North Lanarkshire News



Numbers don't tell you everything about politics, or anything else for that matter, but they can provide important information about what's going on in certain situations, what's pushing people's buttons and moving events in a particular direction.

Take the big surge in the SNP's membership since Scotland's independence referendum on 18 September which was reported in The Herald the other day along with the following big banner headline: "Labour face battle to save heartlands from SNP surge". 

 And there's no doubt that the figures make impressive reading especially when you consider that the Scottish Labour Party's membership, for example, continues to drop like a stone and is now estimated at less than 13,000.

 Yet The Herald had a very different story to tell for the SNP:

 THE SURGE IN SNP MEMBERSHIP SINCE REFERENDUM DAY

 SCOTLAND: 25,652 INCREASED TO 80,143 (212%)

 GLASGOW: 1,797 INCREASED TO 8,924 (397%)

 COATBRIDGE: 147 INCREASED TO 910 (519%)

 AIRDRIE: 137 INCREASED TO 712 (420%)

 CUMBERNAULD: 256 INCREASED TO 1,067 (317%)

 MOTHERWELL: 129 INCREASED TO 828 (542%)  

 Now I'm not a member of any political party and while I voted Yes in the referendum I don't consider myself a nationalist or even a supporter of the SNP.

 But I can certainly understand the frustration that people feel towards the Scottish Labour Party whose leader, Johann Lamont, is a self-styled feminist and champion of gender equality, yet has nothing of substance to say about the ongoing fight for equal pay in North Lanarkshire Council, for example, which covers Coatbridge, Airdrie, Cumbernauld and Motherwell, of course.

 So it's little wonder that so many people are completely disillusioned with Scottish Labour and, as a result, are beginning to vote with their feet. 

Popular posts from this blog

LGB Rights - Hijacked By Intolerant Zealots!

Image
Now that we're a month away from the month formerly known as June, we can think about what's happened. Given the new events being rolled out in London, Manchester and across the States, I think this sums up the *erm* transition of Pride. H/T @LGBNOW pic.twitter.com/HL87yIXXHg — Fred Sargeant (@FredSargeant) August 2, 2023 No doubt about it - the once proud campaign in support of lesbian and gay rights has been hijacked by intolerant trans zealots!     
Read more

SNP - Conspiracy of Silence

Image
So here's the issue - two Glasgow MSPs (Nicola Sturgeon and Humza Yousaf) have been asked a reasonable question about their use of public money to employ two SNP councillors who already have full-time, salaried jobs as senior elected members of Glasgow City Council.   But these two public servants (both long-serving ministers) refuse to answer, so what to do next? One regular reader suggests raising the matter on the floor of the Scottish Parliament which is a good idea, but requires an MSP who's prepared to put down a written question for Scottish Ministers to answer. So here's a list of activities which will help shine a light on what has been going on because as Lord Nolan once said apropos driving up standards in public life - 'daylight is the best disinfectant'. Write to the leader of Glasgow City Council Write to the Chief Executive of Glasgow City Council Write to all elected members in Glasgow City Council Write to the party leaders in Glasgow City Council W
Read more