What has Harry Wills got to do with Leonardo Di Caprio and Archbishop Desmond Tutu?

I've got to know Harry Wills, Lib Dem candidate for Glenrothes and his lovely wife Trudy quite well in recent weeks. I have been very impressed with how he has handled his role as by-election candidate and I'm sure he would be a fabulous MP. I've seen him come back from meeting people passionate about the problems they are facing and determined to do something about them.

Anyway, much as I like him, never did I really think of him and Leonardo DiCaprio in the same headspace. Now, I'm annoyed, because I know I saw this on my computer at work, but can't for the life of me find it at home, but I'm going to post this anyway.

I will update with the links when I'm back in the office tomorrow.

Some local Glenrothes genius has a blog and made a few comments about the by-election. They put the pictures of all the candidates through some Celebrity Look a like website. Harry's came back as Ernest Borgnine, Peter Sellers, Leonardo DiCaprio and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. I can kind of see where they are coming from with Borgnine and Sellers, but it's maybe a little more difficult with the other two.

Update a few minutes later - I should have been more patient, as I found it very quickly after I posted this. Here is the link.

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Hallowe'en

I love Hallowe'en - I'm not so keen on the Americanisation of the event and I think that Trick or Treating is an abomination, but I love the dressing up, the dooking for apples, and the decorations, not to mention the sweeties.

This year was slightly different - for the first time, the school's parents' association decided to hold a disco for the kids. I got back from Glenrothes, where I met no ghouls, demons or ghosts, although I had passed myself off as the Green Tax Witch all day, a short while before the disco started. The last thing I wanted to do was help out at this disco, but, not wanting to let the side down, I went along.

My job was to sell glo-sticks to the masses. Last year, my friend sparked concern by blowing more money than planned on glo-sticks. People thought we'd never sell them all. However, the investment into the glo-stick futures market proved highly successful and more profitable than my HBOS shares, for example. Kids just love them and we sold loads tonight. My mood improved with the music - who can listen to Don't Stop me Now without feeling good?

The only blot on the evening was one parent sending a taxi to pick up their child, even though we had specifically, and in no uncertain terms, on several occasions, requested that this should not happen. It's really hard when we have to decide whetehr it is safe to send a child off alone into the night - it's just not fair to put us in that position. Thankfully this child knew their home phone number, but I got a flea in my ear when I phoned to confirm the arrangements with his mother.

Am I over-reacting?

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Obama takes over networks to ask people to knock on doors.......

I've seen some pretty awful Party Political Broadcasts in my time, not least from my own Party - does anyone remember Rosie Barnes and her rabbit?

The video below is a bit of a masterclass in how it's done - the last bit from the Obama 30 minute ad last night went live to his speech at a rally in Florida.

I'm still not entirely convinced on the substance of what he'll do, but he knows how to inspire, engage and empower - and how good was it that he asked people to go and knock on doors for him?

Anyway, enjoy.



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Obama, the baby Socialist

Barack Obama definitely has the most likeable manner of any Democratic nominee since Bill Clinton. This clip from a rally in North Carolina shows him taking the mickey out of McCain's excessive attacks on him. If you read the article, you will see that he gave up his own bottled water to help two people who were taken ill at the rally.



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Labour Supporter backs Labour in Glenrothes by-election shock

Labour have been putting out a leaflet in the Glenrothes by-election which has Sir Alex Ferguson showing his support for Lindsay Roy, the Labour candidate.

This isn't some great celebrity coup, or anything. Sir Alex has been a Labour supporter all his life, so it's hardly surprising that he's done this.

Maybe it's just me, but the phrase that he used, that the Labour Government ".......deserves support at this difficult time" just doesn't sound right. It's that "now, children, behave" tone from Labour which has always rankled with me. If they'd said something like "times are hard, this is how we're going to make things better for you" that would have been different. Despite all they have gone through, that old arrogance is still there. It's almost as though they think that the electorate has a duty to support them.

Will they never learn?

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Obama to air 30 minute TV spot.........

Barack Obama is splashing some of the millions he's raised on a 30 minute ad to be aired before the big match tonight.

This sounds like quite a change for Americans used to bite sized 30 second ads - and I hope that they have made the film interesting and varied enough to hold people's attention.

