Tag Archives: alex salmond

Newsmoggie

The glamorous life of the Secretary of State for Scotland

By Newsmoggie | Sat 19th October 2013 - 5:15 pm

Alistair Carmichael - License Some rights reserved by Liberal DemocratsThe Guardian reported last night that there were rumours that Alex Salmond is staying at the luxurious Gleneagles Hotel during the SNP’s conference in Perth. True, it’s only rumours, but I’m unable to find any SNP denial and you think that they would have done. I mean, rather than stay in any of Perth’s fine hostelries, it’s being said he’s travelling half an hour down the road to the playground of the rich and famous. Surely they’d want to make him sound more like a man of the people than that.

Wherever the First Minister is laying his head, it’s unlikely to be too uncomfortable. If he is staying at Gleneagles, he could be dining in Andrew Fairlie’s restaurant on roast fillet of turbot, seaweed butter, baby fennel and clam veloute.  Compare and contrast with the not entirely jet set lifestyle of Alistair Carmichael, our new Liberal Democrat Secretary of State for Scotland.

Newsmoggie knows what he did  last Wednesday.  He’d been to the Royal National Mod (a national, annual festival of Gaelic language, music and culture) in Paisley. He and his team then dined in the splendour of McDonalds in Bishopbriggs in the heart of Jo Swinson’s constituency. He then spent the night in the humble surroundings of the Travelodge in Stirling before heading to Aberdeenshire for a day of engagements on Thursday.

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Caron Lindsay

Salmond scores a massive own goal on Royal Mail

By Caron Lindsay | Sat 21st September 2013 - 2:55 pm

This week, Alex Salmond told Scots that their postal service would get worse if they voted for independence. Of course he didn’t actually say those words, but it’s the effect of his proposal. At First Minister’s Questions on Thursday, he said that an independent Scotland led by him would bring the Royal Mail and postal service back into public ownership.

Let’s just leave aside the hundreds of millions that would cost for a minute, as well as the complexities of breaking up a UK wide service and defining the Scottish share. The biggest problem that would arise would be that …

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Caron Lindsay

+++Convicted violent abuser Bill Walker resigns as MSP

By Caron Lindsay | Sat 7th September 2013 - 7:40 pm

16 days after his conviction for 23 charges of domestic violence against 3 former wives over a 28 year period, Dunfermline MSP has resigned his seat in Holyrood. Typically, he blamed the media pressure rather than his own actions.

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie said:

Good

Bill Walker should have understood immediately the gravity of his situation but it has taken sixteen days for the penny to drop.

It is sad that he continues to blame others instead of taking responsibility himself for his own actions.

It would have been wrong for someone convicted of so many counts of domestic violence to return

…

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Caron Lindsay

Carmichael: Salmond remarks ludicrous and offensive

By Caron Lindsay | Thu 5th September 2013 - 12:08 pm

Carmichael looking mean croppedI said yesterday that I wanted a Liberal Democrat to come out and passionately call Alex Salmond out for suggesting that the case against independence was the case against Scotland. To recap, this is what he said in a Scotland Tonight interview on Tuesday:

..let’s see if we can get the pressure on to make sure we pull the Prime Minister into the ring and then let’s see if he can articulate a case against Scotland because I’ll certainly be articulating the case for Scotland.

And that Liberal Democrat calling …

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Caron Lindsay

No, Alex Salmond, the case against independence is not the case “against Scotland”

By Caron Lindsay | Wed 4th September 2013 - 9:08 am

By 10:30 pm last night, I thought the most shocking thing I was going to hear that evening was that the Blessed Mary Berry uses tinned, yes, that’s tinned,  peaches and pears in her trifle recipe.

Sadly this was not to be the case. Yesterday was Scotland’s the equivalent of the Queen’s Speech, when the Government unveils its legislative programme, except we get Alex Salmond instead of the Queen. To mark the occasion, he was interviewed for Scotland Tonight.

