Where is the finish line in first past the post?

It will come as little surprise to long-time readers of this blog that I will be voting yes in the alternative vote referendum on Thursday. But now that the focus of this blog is less on politics, I haven’t actually written much about it. With just a few days to go, until polling day, I […]

Is it worth voting?

If, like me, you have a reputation among your friends for being particularly knowledgeable about politics, you probably find that when election time comes they turn to you for advice on how to vote. But while I may have more interest and knowledge in politics than some of my friends, I am not really the […]

Debating the leaders’ debate

There has been a fair bit of chat in recent weeks about the prospect of a televised leaders’ debate in the run-up to the next general election. This sort of chat always comes up in the run-up to any election, but there appears to be an extra momentum this time round. It seems as though […]

The failing economy of Kirkcaldy

It was revealed yesterday that Gordon Brown will spend part of his summer doing voluntary work in Kirkcaldy, the town where he grew up which forms the major part of his constituency of Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath. It is also my home town. Some uncharitable people have suggested that his job may involve digging holes, something […]

A surprise in Glenrothes

The shock is not so much that Labour won. I had a feeling in my water as long as a month ago that Labour might win, even when the bookies and the pundits were saying otherwise. But the scale of Labour’s victory must have shocked everyone. Yesterday, the BBC’s coverage began on the premise that […]

The Labour and Liberal Democrat dimensions

Now that there has been some time to allow the result of the Glasgow East by-election, I feel like posting some thoughts that are less drunken and kneejerk than my previous post. Originally this was going to be one post, but I ended up blabbing for almost 3,000 words so I have split this into […]

Oh my goodness so many conflicting feelings

If you want to experience a proper rollercoaster of emotions, just watch an election in which you despise both of the main parties to hell. Firstly, I apologise to the voters of Glasgow East for doubting their ability to vote for someone who wasn’t wearing a red rosette. I was just flabbergasted to come in […]

Those rumours about Salmond standing in Kirkcaldy can’t be true

BBC News: SNP leader Alex Salmond said Gordon Brown was a “big feartie from Fife” who had lost credibility. Excuse me! I guess that’s put the final nail in the coffin of the rumour that Alex Salmond was thinking about standing in Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath. Any more of that kind of patronising from the Edinburgh […]

Salmond to face Brown in Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath? Please, no

Iain Dale has heard a rumour that Alex Salmond is planning on standing against Gordon Brown at the next general election. I live in Gordon Brown’s constituency, Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath. If an election were to be held tomorrow, I would vote SNP. This is not because I support the SNP’s policies, because I don’t. If […]