Talking Heads

Seeing that Alan Bennett's brilliant Talking Heads is on tonight reminded me of an embarrassing incident some years ago.

I was only about eighteen at the time and taking some tentative and, thankfully, abortive steps into local politics. I'd been to an SNP meeting. Then, as now, I thoroughly support independence for Scotland but this meeting was boring and, if it were possible, my fellow seekers of Scottish separatism were even duller.

After the meeting they asked me if I fancied a pint. Now I could have found any number of excuses but, unfortunately, the one that I blurted out happened to the the truth.

"Sorry, I can't. I need to go home and watch Talking Heads", I said. They just stared at me.
"It's Thora Hird tonight", I added.

I didn't particularly strike me as a strange thing to say but, looking back, what must they have thought of me heading home to watch that - none more English - of tv programs rather than joining them for some - none more Scottish - pints?

One could only wonder. I don't think I ever went back. I think, essentially, my problem is that I like English stuff far too much to be any good at being an SNP.

Esler, MacAskill and Megrahi

First let me say this. I fully agree with the Scottish Government's decision to release Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi on compassionate grounds. Also, for reasons that go way beyond this particular case, I took great pleasure in Scotland being able to assert it's independence in this matter.

I watched Newsnight last night. Gavin Esler was interviewing Scottish Justice Minster Kenny MacAskill who was, it must be said, utterly out of his depth to the point of being embarrassing. I don't ever recall seeing a politician so over-coached, so unable to come remotely off his script, so unable to think on his feet.

Esler, for his part, employed an unnecessarily aggressive and hectoring tone and seemed to base his entire argument on the following points:

What about compassion for the victim's families?
Megrahi served less than 14 days per victim.

MacAskill, sounding more like a broken record than a human being, didn't actually answer Esler. He just parroted on about "compassion" and "compunction" and said absolutely nothing. Here's what he should have said instead.

What about compassion for the victim's families?
This man is almost certainly innocent. Let him go home to die with his family. The dogs on the street know that this crime was state sponsored. He was a pawn. I hereby declare that we, the Scottish Government, will begin a public inquiry to bring the true perpetrators of this heinous crime to justice. This is how we will show compassion for the victim's families.

Megrahi served less than 14 days per victim.
Fuck off Esler. This man has less than 3 months to live. Let him die in the arms of his family. If he dies in prison he will have served less than 14.1 days per victim. Stop asking stupid questions. Where's Paxman?

Independance Please

There are many reasons why I would like Independance for Scotland.

But, on balance, this is the main one.

Scotland, you see, isn't a country according to my internet.