As long as they stay away from leaving messages on Sarah Palin's voicemail, it should all be fine........

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Strictly beats X Factor

Strictly Come Dancing beat the X Factor tonight in the best talent show category at hte National Trash Awards. Simon Cowell was not happy, although there was some comfort for him later when he was given a Special Recognition Award.

The saddest moment was confirmation of what we already new - the four specials next year will be David Tennant's last as Doctor Who.

He really is quitting while he's ahead, and no doubt the audience will want a whole load more.

Other highlights of the night include Austin and Erin doing a bit of Quickstep on the stage and Blue Peter presenters John, Peter and Valerie reunited to present an award.

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James Graham's Daily Mail Post

Every so often, a fellow blogger puts up something so darned good that you just have to draw attention to it.

James Graham's robust analysis of the Daily Mail is one such article. Your blood will boil.

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SNP’s Glenrothes Hopeful wants home within five years

Aww, bless. Peter Grant, SNP candidate in Glenrothes, doesn’t really want to spend too much time in Westminster. I sympathise. There’s no way on earth I’d want to leave my lovely life and family in Scotland to work 500 miles away every week. I spent 11 years living in England, which taught me to appreciate how fabulous Scotland is.

However, I have no intention of standing for election to Westminster at any time in the foreseeable future.

Peter Grant is asking people to put their trust in him next week. What will he do if, as expected, Scotland rejects independence in 2010? The referendum might not even happen. What then? Will he stand down as MP, or will he continue grudgingly attending a Parliament he really doesn’t want to be a part of? Would he just stay at home and not bother turning up for vital votes on things like taxes, benefits and ID cards?

The people of Glenrothes deserve an MP who will fight their corner at Westminster. Harry Wills would feel privileged to serve the people of Glenrothes and would be a welcome addition to an already strong Lib Dem Parliamentary team.


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Brand and Ross - Boys will be Boys

Anybody allowing Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross in the same room together must have known that something outrageous would happen.

Some people like outrageous things, which is fine. If anyone has the right to be pissed off, it's Andrew Sachs, whose voicemail was the subject of some rather ripe messages suggesting all sorts may have happened between Brand and Sachs' granddaughter, and, of course, the granddaughter herself if she was unaware of what was going to happen.

What's interesting is that the programme itself generated only 2 complaints. The thousands that followed came after the Mail ran the story.

There's probably a good chance that very few of these thousands of people actually listened to the programme.

Cameron and Brown have jumped on the Daily Mail bandwagon, which is predictable but disappointing.

I would rather be personally be made to listen to an outrage by Brand and Ross every day for a year, even though I really don't have much time for either of them, than have to endure the sanctimony of Brown and Cameron.

It's just a shame that this is taking up so much of top politicians' time. Even if there wasn't a global economic meltdown, there would still be the idea of world peace and ending hunger and poverty to get their teeth into. Priorities, people....

Update after watching the Ten O'Clock News - aren't the BBC craven for buckling so completely to the Daily Mail lobby?

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Joe Lieberman polishes his crystal ball

Senator Joe Lieberman, the guy who would have been Al Gore's VP had a few votes in Florida gone the other way, and who is now a McCain supporter, has been showing off some hitherto hidden talents - as fortune teller. He has confidently predicted that John McCain will live until he's 85 years old.

It's a sign that the McCain camp are seeing people turn away from them in their millions, as evidenced by virtually all the polls, in part at least because of concerns about Sarah Palin being that heartbeat away from the Presidency.

I am starting to feel a bit more confident that McCain is going to have a long retirement to leisurely repent his hasty choice of Palin as running mate.

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PCs are just too darned clever these days

Yesterday when I left our HQ in Glenrothes, I forgot to log out of my e-mail.

Another colleague came in this morning, fired up the e-mail site and just assumed it was his that was logged in.

He then started sending out e-mails to people, and responding to messages that had been sent to me by people we both know.

Neither of us would have been any the wiser if I hadn't noticed that e-mails from me were appearing in my Outlook inbox at home.

For the first couple, I actually did wonder if I was going mad because these messages appeared that I couldn't remember sending - and then I sussed out what was going on.

