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Newsnight 22/12/06

A cracker show tonight showcasing two main stories. The first involving the resignation of a Minister of the Scottish Executive; the second the approval by City of Edinburgh councillors of what I believe is the embryonic stages of a white elephant.

Let's turn our attention to Malcolm Chisolm. Until this afternoon the Executive's Communities minister, and previously to this a Health Minister, resigned this afternoon after a division on a motion regarding the renewal of the Trident Missile submarine program. The nuclear facet of this issue makes it particularly emotive, with vivid arguments on the floor of the Scottish Parliament, as well as from the gallery above. When the Scottish National Party (SNP) put a (rather meekly worded) motion to the floor, four Labour rebels, including Chisolm, crossed the floor and voted with the SNP, Labour's main opponents. The motion was deafeated 72-45

Shortly afterwards, his resignation was effective.

"It is with deep regret that I find myself unable to accept the official Labour
position on the issue of Trident today. "In those circumstances, notwithstanding
the fact that it is a reserved issue, I realise that it is not tenable for me to
continue as one of your ministers."

A number of questions needed to be asked of this, and the BBC Scotland reporter put them to the newly relieved MSP. He ran into a wall of spin. Chisolm refused to answer whether he had resigned of his own volition or had been forced to walk the plank by the First Minister. The SNP are of course rubbing their hands, their leader Nicola Sturgeon describes it as a "body blow".

They do warm their hands for good reason, as the Holyrood elections are just over the horizon, and on the recent spate of council elections and by-election, stand to wrest control of the Executive away from Labour. Could I suggest a conspiracy theory? Chisolm probably wanted out in any case. His seat of Edinburgh North and Leith is marginal in any case, and will come under sustained pressure from both Greens and the SNP. To hold or lose the seat in a potential opposition? Focusing on being solely a constituency MSP has its advantages with a pending election.

Finally, the White Elephant you may have forgotten about, but will be seared into memory when it starts operating. The consultative process over many years has found that the best route is from Edinburgh Airport, along the Corstorphine Road turning into Princes Street, and then turning north to finish in Leith. This sounds awfully familiar. So familiar in fact that it is duplicating most of the route taken by the Lothian Airport Bus!

Edinburgh is a bus city. I'm sure there was a campaign running a couple of years back that said something along the lines of "In Edinburgh, you're never more than 5 minutes walking from a bus stop". Busses, especially in Princes St, move huge amounts of passengers very quickly and efficiently. Introducing a tram (or light rail as some call it) would impede on the progress of the many busses that use Princes St, as a minimum benefit to those on the tram. Melbourne was designed to have trams running, and still has them to this day. They are a central part of the transport system alongside busses and trains. The integration of the two systems will be the real key. Busses are far more maneovarable than Trams, that are necessarily bound by the tracks they travel on.

Given the proposed route, this looks like a tourism drive, something extra aimed at the arriving visitor. Maybe it's also the City of Edinburgh council looking to compete with other European cities by showcasing its Light Rail. Monorail scams anyone? So Kenny McAskill (SNP) and an Edinburgh Councillor had a go at each other, it was really quite vicious.

Blair spikes Serious Fraud Squad investigation

I was listening to Tones on the radio during PMQ the other day, and it was only then I realised that the impersonators, such as the one that regularly appears on Radio 1 Breakfast With Chris Moyles (I believe it is Jon Culshaw).
His spin has the momentum of a runaway freight train. Unfortunately, the freight train has derailed in the last thirty six hours.

Tony has scuppered an investigation into BAE Systems' (the old British Aerospace) dealings with Saudi Arabia, with BAE ostensibly being involved in corrupt dealings. The British Government has decided not to proceed, on the grounds of "National Interest", a favourite thrown out all over the world. This can be applied to anything, especially takeovers of national incons, much like Peter Costello's pending decision relation to the sale of Qantas.

But this national interest escape clause, and the implicit recognition of the poor news to come out of it, has all the makings of an out of court settlement. Drop the probe and keep the contract (to supply arms).

The last of Diana, I think not

Today, Lord Stevens releases his report of Operation Paget, detailing what he believes happened to Princess Diana the night she died. The tabloid newspapers (especially since I've been back in Scotland) have had ten years in which to put endless versions of conspiracy theories. Unfortunately when a celebrity's death is too convenient, in Diana's case the Al-Fayed connection, there is the urge to write of the death as a conspiracy, like the deaths of JFK, Marilyn Monroe, and Elvis (who probably is making a good living as an impersonator of himself).

The truth is, as Stevens will most likely detail this lunchtime, is a combination of speed, alcohol and not wearing seatbelts. As much as the Mercedes was armoured, you cannot dodge the physics. Fast moving object meets solid and immovable object (tunnel pillar). Trying to blame everyone from the Duke of Edinburgh down to paparazzi is foolish, as the circumstances are repeated across mortuaries and coroner's courts around the country and world. In this case it is the victims with high profiles.

The more interesting bits are most likely to be the information that have come out of UK intelligence agencies such as MI6-5 , and how closely they were watching Diana. Because as much as she was no longer in the Royal family, she may still have leaked confidential information, such as the goings on of the Privy Council, or the meeting between the Queen and various heads of state.

The truth is, Diana being the people's Princess will continue to boost the circulation of newspapers, and this is just another investigation, after the complex report carried out by French police that ran to 6000 pages, that can be reported upon. There is probably going to be a Royal Coroners' hearing, where the jury is to be made up of members of the Royal Household. Put that down in your diaries for another chance for those mentioned above to tee up, and attempt to ressurect her memory in the most awkward of ways.

The new Jack The Ripper?

Quite alarming stuff out of Ipswich, where the bodies of prostitures being found dead. The Suffolk police are suggesting they are related to previous murders, and a serial killer is taking out people, much like. It is the only story on the front pages of the papers this morning. Comparaisons are of course being made to Jack The Ripper, who preyed on prostitutes. Five victims in ten days.It's genuinely appalling and has certainly struck fear into the hearts of people going out at night, with Xmas trading severely down. Hope they catch him/her before he/she becomes any more brazen in their attempts to kill.

Also, although not quite as alarming in terms of life and death, regards the suggestion that obese children should be offered free stomach surgery to deal with their weight problem. Could I suggest the age old remedy of eating less, exercising more, and spending a little less time in front of the televsision.

Same Old Labour

Brian Loughnane, Federal Director of the Liberal party has wasted no time in getting stuck into Kevin Rudd, he might have even dusted off the L plates from the Latham years, and got them ready to stick on an inexperienced leader.
Sameoldlabor.com