This week it is Old Reekie's finest stonemason, blues artist and jobbing actor - Tam White. One of his claims to fame is to be the first person to sing live on Top of the Pops. He also attended Darroch secondary - better known in my day as James Gillespies Annexe. Here he is performing live in his home town in the year before his untimely death in 2010.
31 August 2012
30 August 2012
Clegg supporters' circle the wagons
Matthew Oakeshott's sensible advice in the Grauniad that the Lib Dems should look at 'strategy and management' in trying to turn round their dire poll ratings has been seized on as a call for a new leader. Cable loyalist Oakeshott may well have intended it to be so, but it shouldn't be the case.
Sadly, the reaction from Clegg's spin doctors and advisors - wheeling out Paddy Ashdown, Simon Hughes and Tim Farron in his support - made Oakeshott's case for him.
It goes without saying that a change of strategy is needed. The constant relaunches of Clegg and policy flip flops, forced 'differentiation' with the Tories and kite flying have all the hallmarks of the dying days of the Brown administration.
It's this PR led search for publicity that has so called 'cut-through' - getting into people's non-short term memories - that is the problem - not the solution. 'Alarm clock Britain' may well have delighted the youthful PR types who make up the bulk of Clegg's advisers as it had 'cut through' - but it only did so because it was ugly, ludicrous and confirmed everything a now sceptical audience thought about Clegg's political naievity.
Successful political campaigns aren't built on a day's or a week's or even a month's media coverage - they are built over time on consistent values and messaging. Clegg's problem is that in trying to turn his image around he is constantly shifting further and further away from the things that made him attractive to people in the spring of 2010.
So Oakeshott is right - those who advise Clegg have failed to understand the basic necessities of political campaign management. They have no strategy for government and seemingly no idea how to turn things around.
As they say in the wonderful world of Scottish football - Clegg's 'coat is on a shoogly peg'. But in my view he clearly has the talent and ability to turn it around. The question however is does he have the political nouce to understand that spin and PR are part of the problem and the political kahunas to do something about it?
Sadly, the reaction from Clegg's spin doctors and advisors - wheeling out Paddy Ashdown, Simon Hughes and Tim Farron in his support - made Oakeshott's case for him.
It goes without saying that a change of strategy is needed. The constant relaunches of Clegg and policy flip flops, forced 'differentiation' with the Tories and kite flying have all the hallmarks of the dying days of the Brown administration.
It's this PR led search for publicity that has so called 'cut-through' - getting into people's non-short term memories - that is the problem - not the solution. 'Alarm clock Britain' may well have delighted the youthful PR types who make up the bulk of Clegg's advisers as it had 'cut through' - but it only did so because it was ugly, ludicrous and confirmed everything a now sceptical audience thought about Clegg's political naievity.
Successful political campaigns aren't built on a day's or a week's or even a month's media coverage - they are built over time on consistent values and messaging. Clegg's problem is that in trying to turn his image around he is constantly shifting further and further away from the things that made him attractive to people in the spring of 2010.
So Oakeshott is right - those who advise Clegg have failed to understand the basic necessities of political campaign management. They have no strategy for government and seemingly no idea how to turn things around.
As they say in the wonderful world of Scottish football - Clegg's 'coat is on a shoogly peg'. But in my view he clearly has the talent and ability to turn it around. The question however is does he have the political nouce to understand that spin and PR are part of the problem and the political kahunas to do something about it?
Romney's Programme for Economic Recovery - "is like 'Fifty Shades of Grey' without the sex"
Ouch!
The Economist sticks the boot into Republican hopeful Mitt Romney on the eve of his convention speech.
The Economist sticks the boot into Republican hopeful Mitt Romney on the eve of his convention speech.
29 August 2012
Media vultures start to circle Clegg
It is clear Nick Clegg is in trouble. His poll ratings are dire and show no sign of improvement. Even the mainly loyal readership of Lib Dem Voice are split down the middle on whether he should continue as leader. And his advisers seem to be floundering about looking for anything that might turn things around. Or at least that can only be the reason for Clegg's sudden conversion to taxing the rich, having voted to do the opposite in this year's budget.
Now the Guardian's Martin Kettle has waded into the debate with a thoughtful piece which makes the case for change at the top of the party.
Now the Guardian's Martin Kettle has waded into the debate with a thoughtful piece which makes the case for change at the top of the party.
