Rail construction costs in Scotland

[peter macdonald]

http://news.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=1524652007 from the Scotsman today
Yet another hangover from the previous Holyrood administration
Looks like Jack Maconnell had his head deeper in the sand than even I thought
PM

[Rheghead]

http://news.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=1524652007 from the Scotsman today
Yet another hangover from the previous Holyrood administration
Looks like Jack Maconnell had his head deeper in the sand than even I thought
PM

That's funny, I thought the SNP were in power not labour? How can the SNP allow this to Scotland, I thought they had our best interests at heart?

[peter macdonald]

Because this was agreed with the previous bunch whose costings have appeared to be "faulty" to say the least They also passed control of the projects to the local authorities Clackmannan District council instead of keeping it in house
Please note the comment of the reporter Peter Macmahon at the end
"The new Scottish Government plans to keep on spending to improve Scotland's infrastructure. We must hope that they will, finally, learn some lessons from the past and do what their predecessors have not managed. Keep control"
Perhaps that gives you a clue ???
PM
ps I think any New labour supporter should be very quiet about cost over runs for the next few years even decades Why?? -- London Olympics-- This is going to be a shocker as we are going to find out the hard way

[Rheghead]

Because this was agreed with the previous bunch whose costings have appeared to be "faulty" to say the least

And the SNP have had over a 100 days to sort it out.:confused

[peter macdonald]

Aye and nu labour are still blaming the Tories for the NHS problems the rail network problems immigration problems etc and that is about 10 years since they came to power

[golach]

Aye and nu labour are still blaming the Tories for the NHS problems the rail network problems immigration problems etc and that is about 10 years since they came to power
Just shows you...never trust a politcian, any of them, especially wee fat tartan tories[lol]

[peter macdonald]

Golach Now now bearing in mind Nu Labour s love in with Maggie Thatcher over the past weeks and Gordon Browns speech to the TUC over wage restraint We all know who represents the right in UK politics just now Good grief Nu Labour in Scotland couldnt even muster 6 socialist MSPs to challenge Wendy Alexander!!
Now if they had backed the breakaway Scottish labour party in 1976 how things could have been different but no they all ran after their wee bittie promotion in Westminster and then spent all these years in the wilderness
PM

[Rheghead]

Aye and nu labour are still blaming the Tories for the NHS problems the rail network problems immigration problems etc and that is about 10 years since they came to power

It seems the SNP are doing the same then, they must do more, but I've seen little from them so far, oh yes, they did rename the executive.:roll:

Anyway, whats with the nu labour thing? Can't you spell?

[peter macdonald]

No because it isnt Labour its a right of centre party that hadnt got the cajones to give itself a new name Labour for me was the party of Atlee Gaitskill and Wilson You know the party that was for social justice ,the party Nye Bevan was in when he got the NHS up to speed The party Jenny Lee was in when as arts minister she started the Open University etc etc
Please compare and contrast to what is in Westminster today you know the ones who suck up to George W Bush Rupert Murdoch Bernie Ecclestone and the odd American millionare John Prescott stayed the week end or so with and then there was this love in with Dame Margaret Hilda Thatcher I bet there is a heck of a lot of ex miners and steelmen who much be wretching over that one
PM

[JAWS]

I don't know where they got their figures for the new rail links they used for comparison.

The only recent new rail link I know of is the one between London and the Channel Tunnel at a cost of 5.2 Billion pounds.

At those costs, the 200 million quoted would have paid for all of three miles of that link and I rather think the distance between Edinburgh and the Borders is a little further than that, unless Scotland's shrunk since I was last down there.

As for the politicians mentioned, Nye Bevan, who took the credit for stealing a Liberal Party idea and tellin everybody it was his own. Clement Atlee,what a joke, he made Neville Chamberlain look like the height of competence. Hugh Gaitskell I can't argue with. He was the one who put a stop to the Loony Left of the 50s over Clause Four when he told them he would "Fight, fight and fight again" to put an end to their nonsense. Pity he died when he did because he was a far more honest politician than his successor.
Dear old Pipe Puffer Wilson, "The pound in your pocket will not be devalued!" and that was fairly truthful by his standards. He made Tony Blair look like the epitome of integrity. Make me an overcoat and I’ll make you Lord Gannex! Jenny Lee, or I got my position because I married Nye Bevan, what more can I say?
You missed Bessie Braddock, now there was a woman to be feared!

[Rheghead]

Please compare and contrast to what is in Westminster today you know the ones who suck up to George W Bush Rupert Murdoch Bernie Ecclestone and the odd American millionaire....PM

And the SNP are any different?

