problems, problems...

Thursday's scrutiny panel meeting was my first opportunity to watch many new councillors in action. Plainly no-one made sufficient impression since I remember none of their names. It is early days though and for a politician I am singularly bad at remembering who people are. [I have tried many strategies to rectify this weakness but all have failed. Unsurprisingly I always remember who bored me rigid - to avoid them in the future - and who impressed me, so I know to look out for them again] It was also very difficult to tell which Party each fellow (since they were all male) represented. They all dressed the same (sober suit & tie) and the few who spoke asked the kind of perfectly ordinary questions that would occur to any reasonable man on the street. The only thing of note was Gordon Mckenzie's observations on the budget difficulties he faces. Senior officials have plainly filled his head (and the Coalition's) with the usual tales of woe and doom predicting financial ruin. During 21 years of Administration there was never a year when the directors rubbed their hands and said with a smile, ' I am happy to report everything in the garden is rosy...there are no financial worries...' It is their mission in life to keep politicans under control, to keep a lid on political ambition and the best way to do this is to forecast disaster. Of course, there are big challenges: child protection, equal pay etc. and Labour will get the blame, no doubt. However, there is always a solution and Labour knows where it is. It will be a test of the Coalition's mettle as to whether they find it. I didn't stay long after Gordon's contribution...proceedings were dull.
It made me wonder how I am going to cope with four more years of the same tedium!

Mr Blair's last weekend as Prime Minister. It is too early to pronounce on his contribution yet, as usual, many have shown no restraint. If anything, I feel rather sorry for him. Such shiny new hopes in 1997. I will never, ever forget how it felt that post election day: the sun shone brightly, car horns tooting just for the sheer hell of it; a feeling of euphoria and not a Tory MP in Scotland - all celebrated with bacon butties and champagne in Craigmillar. The grandest day in my political life. Then, last week, watching Martin McGuiness, Ian Paisley and Alex Salmond toasting their own political success. All men, who in 1997 were on the extreme nationalist margins - now central to regional power, knocking down the door of the British state: surely Blair never intended this? And what about people like me? people who have never in their life supported nationalist politicians or doctrines? I suppose some may say this is the success of democracy - extremist positions moderated to the point they become mainstream. Others though, will wonder whether devolution won't turn out to be Blair's and Labour's biggest mistake.