First full day back at the City Chambers today ... endless (and I do mean absolutely endless!) discussion and debate around any formation of a coalition for the Council.
Now I could divulge all the details on my blog, right here and now ... but ... sorry to disappoint - I'll have to leave all of that until any ink is dry ;-))
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
Monday, May 07, 2007
Hamster missing!
After the seriousness of the last few weeks; a bit of light-hearted chaos broke out in the flat tonight as the damned hamster escaped from its cage - don't ask how?Eventually (after much searching) found it behind one of the beds, in the initial stages of digesting the outer mattress and entering said-mattress, probably never to be seen again ;-(
Now safely returned to its cage, I swear it has a look of smug satisfaction on its face, having managed to escape its usual confines ... no Nationalist political analogies intended ;-))
Spot the problem?
Thought I would, unusually, just re-produce some information I received this evening by e-mail ... have a look at this and no prizes for spotting the electoral problem ;-))
"Using data from the Glasgow City Council website, have now completed the analysis of the spoilt papers for the Scottish Parliament elections and the City Council elections in the Glasgow Electoral Region.
Have used the totals given for spoilt papers, nearly all of which were classed as "Voting for More Than One Candidate" or "Unmarked or Void for Uncertainty". Most of the spoilt papers in the Constituency elections were classed as "Unmarked or Void for Uncertainty", which suspect means mostly blank.
Scottish Parliament Elections 2007
Ten Constituencies in Glasgow Electoral Region
============ ========= ========= ====
Regional Vote
Total: 215,667
Spoilt: 9,000
% Spoilt 4.2%
++++++++++++ ++++
Constituency Vote - ten constituencies
Total: 215,667
Spoilt: 16,933
% Spoilt 7.9%
++++++++++++ ++++
10 individual Constituencies
4.8% 5.4% 5.8% 7.3% 7.3% 8.8% 9.7% 9.8% 10.2%12.1%
Do not have access to the Constituency breakdown of the Regional vote data.
Local Government STV Elections 2007
Glasgow City 21 Wards
============ =====
Total 192,881
Spoilt 4,505
% Spoilt 2.3%
++++++++++++ ++++
21 individual Wards
1.5% 1.5% 1.6% 1.6% 1.8% 1.8% 1.9%2.1% 2.1% 2.2% 2.2% 2.4% 2.6% 2.6% 2.7% 2.7% 3.0% 3.1% 3.3% 4.0% 4.2% "
These figures (for the AMS Scottish Parliament election) are a lot worse than I had earlier mentioned for Edinburgh - here.
"Using data from the Glasgow City Council website, have now completed the analysis of the spoilt papers for the Scottish Parliament elections and the City Council elections in the Glasgow Electoral Region.
Have used the totals given for spoilt papers, nearly all of which were classed as "Voting for More Than One Candidate" or "Unmarked or Void for Uncertainty". Most of the spoilt papers in the Constituency elections were classed as "Unmarked or Void for Uncertainty", which suspect means mostly blank.
Scottish Parliament Elections 2007
Ten Constituencies in Glasgow Electoral Region
============ ========= ========= ====
Regional Vote
Total: 215,667
Spoilt: 9,000
% Spoilt 4.2%
++++++++++++ ++++
Constituency Vote - ten constituencies
Total: 215,667
Spoilt: 16,933
% Spoilt 7.9%
++++++++++++ ++++
10 individual Constituencies
4.8% 5.4% 5.8% 7.3% 7.3% 8.8% 9.7% 9.8% 10.2%12.1%
Do not have access to the Constituency breakdown of the Regional vote data.
Local Government STV Elections 2007
Glasgow City 21 Wards
============ =====
Total 192,881
Spoilt 4,505
% Spoilt 2.3%
++++++++++++ ++++
21 individual Wards
1.5% 1.5% 1.6% 1.6% 1.8% 1.8% 1.9%2.1% 2.1% 2.2% 2.2% 2.4% 2.6% 2.6% 2.7% 2.7% 3.0% 3.1% 3.3% 4.0% 4.2% "
These figures (for the AMS Scottish Parliament election) are a lot worse than I had earlier mentioned for Edinburgh - here.
Understatement of the week
Just re-read the BBC piece - here - and Robin Harper says ... "We will need further discussions on transport and other aspects of our policy differences before we come to a conclusion."
Understatement of the week for sure.
Understatement of the week for sure.
Office move
Back in the City Chambers today - despite it being a bank holiday! - and quickly moved office to help make room for the new SNP Group on the City Council ... I could hardly complain given my personal stance on all-things electoral ;-((Anyhow, gave me a great opportunity to chuck out (recycled of course) a shed-load of stuff that's been sitting on shelves for years without ever having been read or referred to. So much needless paperwork ... a reminder of how shocked I was at this facet of Local Government when I first got elected in 1999 - prior to that spent many years in the private sector and had never seen anything quite like it in terms of sheer volume of paper.
