GLASGOW EAST

The dust is settling and the sight of Sturgeon and Salmond (the spiv) with their poodle on tele. I've forgotten his name already is a nauseating sight, still as a famous American candidate who lost the presidency said "well folks that's democracy, the people have spoken - the b------s"

By - Elections for any Govt. which has been in power for a long time are always likely to produce dramatic results, this one is no different, notwithstanding the size of the swing, we have seen it all before but I didn't expect to lose. Margo McDonald and Jim Sillars could fill the SNP in on the historical details if they weren't 'persona non Grata' with their former braveheart comrades., some of whom have been browbeaten and have learned to toe the spiv's line and keep shtum (we have a couple in Renfrewshire) Some now 'sleep with the fishes' and others, more numerous, didn't believe in anything much to start with.

There is no doubt that Labour suffered badly from a lengthy period of continuous negative attacks from the media, this will continue as they go for Brown, that along with a long honeymoon period for the SNP from the anti Labour press both north and south proved too much to overcome. Some people of course come out with the drivel about what would happen nationally with this swing, i.e. one Labour MP left, aye right.

I remember John Major's Govt. lost five By Elections and went on to win the General Election and massive swings have been reversed on many occasions so a sense of perspective is called for here.

About the campaign itself I would say this, the press were describing it as fair and good natured, this ignores two things, Mason who was I feel a bit of a straight man for the 'spiv' not unpleasant though, which is why I don't believe that it was his idea to play the sectarian card by bringing up the 'Embryo Bill' This was a distasteful and underhand move to get the Catholic support and it had Salmond 'the spiv's' fingerprints all over it.

Secondly, how do you choose a candidate ? is it because that candidate is brilliant, honest, diligent, experienced ? all of these or any combination of them would be valid.
Except of course if you are talking about the SSP, in that party if your name is the same as one of the front runners e.g. 'Curran' you are a shoe in so, hey big Frankie how are ye ? is it any wonder we can no longer see them behind their pile of lost deposits ?

My reaction ? today I went round parts of my ward and knocked on doors to talk to my constituents and give them my perspective and explain how we would win the next General Election and, I got a good response, but then again my constituents are in SNP controlled Renfrewshire. nuff said !