More of the interview than necessary was taken up with a discussion on which pro UK politician he would debate against in the …

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Caron Lindsay

Rennie: “Everyone who believes in robust defence of our shores should think carefully before backing independence”

By Caron Lindsay | Thu 15th August 2013 - 1:02 pm

Today’s Guardian reports that if Scotland votes for independence, the new Scottish Government might have difficulty joining NATO:

It is understood that Nato officials said it might be possible to allow Scotland to start fast-track talks – but in a blow to Salmond’s anti-nuclear strategy, the Scottish delegation was also told that no new member would be allowed to join Nato if that state had unresolved military or territorial disputes with other countries.

Under article 10 of the Nato treaty, one assistant general secretary of Nato said at the meeting on 6 July, new applicants also have

…

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Caron Lindsay

Alex Salmond is quite late to the Party on all-male Muirfield

By Caron Lindsay | Sun 21st July 2013 - 10:50 am

It’s another glorious weekend of sport, if you’re into that sort of thing. In Paris, the Tour de France comes to its climax on the Champs Elysees, unusually at twilight rather than mid afternoon. You wait 99 races for a British rider to win the Tour de France and it very much looks as if two are going to come along in succession. And then there’s the Open, from the beautiful East Lothian Muirfield course.

Scotland’s First Minister Alex Salmond has very famously refused to go to Muirfield because it’s all male. Credit where it’s due. He can’t go back …

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Caron Lindsay

It was all about Andy – and tedious independence referendum bickering was not going to ruin the occasion

By Caron Lindsay | Mon 8th July 2013 - 2:29 pm

Yesterday was one of the hottest days of the year – yet millions of us, from the Scilly Isles to Shetland were inside watching the tennis, willing Andy Murray to come through and claim the Wimbledon title. Even before the match started, though, there was the usual tiresome bickering on Twitter about whether he was Scottish or British. For once I agreed with Scottish Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon when she said:

…

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Caron Lindsay

Salmond promises childcare revolution after turning down Rennie’s plans for nursery education

By Caron Lindsay | Sat 23rd March 2013 - 7:30 pm

Scotland’s First Minister Alex Salmond  gave his keynote speech to SNP Conference this afternoon. There were three things in it that struck me as a Liberal Democrat.

A numbers game

Apparently a “yes” vote for independence would be a vote for a “prosperous economy and a just society.” Does this remind you of any phrase being used rather a lot at the moment by any Liberal Democrat who can be persuaded to do so? I wonder how prosperous an economy built on wildly optimistic estimates of oil revenues would be to start with.

Many nationalists have been complaining about their fixed budget doesn’t …

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Caron Lindsay

Willie Rennie on Newsnight Scotland: You have to be cautious when you predict oil revenues

By Caron Lindsay | Wed 13th March 2013 - 11:57 am

There’s been a bit of a stooshie over future North Sea oil revenues in the last week or so. First, as the BBC tells us, a leaked draft of a Scottish Government report said that volatility in projecting revenues created uncertainty and could lead to spending cuts. Now, Alex Salmond tells us that it’ll all be fine and there’ll be a great big oil boom just as Scotland becomes independent. The SNP projections for the first year of independence are pretty much double what the OBR predicts.

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie went on Newsnight Scotland on Monday night …

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Caron Lindsay

Michael Moore MP: “We can’t have the Scottish Government fast forwarding through the difficult bits”

By Caron Lindsay | Thu 17th January 2013 - 2:55 pm

Liberal Democrat Secretary of State for Scotland Michael Moore told an audience in Edinburgh today that the SNP must stop talking about the process, must stop trying to get the UK Government to negotiate the terms under which Scotland could separate from the UK and get on with setting out their case.

We cannot have the Scottish Government fast forwarding through all the difficult bits to their longed for ending where they clinch a  referendum victory.

People want to know what independence would mean for them, their families, and their communities.

Planning the summits and designing the constitutional apparatus is like framing and

…

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Mark Pack

What they say about Michael Moore…

By Mark Pack | Sun 4th November 2012 - 5:50 pm

Full story: Meet Westminster’s answer to James Bond.