[Anne x]

Did Gordon Brown not explain that his invite to Lady Thatcher was a courtesy invite all ex PMs are invited back to Downing Street and for her portarit to be hung on the stairs of Downing Street along with all the other former PMs nothing sinister in that

[peter macdonald]

Just shows you...never trust a politcian, any of them, especially wee fat tartan tories
Golach I thought it was Scottish Labour who was in partnership with the Tories and Lib Dems in Edinburgh against the SNP ???
Ok yes until Wendy Alexanders speech to the Labour conference at Bournemouth last night where she linked the SNP and David Camerons Tories
Its a good job Anabel Goldie has her head screwed on correctly She is going to need it if this is what she is in partnership with
PM
http://www.theherald.co.uk/politics/news/display.var.1711545.0.0.php

[peter macdonald]

As for the politicians mentioned, Nye Bevan, who took the credit for stealing a Liberal Party idea and tellin everybody it was his own.
The idea of an NHS system did indeed come from the Liberals in the days of Asquith and Campbell Bannerman How ever it had remained as largely as such
an idea until Bevan implemented the Beveridge report which is the basis for the modern NHS Beveridge was in fact the Liberal MP for Berwick and his ideas were so opposed by the BMA that a cheer rang out at their annual meeting in Tavistock Sq Bevans contribution was to get the idea onto the statute books
despite the opposition of the Tories BMA house of Lords etc

Clement Atlee,what a joke, he made Neville Chamberlain look like the height of competence.
Jaws a bit of revisionism here methinks Anything I have ever read about Atlee from all sides of British politics was positive to say the least

Hugh Gaitskell I can't argue with. He was the one who put a stop to the Loony Left of the 50s over Clause Four when he told them he would "Fight, fight and fight again" to put an end to their nonsense. Pity he died when he did because he was a far more honest politician than his successor.

Dear old Pipe Puffer Wilson, "The pound in your pocket will not be devalued!" and that was fairly truthful by his standards. He made Tony Blair look like the epitome of integrity. Make me an overcoat and I’ll make you Lord Gannex!

Wilson won 4 elections and retired early through illness (the early onset of altzheimers ) The comment about the pound is true but you forgot to add the next sentence "prices will rise". Economic performance did show some improvement after the devaluation, as economists had predicted.
He also was the man who expanded the university network to enable more people from previously excluded backgrounds to attend (I wonder what he would have thought of Tony Blairs attitude re tuition fees??)

Jenny Lee, or I got my position because I married Nye Bevan, what more can I say?

Jenny Lees political mentor was in fact Jimmy Maxton You should remember she was often at odds politicially with Nye Bevan especially over his support for a Nuclear deterent
She also only achieved cabinet office in 1964 four years after Bevan had died of cancer
You missed Bessie Braddock, now there was a woman to be feared!
Seriously Jaws what do you think she would made of todays New labour party????
PM

[percy toboggan]

You missed Bessie Braddock, now there was a woman to be feared!
Seriously Jaws what do you think she would made of todays New labour party????
PM

Like all of 'em from Mandella to Mandelson she'd have eventually climbed onboard the gravy train. After years of innate resistance I have finally succumbed to the notion that ALL politicians are in it for themselves. Either ego, purse or wallet. Their snouts are all in the trough or jockeying for poisition. Battleaxe Braddock if around today would have been no exception.

[Rheghead]

After years of innate resistance I have finally succumbed to the notion that ALL politicians are in it for themselves. Either ego, purse or wallet. Their snouts are all in the trough or jockeying for poisition. Battleaxe Braddock if around today would have been no exception.

Why can't politicians be in it for themselves?

[percy toboggan]

Why can't politicians be in it for themselves?
Perhaps your question sums up modern post-Thatcher Britain.
My reluctance to subscribe to the theory was brough about by a belief that altruism, willingness to serve the public and critically to 'try to make a difference' was still on the agenda for M.P's. Nowadays though the advent of the 'careerist' politician means those sponsored after industrial experience by a trade union, or professional people who have experience of the 'real' world seem to be diminishing. I am susoicious about 'career' politicos and follow quite closely the goings on in the Westminster village. The way the vast majority scramble to be 'om message' with an eye to a junior cabinet job appals me. There are few, if any young politicians with the guts to speak out against the party line.Can you think of one?

If you believe it's okay for M.P's to be 'in it for themselves' then all well and good. Perhaps though it's the reason that election turn-out figures continue to dwindle. Many people feel a disconnect and are very wary of politicians.It is becoming a default reaction to assume they lie on a regular basis.

I still exercise my right to vote - not quite that jaded yet, but the mainstream 'parties' no longer get it.