Fortunately, the colleague in question is someone I trust and there was nothing in my inbox that I wouldn't want him to see - but the potential for disaster in this type of situation is very high.............

You have been warned......



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The Erotics of Lib Dem Economic Debate.....

.....is a topic insufficiently explored.

So says Stuart Jeffries, here, in a long interview with Vince Cable in the Guardian. That phrase actually makes sense when you read it, but it is a true classic.

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What could happen if you don't vote for Obama on November 4th - Register now

Everyone's playing with this one - Tom Harris and Duncan Borrowman to name but two. Thought I'd get in on the act.......



It's apparently not partisan - I haven't seen a McCain version yet though..........

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Stravaigin' in Glasgow

I am really getting to love Glasgow. Every time I go there I learn something new. My favourite pub in the whole world, the Station Bar, near GCal and the Concert Hall is there, and last night I went out with my sister, my second cousin, my gorgeous niece Laura and her friend Beth. The girls went to a Mystery Jets gig. I'd never heard of the Mystery Jets, but I guess that's how it is with 16 year olds and 40 something aunts.

Honor, David and I hit the West End, starting off in the Ubiquitous Chip where we got a table and were served immediately with some decent red house wine. We then went to eat in Stravaigin 2 on Ruthven Lane. The food was marvellous, probably one of the best meals I'd ever had in a restaurant. I started off with a Vietnamese dish made with pork mince, vermicelli noodle and packed full of flavour with lemon grass, chilli, coriander - it was truly fabulous. David loved his duck pate and Honor's haggis was wonderful.

We all had steak for main course. I am very wary of where I eat steak, but David's confidence inspired me. It came perfectly cooked, they remembered whose was the medium and whose was the medium rare, and it came with a delicious rich celeriac and beetroot dauphinoise, chanterelles and kale.

I was persuaded by the others to try a pudding. They both had lemon and almond cake, while I plumped for the bitter chocolate and grand marnier tart which was smooth, velvety and very rich.

Sometimes menus don't live up to their promise - this exceeded it. The service was unnintrusive but extremely good and the atmosphere in the place was perfect. We had such a laugh.

Just as we'd finished eating, the girls rang to say that their gig was over. Laura was in a state of sheer bliss after meeting the band and having them sign her new t-shirt. She reckons it was the best night of her life.

We took David home to his flat on the South Side and then had fun with my sister's satnav. I think I did a better job of finding our way home than the disembodied voice did - it kept turning us to turn left now when there was nowhere to turn left and when we took the next road, we'd get so far and then it would say "make a U turn".

It was the best fun I'd had in ages and a welcome break in my Glenrothes activiities, which resume very shortly..........


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What the Lib Dems Want.....

In response to J Arthur MacNumpty's question, I can't speak for all Lib Dems, but I know what I want, not just for the Glenrothes by-election, but for the future:

- Harry Wills would be a first class MP, fighting for Fife, standing against the illiberal excesses of both the SNP and Labour. Both have disappointed in recent years. ID cards, the SNP pandering to the Catholic Church over the HPV vaccine, 42 days and banning under 21s from buying booze are equally illiberal. The choice between them is kind of like having to choose between eating a wichety grub and a kangaroo's testicle - either way, I throw up. Harry would strengthen further the already excellent Fife Lib Dem Parliamentary team of Ming Cambpell and Willie Rennie at Westminster, Jim Tolson and Iain Smith at Holyrood and Elspeth Attwooll, (and hopefully George Lyon from next June when Elspeth retires).

- Alex Salmond to implement Tavish Scott's tax cut plan. We already have it within our power to do something to help people struggling with rising food and energy costs. We can take meaningful action without picking a fight with Westminster. We can use the Scottish Parliament's existing powers to improve the quality of people's lives. So why haven't you done it, Alex?

- Gordon Brown and Alistair Darling to implement Vince Cable's economic recovery plan to boost the economy, regulate the financial services sector and ensure that reposessions only happen as a last resort - and, Nicola Sturgeon, can you please listen to the lawyers who are saying that legislation is needed in Scotland on this issue.


- The Government to deliver on affordable housing. I see people every week in dire circumstances, families living in bed and breakfast accommodation because they have been make homeless, families struggling to cope with four children in a 2 bedroomed flat, people desperately needing repairs to their homes. Someone has to do something fast.

