SNP = Scotland. Not.

Arrogance: A politician who equates the interests of his own party with the interests of a country that mostly voted for other parties.

SNP urged to act on low standards

Looking at SNP press releases, I note numerous examples of errors in grammar, punctuation and spelling. For example:

Voting SNP gives you cheaper perscriptions

In addition to the poor proofreading, and absence of spellchecking, it is notable that the mistake has not yet been corrected. Is this because
a) no one has noticed?
b) no one cares?
c) no one reads SNP press releases? - or perhaps,
d) the people who read SNP press releases have difficulty with words containing so many syllables?

That said Rlights of a child should be Scots law has now been corrected, as has SNP Government acting to see of repossessions. Maybe someone noticed that I searched using these headlines!

Labour dithering on miner's compensation however still begs the question of whether the SNP is concerned about a particular miner, or has misused the apostrophe. Reading on would suggest the latter, although rather than being misplaced as in the headline, it is simply not used thereafter.

Apparently "Tricia Marwick said it his remarks actually reflected ..." (etc). Are words missing or surplus? It is tempting to suggest that whatever words are used by the SNP, the latter is the correct assessment.

If the SNP press office is reading this, you may also like to correct this sentence:
"Mr Salmond who was campaigning in the town with SNP Candidate Peter Grant visited, Gordon Brown, 28 year old truck driver and former member of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards at his Glenrothes home."

Before anyone searches this blog for comparable mistakes, please note that I'm not in charge of the nation's education, and I don't have a large staff of allegedly competent press officers. I'm also not so arrogant as to believe that proofreading your own output is best practice, so please let me know if you spot anything.

Summer Summary

OK, so we've been really lazy and spent the silly season ignoring politics and enjoying ourselves like normal human beings. Sort of, but not quite. We noticed the stories but were too busy enjoying ourselves to write about them. If you also have a passing resemblance to a normal human being, then you may also have been too busy enjoying yourself to read beyond the headlines. Tell you what: in case you are sufficiently aberrant to want to know what you missed, here's the summer summary, part deux.

SNP hypocrisy under scrutiny ... Scottish government hires firm accused of torture in Iraq Sunday Herald - 26 Jul

The big money backs the nats ... SNP spent £1m more than Labour on campaigns last year Herald - 30 Jul

I told you it was the silly season ... Not so smart Alex gets a real dressing down Scotland on Sunday - 3 Aug

The impartial civil service ... Sir John Elvidge in 'bias' row Times - 3 Aug

SNP U turns make me dizzy ... SNP signals a U-turn as it hints at tram extension Scotsman - 7 Aug

Would you want a councillor who knows how to use an AK-47? Councillor Kalashnikov Evening Times - 7 Aug

SNP gives more funding to ally's Islamic group Scotland on Sunday - 10 Aug ... By Eddie Barnes ... THE SNP Government is facing more criticism from Muslim groups after ploughing a further £190000 into an Islamic group led by one of Alex Salmond's closest allies.

SNP's rural policies looking like the weather: a washout Scotsman - 11 Aug

Creative Scotland on a shoestring ... SNP 'must tell truth' over soaring cost of arts body Times - 12 Aug

The SNP And John MacDougall By Kevin Maguire - 13 Aug ... I see the SNP leader in Westminster Angus Robertson has issued a tribute to MacDougall. That'll be the same Mr Robertson who was seen by my spy on a flight between between England and Scotland a few weeks ago leafing through what looked suspiciously like SNP canvass returns for MacDougall's seat.

More questions on SIF ... Worrying questions about funding remain Herald - 14 Aug

Fury over SNP plans to cut hospital's A&E unit Daily Record - 16 Aug

SNP is accused after 'doctoring' flag image Scotsman ... THE SNP has come under fire for digitally altering a photograph on a Scottish tourism website to show a Saltire rather than a Union Flag.


