mason. Alexander has been helping me, and finds our materials quite tasty.</span></td></tr>
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<tr style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p64/AllyDoll/26012011124.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p64/AllyDoll/26012011124.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Arguably less tasty, but more nutritious, we've started weaning. I've discovered the butternut squash is hazardous to fingertips when dismembered with a sharp knife. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p64/AllyDoll/17012011089.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p64/AllyDoll/17012011089.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Committees. It's hard getting time to read the papers these days; harder still to focus and contribute at the meetings while keeping the wee guy entertained, but I think I'm managing. At Health and Social Care Labour were caught acting against the best interests of young people in our schools, undermining their own health messages by selling cakes and crisps (albeit within health guidelines) to make a profit. </span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p64/AllyDoll/22012011112.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p64/AllyDoll/22012011112.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Family. I don't see them as often as I'd like, but my mum and dad did their first bit of babysitting last week. Exciting times. Alexander also attended two more football matches this month. You can tell he's impressed!</span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p64/AllyDoll/19012011108.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p64/AllyDoll/19012011108.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Champions! I attended the Community Champions awards, and was particularly chuffed to see the hardworking young people's group PEEK scoop up a prize. Their theatre productions are really fantastic.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p64/AllyDoll/25012011121.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p64/AllyDoll/25012011121.jpg" width="180" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: small;">Surgeries. Still doing eight a month, which is more than the Labour Councillors (details on the side bar). The one pictured is Bridgeton Library, where I get very well looked after by the wonderful staff!</span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p64/AllyDoll/25012011122.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p64/AllyDoll/25012011122.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: small;">Buddies. I attended two sessions at the Gorbals Leisure Centre for young people involved in the Active Kids Buddy scheme. They lead their peers in a range of activities in the playground at break time, which should lead to healthier, happier young people! St Anne's, Sacred Heart and St Michael's were all represented. I got a go on the Gladiators inflatable, and also got to play with the big ball pictured!</span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p64/AllyDoll/28012011131.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p64/AllyDoll/28012011131.jpg" width="180" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Burns. Much nervousness and inspiration needed for the Reply to the Toast to the Lassies last Saturday night at the Shettleston SNP Burns Supper. I'm hoping my mix of footie and politics went down ok!</span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p64/AllyDoll/04022011151.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p64/AllyDoll/04022011151.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Baby. He can now move from one side of the living room to get stuck under this coffee table. Eek. </span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
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</span></div></div>BellgroveBellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02011429534354744636noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4611157281567615666.post-4634657709188543722011-01-02T01:44:00.000+00:002011-01-02T01:44:33.294+00:00Iain Gray - not a statesman (part two)<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">I missed the <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/briantaylor/2010/12/in_our_end_is_our_beginning.html">final FMQs of the year</a>, but I see from today's<a href="http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/scotland/Labour-leader-at-centre-of.6677140.jp"> Scotland on Sunday that Iain Gray has been at it again</a>. Not content with <a href="http://bellgrovebelle.blogspot.com/2010/10/iain-gray-not-statesman.html">offending Ireland and Iceland</a>, he has recently been <a href="http://www.scottishlabour.org.uk/salmonds-year---failure-as-fm-and-nationalist">using Montenegro</a> as a means of showing how terrible independence would be for Scotland. </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">This is same Iain Gray who, <a href="http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/news/Iain-Gray-gets-personal-as.6671599.jp?articlepage=1">in a recent interview with the Scotsman</a>, stated that:</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><blockquote><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><i>"What I think the Scottish people don't need at a time like this is a politician like Alex for whom it sometimes seems that photo opportunities in silly hats are more important than taking the serious and hard decisions that are needed for Scotland"</i></div></blockquote><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Because picking on other nations in order to do down your own country is mature, grown-up, thoughtful and serious politics. Causing diplomatic incidents just to make a point.</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Mr Gray's argument is put thus: </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><blockquote><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><i>“...the SNP website where it includes Montenegro: ‘Montenegro shows us just how easy it can be to become an independent country. 40 days is all it took for Montenegro to regain her freedom. It could be Scotland next.’ 40 days, plus two world wars, the Balkan conflict, ethnic cleansing, a war crimes tribunal and a UN peacekeeping operation."</i></div></blockquote><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">I doubt very much that the people of Montenegro feel their journey to regain their independence was easy, but the process - which I believe is the point - was indeed relatively simple. Unionists like to argue that we would be bogged down for years debating who gets what after independence; if both sides are willing to be mature and sensible, there's really no reason why this should be the case. </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">While it's good to see the exposing of Iain Gray's deficiencies as a politician (and indeed as a adult human being), the Scotsman itself has been caught wanting in this whole affair - as the letter published <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: small;">from the Montenegro Charge D'Affairs Ms Zivkovic reveals: </span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="ds-firstpara" id="ds-firstpara" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><blockquote><div class="ds-firstpara" id="ds-firstpara" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">"I feel compelled to respond to your report (24 December) which describes Montenegro as "the war-ravaged country". Montenegro, in fact, was the only former Yugoslav republic where neither war nor devastation took place in the last decade of the 20th century. </span></i></div><i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: small;">And not only was there no ethnic cleansing in the country, as proposed by Scottish Labour leader Mr Iain Gray in the same article, but Montenegro opened its doors to the refugees of all nations. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: small;">At one point in 1999, refugees made up one fourth of the population of Montenegro, when - in just two days - we provided shelter to more than 100,000 Albanians fleeing from Kosovo. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: small;">And, crucially, Montenegro was the first country in the Balkans that renewed its statehood by peaceful means in a democratic referendum organised in full co-operation with the European Union.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: small;"><em> </em></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: small;"><em>Marijana Zivkovic</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: small;"><em>Embassy of Montenegro</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: small;"><em>London"</em></span></i></blockquote><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div>BellgroveBellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02011429534354744636noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4611157281567615666.post-68577930449326742992011-01-02T00:19:00.002+00:002011-01-02T00:21:17.396+00:00Good riddance to December, hello shiny new January<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">2010 was a great year in many ways, bringing a wee baby into the world has been an amazing (and tiring!) experience. I am glad to see January though as December was pretty grim - the weather was wearing, and, like a lot of people I know, I was struck down with the lurgie. Baby Alexander had it, and Joe had it too. Then I got it again. Some days, both Joe and I got puked on just about hourly. Urg.</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">This led to major disorganisation, and I didn't even get my Christmas cards posted until the last posting date; I suspect I missed some people, so apologies if you didn't receive one. I like to hand-write the card and envelope for all my cards (including to constituents and organisations in my ward) as I feel it's more personal, but I was couldn't make it into work to find my list from last year and had to start from scratch! I did make a new spreadsheet as I worked, so next year should be easier.</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Anyhow, the point of this post is to apologise for the lack of posting, to wish everyone a happy, prosperous and productive 2011, and to reflect on a year where life as normal got turned on it's head, but I survived. Just about. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div>BellgroveBellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02011429534354744636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4611157281567615666.post-49649775139105738952010-12-07T20:35:00.001+00:002010-12-07T20:36:10.838+00:00Happy Anniversary to Calton Parkhead Church!<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">I attended a special service at the Calton Parkhead Church on Sunday afternoon to celebrate it's 75th anniversary. It was lovely to hear a bit of the history of the Church - from the Minister who divorced his suffragette wife to the more recent fireworks at an ordination. I've since found more fascinating information <a href="http://www.glasgowhistory.co.uk/Other%20Sections/100%20Churches/CaltonParkhead.htm">here</a>. </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
After the event, there was an opportunity to look through the archives - photos of smartly dressed BBs, mischievous school children, dedicated parishioners, weddings and baptisms. I would really have liked longer to pore over all those lives lived! Alexander has been quite poorly with a bad cold, so I couldn't stay long; it was weird to be there without him.<br />
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I also learned from the Headteacher at Dalmarnock Primary that, despite last week's weather, every member of her staff team had made it in to work, including a supply teacher who was only in one day. Another member of staff came in voluntarily to help 'just in case'. I don't know how the staff managed yesterday, but their efforts and dedication should certainly be commended. <br />
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</div>BellgroveBellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02011429534354744636noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4611157281567615666.post-72433408314596768112010-12-06T18:17:00.002+00:002010-12-06T18:17:58.432+00:00Winter update<div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: small;">I've received the following information from Glasgow City Council. I hope it's of some help.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: small;">As you are aware, significant snowfalls have wreaked havoc across central Scotland this morning. Although all our priority routes were in good condition at 0800 hrs this morning, the intensity of the snow meant that they were quickly covered.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: small;">The atrocious conditions have resulted in a suspension of all other operations including refuse collection and all of our available resources are currently deployed on arterial roads and footways. Routes to schools and hospitals continue to be treated as a priority.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: small;">Most public transport operators have suspended their operations and we are working with them to provide whatever support we can.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: small;">Difficulties on the adjacent motorway network have resulted in traffic either queuing within the city or attempting to find an alternative route.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: small;">Our most recent forecast suggests that the snow will move away southwards this afternoon, clearing by 1500-1600hrs. Thereafter, it will be dry with long clear periods, although there is the chance of a few freezing fog patches overnight. It will be very cold once again with widespread ice. Tuesday and Wednesday will remain very cold but mainly dry with lengthy clear spells. During Thursday and Friday, a strengthening north-westerly breeze will bring more cloud and eventually slightly milder conditions with occasional light rain and drizzle too.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: small;">LES will continue to operate around the clock in dealing with the current conditions and will endeavour to return all services to normal as quickly as possible.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: small;">Updated information on the adverse weather conditions can be found here: <a href="http://www.glasgow.gov.uk/en/News/adverseweatherupdate.htm">http://www.glasgow.gov.uk/en/News/adverseweatherupdate.htm</a></span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: small;">Updated information on school closures can be found here: <a href="http://www.glasgow.gov.uk/en/Residents/GoingtoSchool/generalinfo.htm">http://www.glasgow.gov.uk/en/Residents/GoingtoSchool/generalinfo.htm</a><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: small;">The Council has also been putting updates on Twitter here: <a href="http://twitter.com/GlasgowCC">http://twitter.com/GlasgowCC</a></span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span></b></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span></b></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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<span class="gccstdxsText" id="HtmlPlaceholderControl1" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">If you do not have a <a href="http://twitter.com/glasgowcc" target="_blank" title="Link to Twitter will open in a new browser window"><b>Twitter</b></a> account you can still get updates via SMS from Twitter using their Fast Follow service by texting <b>follow GlasgowCC to 86444</b> in the United Kingdom. To stop following text <b>unfollow GlasgowCC to 86444</b>. Standard messages rates will apply. <a href="http://twitter.zendesk.com/entries/218610-new-fast-follow" target="_blank" title="Link to more details on the Fast Follow service will open in a new browser window"><b>More details on the Fast Follow service</b></a> are available on the Twitter site. </span><br />
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<span class="gccstdxsText" id="HtmlPlaceholderControl1" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </span><i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span></i></div></div>BellgroveBellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02011429534354744636noreply@blogger.com2