27 August 2012
Reshuffle speculation
Given all the speculation about a cabinet reshuffle I thought it's time to re-enter the debate. Here's a reminder of my suggestions from January last year...
Cabinet reshuffle.
Cabinet reshuffle.
26 August 2012
Donald Gorrie
Donald Gorrie was a giant of Edinburgh politics. He was first elected to the corporation in the early 70's - and had been on the scene ever since - in various roles. This Beeb piece while boringly accurate doesn't do him justice.
There are a huge number of things to say about Donald Gorrie - and lots of them will come out over the next few days and weeks.
But let's be clear Donald was absolutely clear the Scottish Lib Dems made a strategic mistake in refusing to deal with Alex Salmond in 2007 (and before). And events since then have proved him right...
There are a huge number of things to say about Donald Gorrie - and lots of them will come out over the next few days and weeks.
But let's be clear Donald was absolutely clear the Scottish Lib Dems made a strategic mistake in refusing to deal with Alex Salmond in 2007 (and before). And events since then have proved him right...
24 August 2012
Friday favourite 73
Stumbled across this on YouTube a few days ago - David Frost with John Betjeman (among others) from 1968 with the Stones opening the show. Sadly parts 2 and 3 don't appear to be available. But enjoy anyway.
23 August 2012
ComRes poll exposes Clegg's strategy
In all the discussion over the future (or lack thererof) of Nick Clegg in this week's Lib Dem Voice poll, one bit of opinion research has been somewhat glossed over.
Earlier this week ComRes published the results of a poll which asked:
'Do you agree or disagree that being in coalition with the Conservatives has shown the Liberal Democrats to be a credible party of government?'
This is in essence the strategy oft annunciated by Clegg and devised by his former adviser Richard Reeves. Their argument is that years of opposition has meant that the voting public simply see the party as a repository of protest votes and a period in government is a the key to breaking the glass ceiling of around 25% support that the party has struggled to overcome. The strategy is somewhat silent on what the party should do in its time in government - simply being in government is supposed to do the trick.
Well the voting public have sent Messers Clegg and Reeves a rather big rasberry. ComRes found that just 18% of the voting public agreed that the Lib Dems are a credible party of government with 61% disagreeing. Among those who voted Lib Dem in 2010, 33% agreed and 49% disagreed.
Being in government was never going to be enough - it's what the party does there that is vital. The party needs a coherent message about what it is doing in government and why people should vote for more of it in 2015. If it can't do that it will deservedly lose next time round.
But the problem is when your so called strategist confuses means (being in government) with ends (what you do) it is impossible to answer the question. Let's hope whoever replaces the hapless Mr Reeves does actually understand political strategy - but given the party's predisposition to employing policy wonks I fear it will simply carry on being in government until an ungrateful electorate throws it out in 2015.
Earlier this week ComRes published the results of a poll which asked:
'Do you agree or disagree that being in coalition with the Conservatives has shown the Liberal Democrats to be a credible party of government?'
This is in essence the strategy oft annunciated by Clegg and devised by his former adviser Richard Reeves. Their argument is that years of opposition has meant that the voting public simply see the party as a repository of protest votes and a period in government is a the key to breaking the glass ceiling of around 25% support that the party has struggled to overcome. The strategy is somewhat silent on what the party should do in its time in government - simply being in government is supposed to do the trick.
Well the voting public have sent Messers Clegg and Reeves a rather big rasberry. ComRes found that just 18% of the voting public agreed that the Lib Dems are a credible party of government with 61% disagreeing. Among those who voted Lib Dem in 2010, 33% agreed and 49% disagreed.
Being in government was never going to be enough - it's what the party does there that is vital. The party needs a coherent message about what it is doing in government and why people should vote for more of it in 2015. If it can't do that it will deservedly lose next time round.
But the problem is when your so called strategist confuses means (being in government) with ends (what you do) it is impossible to answer the question. Let's hope whoever replaces the hapless Mr Reeves does actually understand political strategy - but given the party's predisposition to employing policy wonks I fear it will simply carry on being in government until an ungrateful electorate throws it out in 2015.
18 August 2012
Friday favourite 72
Well with the imprisonment by the new Communist regime in Moscow of three members of a pretty poor punk combo, there is only one possible choice. What is most abhorrent about the case is the Russian state's use of psychiatry to justify their actions - just like the old Socialists. The act of protest is not a sign of mental illness and was comprehensively debunked in the 60s and 70s. I'm not sure even the Chinese use it as an excuse in their repression these days...
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