You all heard that Gordon Brown is apparently considering reinstating the post of Secretary of State for Scotland to full-time status right? Oh you didn't? Well, luckily for you I wrote a letter to The Herald talking about it. Just so you know...
Not since the times of Willie Ross and Jack MacLay has the Secretary of State for Scotland had arguably any real relevance to the political climate. Andrew Marr described Willie Ross as viewing Scotland as "his own fiefdom". Douglas Alexander, on the other hand, has managed to make the position more of an irrelevance than it was even under Margaret Thatcher.
Gordon Brown's consideration of the reintroduction of the position to full-time status is nothing more than a tokenistic gesture designed to pay lip-service to his numerous critics in the country of his birth, now that he's got the big job down south and is making a show of his "Britishness". Far better than restoring the Secretary of State to full-time status would be to recognise the politics of not just Scotland but the UK itself has changed. More co-operation between Whitehall and Holyrood would be a start.
And of course, the all important link for posterity: http://www.theherald.co.uk/features/letters/display.var.1470046.0.0.php
And before anyone starts moaning about my thesis and me not having time to write letters, the letter is of direct relevance to what I am writing! And funnily enough I just co-wrote a joint paper last week that discusses the role of the Secretary of State for Scotland in the post-war period at great length. It is apparently finding its way into a book about economic leadership in small countries in the twentieth century. Don't worry about finding it, I'll let you know ALL about it when given half the chance.
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7 comments:
"I set up this little guy as a way of keeping in touch and giving everyone an idea of the myriad adventures I shall no doubt have in the city where the streets are paved with gold. Or something."
Direct quote from you - when are you going to stop lecturing us and start reporting fun anecdotes about your life in Londonium? I want frivolous updates about you being really drunk on the London Eye (or something of that ilk)!!??
(Hello by the way!)
Rhubarb Rhubarb etc.
Also, if the book is anywhere near as interesting as the letter I think I'll pass. Congratulations and all that, but I think I'd rather put a nail through my testicles. Can't you write about transformers or somethign instead? Now that's how to lead a country.
Such positivity from my friends! Thanks guys! As for fun anecdotes about my life in London Lorraine, where do you think the letter was written from?! And what fun I had writing it too. Okay, I'll post about sliding next if it makes you happy.
Why don't you write about how the SNP are Tories in disguise?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/tayside_and_central/6746067.stm
Oops - link should have looked like this.
I fail to see what a Sheriff Court ruling has to do with a newly elected SNP being the "Tories in disguise". Unless of course you took notice of my Willie Ross comment in the Herald, did a wee google search for him, found his wikipedia entry and saw he was famous for his Tartan Tories jibe at the SNP... But you wouldn't have done that right? ;)
"a tokenistic gesture designed to pay lip-service to his numerous critics in the country of his birth, now that he's got the big job down south"
Isn't it ironic?
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