Friday 29 February 2008

Oh what a week.

And now, the weekend is near;
And so I face the Friday curtain.

Quote of the week has to be Christina McKelvie MSP during the Graduate Endowment Abolition debate when Rhona Brankin intervened and Christina replied:
I believe that Rhona Brankin is trying to engage me in a battle of wits, but I will not go into combat with someone who is unarmed.
Meanwhile it's hud me back time in Aviemore where the dynamic Dems are gathering for their spring conference. I've had a wee look at the agenda - Jings!

Motion 1 welcomes the role of Lib Dem MSPs in supporting the SNP to remove the Graduate Endowment and witters on about further spending commitments that the Scottish Government should make on education. Why didn't the Lib Dems implement those changes during their eight years in charge?

Motion 2 calls on the Government to carry on running the Justice system - it has an amendment to move a couple of bullet points to a different heading. Oh, the high drama of politics in the raw...

Each of these motions has a 40 minute debate scheduled. That will be scintillating!

Speech by Horlicks Clegg at 3 o'clock today then right back into the cut and thrust of debate -

Motion 3 calls on Government to carry on providing the services it does to victims of human trafficking. It actually has an interesting idea in it though - copying Italy's reflection period. Only a 20 minute debate - half the time given to the earlier motions and a fraction of the 55 minutes to be given to the next and very important motion on ...

Excess packaging! Motion 4 is calling for a tightening up of the Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulations. There are four amendments in for this motion - including one to have the Wendy Commission examine the case!

A spot of rest and recuperation is required after such an exhausting schedule before tomorrow's riveting debates following an hour's consultation with Ian Smith on Scottish Broadcasting.

Motion 5 is calling for more houses - a 45 minute debate for goodness' sake.

Woohoo! Speeches by Alistair Carmichael and Nicol Stephen.

That's all for Saturday, Sunday comes roaring out of the agenda with a stunning motion (number 6) recognising that North Sea Oil brings in a huge wodge of dosh. Back to a 20 minute debate, I see.

Motion 7 is a 50 minute debate (50 minutes? That's very nearly an armful) on the Right to Buy legislation which the Lib Dems used to defend when they were in Government. Now they want it reformed, bits of it expunged and councils given control over other bits. I'd stay up late to watch that debate.

There's a wee speech by Malcolm Bruce and then everybody goes home.

I can't understand why it isn't live on all the TV stations. I'm going to have to go to Aviemore!

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