- Fife's commuters to stop being penalised by season tickets costing £20 more than comparable journeys across the rest of the country. It's not fair and needs stopping. There is no excuse, First Scotrail.

- People to live in peace and safety without the fear of anti social behaviour - which would be a lot easier if the SNP Government had delivered on its pledge to put 1000 more Police on the beat.

I could go on, but that'll do for now.
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Alex on his travels - again

Alex Salmond was in Glenrothes again for his 7th visit today.

This week he has been there twice and managed to get down to Peterborough to attempt to wow the rest of the UK on Question Time.

Sadly he didn't make it into the voting lobby on Wednesday night to try to stop the Lloyds HBOS merger.

It's not so much I'd do Anything, but I would do anything for HBOS but I won't do that.

Nancy to Meatloaf in a few short weeks:-)

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SNP Councillor slammed for "inappropriate" campaign e-mail

Liberal Democrat Chief Whip Mike Rumbles has written to Alex Salmond to complain about a, frankly, disgusting e-mail sent out by Highland SNP Councillor John Finnie alerting fellow nationalists to what he described as three potential by-elections, including one in the Ross, Skye and Inverness West seat held by John Farquhar Munro.

I should make clear that John Farquhar Munro has stated his intention to serve for his full Parliamentary term.

The text of his e-mail is copied below.

"Fellow Nationalists

As you may be aware the potential exists for three local by-elections and the Party requires YOUR help. Those election are;

Highland Council:

John Holden, Labour, Inverness South, faces ongoing criminal enquires - presumption of innocence must apply.

Jimmy MacDonald, Independent, Inverness West remains seriously ill and absent from Council duties for several months.

In the last Council Multi-Member Ward elections our Candidates comfortably won both seats and we can, indeed must, win any by-election.

Scottish Parliament:

J. Farquhar Munro, Lib Dem, remains unwell with continual suggestions of a Spring By-election. Dave Thompson secured a huge increase in our vote at the last election and this seat and can and will be won.

This coming Saturday WE will distribute a newspaper in the Dalneigh area.

This is an important area because it covers the Inverness West Council seat, the Scottish seat plus the Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey Westminster seat, for which I am the Candidate.

WE meet at 10am, this Saturday 11th at the Highland Council Car park on Glenurquhart Road and will work until 1pm.

I look forwarding to seeing you on Saturday.

Kind regards

Yours for Scotland

(Cllr) John Finnie, SNP Group Leader, Highland Council"

He mentioned that he was the SNP candidate for the Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey seat held by Liberal Democrat Danny Alexander.

You have to question the political judgment of someone who can send out an e-mail like this, inferring the potential demise of a local parliamentarian. Is it appropriate for this individual to remain in a senior position on the Council and as a Parliamentary Candidate? That will be for Alex Salmond to decide but the very least that should happen is that Cllr Finnie should make a full public apology for this and the SNP leadership should publicly disassociate themselves from these quite sick comments.

I come from Inverness and I know that Highlanders have a reputation for hospitality, courtesy and respect. It's sad when a senior public official does something which is so much the opposite of all of these qualities.

Government backs down on Pensions

At last, the Government has decided to make the pensions system fairer for people, the vast majority of whom are women, who take time out of the workplace to care for children or sick relatives.

This doesn't help the many women pensioners who are living in poverty now, though.

It shouldn't have taken this long to stop penalising those who give up work to take on some sort of caring role.

Read here, though, why Steve Webb reckons why this might not be all it's cracked up to be.

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How to raise $1.3 million - for your opponent

Elwyn Tinklenberg can't really have thought he would have much hope of unseating the incumbent Republican Congresswoman Michele Bachmann in her Minnesota district - until she went on MSNBC last Friday and called for investigations to root out the anti-American members of Congress. For anti American, you can pretty much substitute the word Liberal.

I didn't believe it until I heard it for myself



Since Friday, the money has been flowing into Tinklenberg's campaign coffers. $1.3 million will buy a lot of air time in 2 weeks so it looks like Ms Bachmann's jacket is on a very shooglie peg.

The Republicans have pulled the plug on Bachmann's campaign.

This will be another one to watch.

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