Scotland likes Salmond. Salmond likes Thatcher. Therefore ... Alex Salmond: Scotland 'didn't mind' Thatcher economics

Scotsman - 21 Aug

£42m to be cut from city health budget

Evening Times

Alex Salmond 'screeches into reverse' over Margaret Thatcher gaffe

Times - 22 Aug

SNP face backlash for hiring firm accused of Iraq torture Sunday Herald -23 Aug

Hello, Hello, Hello ... SNP breaks promise on more police

Scotsman - 24 Aug

SIF ... Watchdog questions Government grant to Islamic group with SNP link

Scotland on Sunday - 24 Aug

What's going on here then? ... Snp Slated For Claiming A Third Too Many Police Daily Record - 25 Aug

On the buses

"We are starting to see a fundamental shift towards public transport" Brian Soutar 25/06/2008

"LOCALS have hit out at plans by Stagecoach Strathtay to slash bus
services in the town, saying they feel Montrose is already
short-changed by the operator" Montrose Review 25/07/08

"SNP accused of dumping bus plan to please millionaire backer" Sunday Herald 22/4/07

What's the score, Jenny Dawe?

More fun and games in the uneasy coalition that runs Edinburgh ...

Council split on green parking
Liberal leader Jenny Dawe didn't know it was happening, but having discovered that SNP Deputy Leader Steve Cardownie is not happy about charging gas guzzlers more for parking, declares that the SNP is "probably not as green as we are."

Hmmm. So not the Liberal love of income generation versus the SNP fear of upsetting "poorer families" (who can somehow afford big engined 4x4s) then?

What a difference a month makes

It's been a busy few weeks, and amidst the hustle and bustle, a few interesting tales have passed by without due comment.

Rather than let them lie, I'll give each of the sleeping dogs a quick nudge ...

Salmond hit by 'cash for cronies' row (Scotsman) - MUSLIM leaders accused Alex Salmond of blatant cronyism. SNP accusations that this was a non-story led to a debate on Allmedia about whether the report on the SNP complaint was itself a non-story ... SoS Stories Stir up SNP Frustration

'Smug' blast for Alex Salmond from new poll (Daily Record) - FIRST Minister Alex Salmond, chef Gordon Ramsay and actor Ewan McGregor are on a list of Britain's 20 smuggest people. Salmond was labelled a smirking "smarta***" in the poll.

It's an SNP reunion party at RBS - plus ça spare change, an a' that

SNP scraps pledge of £2000 for first-time home buyers (Times) - The SNP's promise to give all first-time home-buyers a £2000 grant was declared dead last night (plus ça même chose, an a')

Doubts cast over SNP's claim for oil-cost windfall (Scotsman) & Oil-obsessed SNP figures simply do not make sense (Scotsman) - 'Nuff said

Payback?

I see that Falkirk SNP Councillor Lynda Kenna - "highest paid member of the opposition on the Labour-run council last year" (Daily Record) - has quit as head of Central Scotland Fire Board, because of "family issues" (Falkirk Herald)

Apparently, there are issues in her life "more important than high office ... Everyone has times in their lives when family problems must be tackled and that agenda is my priority."

The SNP's "Convenor of Local Government", David Alexander said: "No one I know has more passion for the fire service than Lynda, but I understand her family life must come first. We will support her and continue to work as a team for the betterment of all within Falkirk district."

The good people of Falkirk could perhaps be forgiven if they had mistakenly assumed that the resignation had something to do with Ms Kenna being taken to court for debt, and being given a fortnight by Falkirk Sheriff Court to repay £2000 she borrowed from a constituent.

The case gives an insight into the councillor's dedication to her constituents' well-being. The woman who was looking for her money back said that Lynda Kenna "helped me get a flat in Larbert, she even drove me when I had things like furniture to get for my new home. She didn't ask me for money, but there were hints, so I loaned her £2500. "

Despite calls for her resignation as a Councillor, Ms Kenna has indicated that "her constituents in the Tryst and Kinnaird Ward will now get more of her time." But at what cost?