Political realities
I think the political realities of trying to govern - a country or a city - are slowing dawning on numerous, new MSPs and Councillors today.
A long weekend of dialogue has failed to deliver a coalition deal for Holyrood - and also for many Scottish Council Chambers - and the luxury of opposition must seem like a distant memory to many politicians today.
Personally, I think it's a very, very positive development. You can sense an element of political maturity creeping into many minds where before it was broadly absent.
This type of transformation does take years, but the seeds are clearly there today, and one thing is certain - none of it would be taking place under First-past-the-post.
A long weekend of dialogue has failed to deliver a coalition deal for Holyrood - and also for many Scottish Council Chambers - and the luxury of opposition must seem like a distant memory to many politicians today.
Personally, I think it's a very, very positive development. You can sense an element of political maturity creeping into many minds where before it was broadly absent.
This type of transformation does take years, but the seeds are clearly there today, and one thing is certain - none of it would be taking place under First-past-the-post.
Sunday, May 06, 2007
Spoke too soon ...
Spoke too soon about the weather ... heavens opened not long after the teams started taking down the posters ;-((
Anyhow, all now completed - I hope!
Anyhow, all now completed - I hope!
Lampost Posters again!
It's that absolutely dreaded job of every election campaign today ... taking down the lampost posters ;-((
At least it's dry and not pouring with rain - better get on and get it done quickly.
At least it's dry and not pouring with rain - better get on and get it done quickly.
Saturday, May 05, 2007
Spoiled ballot papers
Now, my frustration at the 'First Minister' saga is as nothing compared to the issue of spoiled ballot papers ;-((
Yes, it was high in the Scottish Parliament elections - that was the election under the Additional Member System (AMS) that had absolutely NOTHING whatsoever to do with STV-PR (as was used for the Local Authority elections).
As indicated earlier, the number of spoiled ballot-papers under STV was fairly standard - around 1.3% for Edinburgh Council as a whole, and as low as 0.6% in some Wards. The large increase in spoils came under AMS for the Parliament - 3.1% on the left-hand side of the paper and a shocking 5.1% on the right-hand (constituency) side of the paper ... that's 1 in 20 votes!!
I'm convinced that thousands and thousands of people voted on the left-hand side and thought "job done" and ignored the right-hand side ... the conjoining of the (previously) two ballot papers has been very badly managed. Again, nothing whatsoever to do with STV.
Whether I'm right or wrong on the detail, the solution is not to blame PR, but to change the Scottish Parliament electoral system from AMS to STV ... it should have been used from the start (in 1999) and if ever you needed evidence that it's a better system, just have a look in detail at the wide range of analysis that will inevitably come out over the coming weeks.
I sense that my Fairshare activity is about to be re-invigorated!
Yes, it was high in the Scottish Parliament elections - that was the election under the Additional Member System (AMS) that had absolutely NOTHING whatsoever to do with STV-PR (as was used for the Local Authority elections).
As indicated earlier, the number of spoiled ballot-papers under STV was fairly standard - around 1.3% for Edinburgh Council as a whole, and as low as 0.6% in some Wards. The large increase in spoils came under AMS for the Parliament - 3.1% on the left-hand side of the paper and a shocking 5.1% on the right-hand (constituency) side of the paper ... that's 1 in 20 votes!!
I'm convinced that thousands and thousands of people voted on the left-hand side and thought "job done" and ignored the right-hand side ... the conjoining of the (previously) two ballot papers has been very badly managed. Again, nothing whatsoever to do with STV.
Whether I'm right or wrong on the detail, the solution is not to blame PR, but to change the Scottish Parliament electoral system from AMS to STV ... it should have been used from the start (in 1999) and if ever you needed evidence that it's a better system, just have a look in detail at the wide range of analysis that will inevitably come out over the coming weeks.
I sense that my Fairshare activity is about to be re-invigorated!
National election results
Needless to say, my elation (and it's an apt adjective for how happy I feel) about Sarah's re-election has been slightly tainted by the overall SNP majority of 1 in the Parliament - but that's politics, and I'm not complaining ... just a bit sore!
What I do find a bit objectionable is the automatic assumption that the leader of the SNP will become First Minister - this is simply arrant nonsense. If it happens, that's life - but it will 'only' happen if 65 MSP's elect him as First Minister and NOT because his Party have got 1 more MSP than anyone else.
