The State of UK politics just now

Politics in the UK at the moment are more than a little messy. Nick Clegg is convinced that his leaving the Liberal Democrat party will not change their stance in the public's opinion, the Tory's are feeling smug that they will likely win the next general election, Labour cannot see that Ed Milliband is not going to work for them as a party leader and Nigel Farage is happy as a pig in mud that his party have done so well, and thinks this is a good sign for the next general election. In Scotland, the Better Together campaign think they are the better off campaign re Scottish Independence! Everyone is delusional just now.

Nick Clegg will never win any popularity with the public if he remains leader of the LibDems. They need to cut off that arm to save the body, as it were. Everyone feels betrayed by a man who saught power for himself and his party over what he could do for his members and the public. Only by getting rid of him can they hope to save their party, or it will disappear into the annuls of history. In Scotland, only by cutting all ties with the UK LibDem party can the Scottish LibDems hope to retain any glimmer of power, any belief from the voters up here. The LibDems north of the border also need to pull their finger out and realise they are missing a huge opportunity here. Many Scots want to stay in Europe but out of the UK. If the UK holds a European referendum, Scotland will be forced out of Europe, as this is what the majority of people in England want. If the LibDems in Scotland can get behind the yes campaign, they can work with the Scottish government in keeping Scotland within Europe.

It really does look like the Tory's will get into power at the next general election, because people are stupid enough to vote for them. Regardless of the number of people having to use foodbanks, or the disintegration of the NHS, people south of the border still prefer them to a Labour government! Things will only get worse for the average person if we are continually subjected to a Conservative government!

Ed Milliband continues to look weak in the public eye and Labour seems to think that sticking with him is the only option! They do seem to have a relatively weak party just now, with no obvious replacements for Milliband, should they decide he won't gain them power (which they won't. I have nothing against Milliband, I'm sure he is a decent person but he is not a strong leader and we need a strong leader). On the Scottish side, Joanned Lamont is still looking weak and sadly, very stupid. She is blindly ignorant of the position she is calling for Scotland to put itself in. Labour cannot and will not win at the next election, so she is saying Scotland would be better under a Conservative govt?!!! Scottish Labour also need to separate themselves from their Westminster counterparts and look to doing the best for the people of Scotland, rather than toe-ing the line of their 'betters' in London.

I was disgusted beyond belief at the sweeping victory UKIP had in the European elections. Come on people! We fought a war to keep fascists out of the UK and you just gave a bunch of them more power!!! If you wanted to make a protest, you could have voted Green, or the Peace Party, for heavens sake, rather than such a destructive alternative! In my opinion, UKIP are fascists, sexisms, racists, bigots and want to class equality. If UKIP gain more power at the next general election (and that is looking quite likely) then you can say goodbye to the minimum wage and all those rights that being a member of the EU affords us. This is a party for white, middle-classed men and no one else! Sadly, it is looking like the next UK govt will either be tory or tory/UKIP coalition!

The Better Together campaign in Scotland are getting nastier and nastier. this is what dirty politics is all about. Fear makes them lash out. They guarantee that we will gain devo max should we vote no. They have no power to make that statement! Alistair Darling has absolutely no right to offer this. Joanne Lamont has no right and no power to guarantee it and yet they continue to do so. if we vote No, Scotland will be subjected to a backlash along the lines of the 1979 backlash, where Scotland was pummeled for even thinking of Independence!

Voting Yes in the Referendum in September is voting for a future of hope, rather than voting of the bleakness of the last 4 years, of reduced benefits, a dissolving NHS and wasting money on Trident! Voting Yes is saying no to nuclear weapons, yes to our NHS, yes t democracy (no matter how we vote in a general election just now, our votes don't count. In an independent Scotland, all votes would count)!

If you want a fair, just society and you are lucky enough to live in Scotland, vote Yes!!


