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Scottish Parliament election

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Deal or no deal

  • Brian Taylor
  • 2 Apr 07, 02:26 PM

The Scottish Tories have had to get used to their fair share of obstacles in recent years.

But today they faced a physical obstruction in their path as they set off from Edinburgh to launch their manifesto.

They chose Galashiels in the Borders for the launch, typically, they said, a Scots town that would benefit from their family-friendly approach.

But standing in their path on the way from Edinburgh to the Borders were the Nationalists.

A group of SNP activists trooped deliberately slowly over a pedestrian crossing right in the path of the Tory election battle bus.

When she finally got to Gala, the Tory leader Annabel Goldie described the demo as "childish".

But the launch itself.... more child-like fun as the Tories chose to introduce their manifesto at a child play centre in the Border's town.

The image they were seeking to project was that of helping young families. Annabel Goldie said the people of Scotland were crying out for a focus on bread and butter issues.

But there was a fair touch of bread and water about the Tory launch too as they set out plans for a new prison and a hard line on crime and drugs.

Miss Goldie's strategic message was that the Tories would pursue their own programme and would not enter any pact with another party.

So don’t bother to ask Annabel Goldie whether it is "deal or no deal" - the answer will be no.

Comments   Post your comment

  • 1.
  • At 04:19 PM on 02 Apr 2007,
  • Steve Tait wrote:

Ms Goldie seems to be using low fat spread instead of good old fashioned full fat cholestoral number busting butter for policy cement.
Private Prisons,Crime busting,Family friendly policies. Not a sandwich I want a taste of.
Someone commented to me recently that the Deputy Leader Murdo Fraser looked a bit like Desperate Dan, I commented that the only thing he had in common with Desperate Dan, was his name..totally Desperate

  • 2.
  • At 07:45 PM on 02 Apr 2007,
  • Darryl Matheson wrote:

The pathetic by the SNP simply showed that the SNP are not fit to be in government.

  • 3.
  • At 07:53 PM on 02 Apr 2007,
  • Vince McKenna wrote:

We must not lose sight of the local elections which will also be held on 3rd May.The Media collectively are not paying too much attention to this vital area of Scottish Democracy
Also with Proportional Representation, we have the 1st ever opportunity to ensure fair representation and to escape from the party dominated "elected" membership. What an opportunity to restore some control over Council propensity to ride roughshod over the will of the local communities in areas such as planning.

  • 4.
  • At 12:18 PM on 05 Apr 2007,
  • Hermit wrote:

"Tory". A four letter word indeed. ;-)

  • 5.
  • At 10:22 PM on 05 Apr 2007,
  • Mark Sutherland-Fisher wrote:

Annabel Goldie is right to say no deals and the people of Scotland should thank her. For 8 years the unholy alliance of Labour and the LibDems who would sell their granny for a taste of power has seesaw'd back and forward, stitching up half policies to keep the back benchers on board.
The Tories have been the 3rd largest grouping at both previous elections and local voting variations might deliver them more not fewer seats. Scotland needs a minority Government and don't rule out Annabel supporting Alex Salmond on most key issues other than independence. Just look at how often the 2 parties have supported one another over the past 12 months. Alex Salmond can work with David Cameron but personal emnity suggests he will never willingly work with Gordon Brown (if he ever gets to No 10) and remember it was the SNP which brought down the last Labour Chancellor come Prime Minister and handed the ensuing election to Margaret Thatcher.

  • 6.
  • At 03:57 PM on 10 Apr 2007,
  • BlooToon wrote:

Mark Sutherland-Fisher

'Tis an old fallacy indeed that the 'Nats were responsible for 18 years of Tory rule.

1 - The collapse of the Lib-Lab pact was the key element here. Check your history on who proposed the Vote of no Confidence and who voted which way...

2 - The Labour Party remained unelectable for 18 years (surely it's hard to pin that on the Nats?).

3 - They became electable only by turning themselves into a more right-wing version of Thatcher's Tories.

  • 7.
  • At 06:41 PM on 15 Apr 2007,
  • walt wrote:

I think you and the rest of the so called scottish journalist will be bloging on behalf of the labour party as you and the rest of your so called journalist always try your hardest to put that shower of numties called the labour party in a good light every time yous get the chance.There is no other country in the western word that does not have a newspaper that speaks for the opposition except once again scotland.Dont ever try and tell me that we truly have a free press in this country when all you scottish journalist always try and angle all your energeies towards westminster.I always notice like so many others I speak to the nice soft so called grillings you give labour and never ask them any difficult questions so as to try and put these numties in a good light.If you cannot be none biased towards labour your bosses should make your kind stand aside and allow some non bias reporting to be done in the name of good reporting and above all for the sake of good democracy.

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