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Caron Lindsay

Rennie: SNP’s assertions blown apart by fact

By Caron Lindsay | Wed 24th October 2012 - 4:02 pm

Scotland has had its share of political drama these past ten days. First there was the Edinburgh Agreement which saw Liberal Democrat Secretary of State for Scotland Michael Moore given an honourable mention by CentreForum. Then the Scottish Liberal Democrats unveiled their vision for Home Rule and a federal UK. Then last Friday, the SNP abandoned their opposition to NATO membership ahead of the Independence Referendum, a decision led to the resignation of two of their MSPs. This leaves Alex Salmond’s Government with a tiny single vote majority in Holyrood. In practice, though, the two MSPs will mostly vote with the Government.

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Caron Lindsay

The unsung hero of the Edinburgh Agreement

By Caron Lindsay | Tue 16th October 2012 - 11:53 am

As I watched the events unfold in the Edinburgh sunshine today, as Alex Salmond and David Cameron signed the historic Agreement on the process for the Independence Referendum, my thoughts were with the man who actually put the leg work in on this.

To put it bluntly, if we’d waited for David Cameron and Alex Salmond to reach agreement, we’d be waiting until people were telling their grandchildren about the day Hell froze over. In fact, only recently the Tories were murmuring about the UK Government running its own referendum. That, believe me, would not have ended well.

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Willie Rennie

Willie Rennie writes: Salmond must tell us what Ryder Cup trip cost

By Willie Rennie | Wed 10th October 2012 - 7:47 pm

Scottish Liberal Democrat Leader Willie Rennie writes for local newspapers in his Mid Scotland and Fife constituency:

The excitement surrounding Team Europe’s victory in the Ryder Cup should bring the opportunity that comes our way at Gleneagles in two years time into sharp focus.

250,000 people poured onto the course between the first strike of the ball during the practice rounds and the last putt of the final pairings.

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Caron Lindsay

The SNP’s guide to appropriate behaviour

By Caron Lindsay | Sun 16th September 2012 - 4:00 pm

Handing out Union Jacks is “inappropriate behaviour”

Even when it happens at a rally to honour our Olympic athletes.

So said Glasgow SNP Councillor Mhairi Hunter to me in a tweet on Saturday.

 


I was a bit fearful as I clicked on the link, worried that it was going to be a sorry tale of some anti independence idiots beating up a nationalist. No, it was to this Facebook page from the No to Scottish Independence and Protect the Union where they said they handed out 1000 union jacks …

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George Lyon MEP

George Lyon MEP writes: Scots need guarantees on EU membership before independence referendum

By George Lyon MEP | Wed 12th September 2012 - 6:55 pm

As a Vice President of the European Budget Committee I am busy debating how the EU budget, or what those who stalk the corridors of Brussels call the Multi-annual Financial Framework (MFF), will be distributed in coming years.

As an MEP for Scotland, I am also focussed on getting the best possible deal for my constituents.

With all the constraints that the current economic climate have placed on the budgets of Member States that task is hard enough.

But Scots must also consider that the next MFF, that runs from 2014-2020, will be decided in the shadow of the independence referendum. The consequences …

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Keith Legg

Opinion: Scottish reshuffle and the independence referendum

By Keith Legg | Mon 10th September 2012 - 4:24 pm

In amongst the fall-out from the reshuffle last week at Number 10, another reshuffle was somewhat lost in the news. In Scotland, Alex Salmond decided it was time to change things around a bit in Bute House – though unlike David Cameron, it was more a case of rearranging the deckchairs than bringing in new furniture.

The only departure of note was Bruce Cameron, along with two junior ministers, and in all those cases it was for genuine personal reasons. However, the big change was the move of Nicola

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Caron Lindsay

Rennie questions Salmond’s £400k on “London embassy” for the Olympics

By Caron Lindsay | Wed 1st August 2012 - 3:36 pm

The Scottish Government, understandably enough, has decided to showcase Scotland to the representatives of business and government from all over the world who are currently visiting London for the Olympics. Showing Scotland off is never a bad thing, especially when we are hosting the Commonwealth Games in 2 years’ time.