On another note, I have written a bit of a sexy witchy/werewolfy/vampirey book. If you like Charlaine Harris, Carrie Vaughn, Patricia Briggs, hopefully you'll like this. It is available on kindle and now in paperback.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Wolf-Witch-Coffin-ebook/dp/B00CCWL6ES/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1366023812&sr=8-1&keywords=the+wolf%2C+the+witch+and+the+coffin

My second book, The Island of the Mist, is now available on both Kindle and paperback formats:

Kindle: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Island-Mist-Kingslayer-Series-ebook/dp/B0092TUS7U/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1346945410&sr=1-2

And paperback: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Island-Mist-N-Roy/dp/147921292X/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1346506656&sr=1-2

and in the US: http://www.amazon.com/Island-Mist-N-Roy/dp/147921292X/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1346946271&sr=1-2&keywords=the+island+of+the+mist

My first book, The Stone in the Sword, is now reduced in price: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Stone-Sword-ebook/dp/B006ZQIEPG/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1327179005&sr=1-3

Politics in Scotland today

I was watching the Daily Politics today and of course, Thursday is Scottish First Minister's Questions. I would like to say that I am glad these parliamentary pieces are far less like a tantrum and more like actual politics.

One thing that continually gets me is Joanne Lamont's use of a script. I understand the need for paper notes re statistics and quotes from other people but she blatantly reads a script as though there are no original or intellegent thoughts in her head. I'm not trying to have a go at her, I just think she needs to understand the issues (real issues, not having a go at one stupid point, but real issues) and know what stance her party has on it. I do think that this lady is a completely ineffectual party leader for Labour. I personally would not vote for them given her argumentativeness.

The average person wants our politicians to get along, to actually agree with good judgements and good policy and politely put across their own ideas if they don't agree. The spirit should be co-operation.

The Liberal Democrat Party and the Labour Party need to learn something. They cannot blindly ignore many voters and categorically state that they are against independence because they are starting to look more and more like ostriches with their heads in the sand.

I will let you in on a secret - I used to vote Liberal. When they stated they would not back independence I switched to SNP. If we gain independence there's a good chance I won't vote SNP ever again (that depends on the parties and their policies for the country's future). I also vote Green as my second choice, because I feel that we need to look after our environment if we want to continue to breathe lovely fresh air.

Willie Rennie is a great Liberal Party MP, he is intellegent, articulate and, well, liberal. I agree with a few of his views but I really feel that the Scottish Liberals need to cuts themselves away from the national party or they will never gain seats again. In fact, I would go as far as to say that there is a very good chance the party will cease to exist after the next general election given the betrayal everyone feels in their siding with the tories.

Later in the programme, Andrew Neil spoke with Leanne Wood, Party Leader of Plaid Cymru. She had a lot of interesting things to say but one thing I really picked up on and loved is that she said regardless of the outcome of the Scottish referendum everything would change after it and that we needed (by we she meant Scotland, England, N Ireland and Wales) a standing of equality. I thought this was a wonderful thing for a politician to say.

This is the main issue a lot of people do not realise. They assume that Scotland is anti-English and we want to break away from the union for that reason. This is utter rubbish. We want independence because we want to take responsibility for ourselves and to be on an equal footing with the rest of the UK. I have several English friends, some of whom will vote for independence and some who possibly won't. I do think that many English people in Scotland will feel somehow threatened if we gained independence. Scotland is a modern liberal country, we want equality in all forms and no-one is going to be excluded.

I also think that Labour, who are curently in majority in the Welsh Assembly, are not benefiting Wales in any way, shape or form just now. in fact, I feel that the voice of the Welsh is being lost in Westminster even more than that of the Scottish.

I have not seen anything recently re Northern Irish politics so I cannot at present comment on this area. I hope they are in a better position than the rest of the UK at present.

On a final note, England needs representation as England, not just as Britain. I do feel that the voice of the average English person is also being drowned out in Westminster. It seems to me that Westminster is filled with upper middle-classed men who are concerned first and foremost with their own money issues than anything to do with doing the right thing for the UK.

On another note, I have written 3 books. 2 are part of a series set in Scoltand about the Sidhe, fairy folk. Available on kindle and in paperback:

The Island of the Mist is book 2

The Stone in the Sword is book 1

The 3rd book is an adult, sexy witchy werewolf/vampire story set in New York and featuring a strong female lead character, again available in kindle and paperback formats:

The Wolf, the Witch and the Coffin