Monday, May 17, 2010

Oh dear, he's being nice to us...

Confusing times, first this:
David Cameron is to press ahead with plans to give the Scottish parliament greater tax-raising and law-making powers after he held "positive and constructive" talks with the first minister, Alex Salmond, in Edinburgh yesterday.

The prime minister said that his government wanted a "fresh start" with Salmond's Scottish nationalist government in an attempt to rebuild trust in the Conservatives in Scotland and restore good relations between the Westminster and Holyrood parliaments.

He wanted to pursue a "respect agenda" with all the devolved administrations in Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast. That would mean Scottish ministers should appear before Commons committees, and he promised to address the parliament in Edinburgh every year, if invited.
And now this:
DAVID CAMERON today makes his first visit to Wales as Prime Minister with a promise of “collaboration not confrontation” in his dealings with the Assembly Government.

The Conservative leader is expected to visit the National Assembly where he will hold his first face-to-face meeting with First Minister Carwyn Jones since forming a coalition government with the Liberal Democrats last week.

And in an article written exclusively for the Western Mail, Mr Cameron has sought to send out a message of conciliation to the Welsh Labour leader and his government with talk of “grown-up attitudes of co-operation and compromise”.
Although, I'd guess even more confusing for Messrs Salmond and Jones. The "English Tories" talking of respect and cooperation was not what the respective electorates were threatened with in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
First round of the propaganda war to Cameron.

4 comments:

tony said...

Well I'd hope Cameron was being genuine and was NOT engaged in some 'propoganda war' as you put it. We have had quite enough of that already from the lying hypocritical labour party. You know the ones who told Scots to vote Labour to keep the Tories out.............Aye right!

Cameron has made an impressive start just by acknowledging the SNP government and paying due respect. By engaging with the Scottish, something the labour government deliberately did not do-he is already ahead of the game.

If we in Scotland can acknowledge Cameron's efforts, is it not time that the likes of yourself stops the constant childish attacks? And at least try to look constructively at the difficult times that we will all no doubt have to go through.

ps. The above might just be a relief at not having to listen to the likes of Murphy et al, my bullshit meter goes into overdrive. Sadly so many of my fellow compatriots fell for such bullshit. However at family communions over these past tow weeks I have been enjoying the shadenfreude. All these eedjits who are blaming the English for voting Tory when they should have voted labour like them. Even when the obvious was pointed out that the English should be entitled to get the government they voted for they still(well most of them) struggled to grasp the essentials.

VOTE UNIONIST......GET UNIONIST!

Only an independent Scotland guarantee's an end to Tory government, if that is what concerns them so.

Me, I just think we Scots are the stupidest people in the world, not only do we give away our monet to our neighbour, but we vote for their lackeys who tell the most obvious ott lies.

O'Neill said...

"If we in Scotland can acknowledge Cameron's efforts, is it not time that the likes of yourself stops the constant childish attacks? And at least try to look constructively at the difficult times that we will all no doubt have to go through."

Part of the reason I blog is to have fun (as well as obviously more importantly to make a political point). Some of the more personal "childish" stuff I do on Salmond (and my other villains) probably lowers the credibility as a serious political blogger. But it also helps lighten the day for me personally and curiously enough it doesnt damage the readership figures.

Regarding your main point, I think Cameron is playing the long and clever game here. Brown and Scottish Labour let their own sometimes frightening personal dislike of Salmond and the SNP blind them to the bigger picture and because of that they were played very effectively by Salmond.
Cameron isnt hampered by that personal animosity and that makes him amuch more dangerous opponent.

tony said...

Point taken regarding fun, though you and I both know that is not always the case-but fair do's!

At the moment the SNP are quietly originating and developing new plans to deal with the massive cuts coming from London. Ideas like encouraging neighbouring councils to merge some services, you know ideas like the labour muppets could never think of. I know you may wish for the SNP and Cameron to lock heads but that probably won't happen, if the man carries on as he has started it won't.

Let the half-wits who lie for labour in the media stir up the tory bogeyman, and we will watch the support roll in for independence. This really is a time when the labour media will inadvertantly do good work.

O'Neill said...

I think I'm more cynical about Cameron's intentions on this one than you. I agree with you though about the dangers of the clueless in Scottish Labour overplaying the "English Tories" card.