They have, bizarrely, blown £400,000 on hiring the Army and Navy Club in Pall Mall and renaming it Scotland House. There, according to First Minister Alex Salmond, visitors can see:

what a great place Scotland is to have a holiday or do business in, and what wonderful food and drink and

…

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Caron Lindsay

Better Together, the pro UK campaign launches in Edinburgh

By Caron Lindsay | Wed 27th June 2012 - 12:28 pm

The campaign to keep Scotland within the UK launched on Monday in Edinburgh. Led by former Chancellor, Alistair Darling, it aims to “promote the view that Scotland is a better and stronger country as part of the United Kingdom”. The name of the campaign, Better Together, is positive and deliberately does not include the word “no”.

There were keynote speeches from Darling and a finale by Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie, but the stage was mainly given over to a selection of ordinary people who took to the stage to explain why they wanted Scotland to stay in the Union. Some of them are in this video, the Best of Both Worlds, also available here on You Tube.

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Caron Lindsay

Willie Rennie says Salmond should meet Dalai Lama

By Caron Lindsay | Wed 20th June 2012 - 6:55 pm

First Minister Alex Salmond loves to meet international dignitaries and world leaders. Every chance he gets, he’s off playing a larger than life role on the international stage. Just last weekend, he was in Los Angeles promoting Scottish business and schmoozing with celebrities at  a film premiere.  It’s all the more surprising, then, that he can’t find a space in his diary to meet the Dalai Lama when he visits Scotland this week. This is in stark contrast to the reception the exiled Tibetan Spiritual Leader received in 2004 when he addressed the Parliament and met the then First …

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Caron Lindsay

Alex Salmond holds court at Leveson with added fun and games

By Caron Lindsay | Wed 13th June 2012 - 9:07 pm

Tonight the Olympic Torch arrived at Edinburgh Castle. There was one person who was unusually absent from such a significant gathering. I don’t know how much say Leveson witnesses get in choosing the date that they appear, but I can’t imagine our First Minister Alex Salmond would have deliberately chosen a court date in London over a major event at home in Scotland.

He didn’t look so disappointed, though. He had the manner of someone who was enjoying the experience far more than could be considered decent. Alex Salmond always loves going south of the border and holding court. He charmed …

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Stephen Tall

In other news… Mensch sticks up for Clegg, Rennie takes on Salmond, Bristol mayoral election latest & other stories

By Stephen Tall | Sun 27th May 2012 - 5:25 pm

Here’s a round-up of stories we haven’t had time to cover on the site this past few days…

On day UKUncut protestors targeted Clegg family home, Tory MP Louise Mensch urges people to donate £5 to Lib Dem funds (ConHome)

Louise Mensch, the Tory MP for Corby is recommending that her followers donate £5 to the Liberal Democrats for today only. She thinks it will show solidarity with the Cleggs who have been targeted by UNuncut protestors today. Hundreds gathered outside the Putney home of the Lib Dem leader, some chained themselves to railings and they held a noisy but apparently

…

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Caron Lindsay

Willie Rennie’s first year as Scottish Liberal Democrat Leader

By Caron Lindsay | Wed 16th May 2012 - 8:47 pm

Tomorrow  it’s a year since Willie Rennie became Scottish Liberal Democrat Leader. What have been the highlights of that first year?

Well, on his first day, I interviewed him for Liberal Democrat Voice and you can still listen to that here.  He said that his priorities for his first hundred days were to work out what our message was, to sort out our organisation and to get out there and meet people, members and ordinary people on their doorsteps. So how has he done with these things and more?

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Caron Lindsay

Willie Rennie: Murdoch says “Jump”, Alex Salmond says “How high?”

By Caron Lindsay | Tue 24th April 2012 - 6:55 pm

Willie Rennie, Leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, has said that First Minister Alex Salmond has been sullied by James Murdoch’s revelations at the Leveson Enquiry.