Everyone involved in Scottish politics knows this; and it thus makes it all the more annoying that some politicians were running around the media, in the run-up to Thursday, saying that the largest party would have the moral authority to form the Government and elect the First Minister ... it's simply NOT true.
Have a look at what happened in Sweden recently, a country run by the equivalent of 'Labour' for decades - 'Labour' were the biggest Party in the September 2006 national election, but the 'Tories' form the biggest coalition and lo-and-behold the 'First Minister is a 'Tory'. It's absolute standard practice on the continent in all countries with PR and political activists in Scotland know it fine well.
Needless to say - exactly the same principle applies to Local Authorities as well.
What I do find a bit objectionable is the automatic assumption that the leader of the SNP will become First Minister - this is simply arrant nonsense. If it happens, that's life - but it will 'only' happen if 65 MSP's elect him as First Minister and NOT because his Party have got 1 more MSP than anyone else.
Everyone involved in Scottish politics knows this; and it thus makes it all the more annoying that some politicians were running around the media, in the run-up to Thursday, saying that the largest party would have the moral authority to form the Government and elect the First Minister ... it's simply NOT true.
Have a look at what happened in Sweden recently, a country run by the equivalent of 'Labour' for decades - 'Labour' were the biggest Party in the September 2006 national election, but the 'Tories' form the biggest coalition and lo-and-behold the 'First Minister is a 'Tory'. It's absolute standard practice on the continent in all countries with PR and political activists in Scotland know it fine well.
Needless to say - exactly the same principle applies to Local Authorities as well.
Elected - eventually!
Eventually got the Ward 9 Fountainbridge/Craiglockhart result about 6pm Friday - and was very relieved to be successfully re-elected. Results here.
Pleased to have received so many 1st preferences - nearly cleared the quota at first count - not quite, but surely next time!
Congratulations to Gordon Buchan (who did clear the quota at first count!) and Jim Lowrie (who benefited from a healthy influx of transfers) which enabled him to secure the third elected spot. Many commiserations to Denis Dixon, who just missed out - I'm sure he'll be back again.
I have to say, knowing both Gordon and Jim, I'm looking forward to working with them in the new three-Member Ward ... despite the fact that they are a Tory and Liberal respectively ;-))
Very important to add here that only 0.86% of the ballots cast (87 of 10,057) in Ward 9 (under STV) were spoiled ... more about that later - right now, I need a bit of rest ;-((
... and thank you to everyone (of whatever political persuasion) who supported me, and helped me get through the election - you can be certain I'll do my very, very best to repay your trust in the next four years.
Pleased to have received so many 1st preferences - nearly cleared the quota at first count - not quite, but surely next time!
Congratulations to Gordon Buchan (who did clear the quota at first count!) and Jim Lowrie (who benefited from a healthy influx of transfers) which enabled him to secure the third elected spot. Many commiserations to Denis Dixon, who just missed out - I'm sure he'll be back again.
I have to say, knowing both Gordon and Jim, I'm looking forward to working with them in the new three-Member Ward ... despite the fact that they are a Tory and Liberal respectively ;-))
Very important to add here that only 0.86% of the ballots cast (87 of 10,057) in Ward 9 (under STV) were spoiled ... more about that later - right now, I need a bit of rest ;-((
... and thank you to everyone (of whatever political persuasion) who supported me, and helped me get through the election - you can be certain I'll do my very, very best to repay your trust in the next four years.
Friday, May 04, 2007
Keep Sarah in Central
Thursday, May 03, 2007
... and don't forget to vote for 
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
Wallpaper paste everywhere ...
Well, we've had the 'lamppost poster' trauma - now it's wallpaper paste (and staple guns!) everywhere as we try and get the election A-Boards pasted up for tomorrow morning.Election campaigns just get more and more fun, the closer you get to polling day ...
... it's the 4am rise tomorrow morning that we're all really looking forward too ;-(
... followed by trying to stay awake until probably 4am (at least!) on Friday morning; and then having to get up again at 11.30am to make the 12.30pm Friday Local Government count ;-(( ... oh joy!
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
Only one poll that counts ...
Yet more polls out late this evening (featuring prominently in tomorrow's press) which indicate any gap between the two main parties is closing somewhat.I'm not convinced personally by any of the national projections - all the parties have run very, very 'locally-focused' campaigns and I just can't see how a poll of one or two thousand people can be accurately extrapolated across the whole of Scotland with any degree of certainty whatsoever.
Maybe 10 years ago it was an accurate predictor, when tribal loyalties were much stronger ... but that's simply not the case now and I think the only safe prediction about Thursday is that there will be some very surprising local results that bear no resemblance to what's 'supposedly' happening nationally.
... we'll all know in two days time!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)