Amongst e-mails filed for the Enquiry to consider, one from Frederic Michel, News International’s Director of Public Affairs, about a meeting with Alex Salmond’s advisers on 15 June 2010.

It’s on Page 80 here.

So, it seems that not only was Salmond apparently prepared to call Jeremy Hunt to lobby on behalf of News

…

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Stephen Tall

In other news… Kemp4Liverpool, Duwayne4London, Tod4Winchester, Salmond4Inquiry, and more…

By Stephen Tall | Mon 9th April 2012 - 6:10 pm

Here’s a round-up of stories we haven’t had time to cover on the site this past few days…

Liverpool elected mayor candidates announced (BBC News)

Twelve candidates have been nominated to stand as Liverpool’s first directly elected mayor. Nominations closed at midday and voters will go to the polls on 3 May. Among the 12 are four members of Liverpool City Council, including Labour leader Joe Anderson and Liberal Democrat Richard Kemp.

Duwayne Brooks announced as Lib Dem deputy mayor (BBC News)

A friend of murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence has been named as a deputy to Liberal Democrat Brian Paddick if

…

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Stephen Tall

LDV Caption Competition: David Cameron & Alex Salmond “Who’ll take the Highland?” Edition

By Stephen Tall | Sat 3rd March 2012 - 4:45 pm

There’s no prize at stake – just the opportunity to prove you’re wittier than any other LDV reader…

Here’s Prime Minister David Cameron and Scotland’s First Minister Alex Salmond meeting recently to discuss the fate of the Untied Kingdom. What do you think might be being said or thought by or about them?

And the winner of our last caption comp is…

Some fantastic entries for our most recent caption competition, Steve Webb & IDS “Supermarket (Chimney-) Sweep” Edition.

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Posted in Caption Comp | Also tagged | 21 Comments
Michael Moore

Michael Moore MP’s Westminster Notes

By Michael Moore | Wed 29th February 2012 - 6:55 pm

Liberal Democrat Secretary of State for Scotland Michael Moore writes regular columns for local newspapers in his constituency. Here’s this week’s edition.

Scottish Questions and the Referendum

 My work in Westminster was particularly busy last week with Scottish Questions and a session at the Scottish Affairs Select Committee. Unsurprisingly, the Scottish Government’s independence referendum was high on the agenda at both, with numerous questions being raised on the timing, the question and the SNP’s plans for an independent Scotland.

During Scottish Questions I highlighted the concerns felt by many people across Scotland that the SNP have not spelt out what an independent Scotland …

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Nick Tyrone

Opinion: Firm Friend and Equal Partner – Alex Salmond’s Lecture at the Scott Trust

By Nick Tyrone | Sat 28th January 2012 - 10:30 am

I attended Alex Salmond’s lecture at the Scott Trust this Tuesday. It will come as no surprise to most of you that it was a terrifyingly brilliant performance by Scotland’s First Minister. However, it is important to note that the man is an enviable position at the moment and is well aware of that fact.

For a start, he has the luxury of being both in government and opposition at the same time (government in Scotland while being able to dump on everyone in Westminster, including Labour). He proudly declared on Tuesday night that not only are the three main party …

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Graeme Cowie

Opinion: No is not enough; Scottish Liberal Democrats must embrace independence referendum

By Graeme Cowie | Wed 18th January 2012 - 11:53 am

Alex Salmond’s SNP have a political mandate to hold a referendum on Scottish Independence. With an unprecedented majority in the Scottish Parliament and a manifesto pledge, the question is not if we have to confront this issue, but how.

Leaving aside arguments about the Scottish Parliament’s legal authority to legislate on an independence referendum (this can be resolved amicably through Westminster legislation) the Scottish Liberal Democrats must engage with the merits, not just of independence, but also “devo-max”.

Although Liberal Democrats generally support the Union, not all members are so-minded. Some (myself included) are ambivalent or notionally support Scottish independence, …

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