How to win an election without really trying
Dear Editor
The post-referendum surge of support for the SNP has distorted party politics at a local level to the extent that some poor quality and undeserving candidates have an electoral advantage over more competent and diligent candidates for no other reason than that they wear an SNP label.
These poor quality Nationalist candidates will gain victories through the back door at the forthcoming UK election through being the beneficiaries of a backlash from the Indy Referendum ‘Yes’ voters against any candidate associated with the pro-union parties, who they personally blame for their referendum defeat.
This unhealthy distortion, where election is not earned through merit alone, is no more evident than in the Western Isles where the sitting Nationalist MP Angus Macneil has the luxury of not needing to defend his very poor record parliamentary record, confident of being re-elected in the slipstream of his party’s accelerating post-referendum popularity at national level, boosted by the Messiah-like status bestowed on St Nicola by her besotted followers, who kneel reverentially at her stiletto-heeled feet hanging onto her every word.
Angus Macneil’s poor record includes a lack of interest in any issue that can’t be turned into a Scotland versus England propaganda opportunity, and his unwillingness to work for his constituency’s greater good by engaging constructively with the Comhairle, or anyone perceived to be tainted through any association with the Labour party. There are also many instances where Mr Macneil has claimed personal credit for the hard work of others in reaching an improved outcome in matters that affect his Western Isles constituency. Not to mention his lack of transparency in producing evidence of his claimed efforts in dealing with public bodies on his constituency’s behalf.
Macneil’s neglect of his duties as an MP has allowed him the time to earn a reputation for being the most prolific Tweeter in the UK parliament. In between substantially adding to the verbal pollution in the Twittersphere, Mr Macneil also has a profitable little sideline dabbling in the London property market.
In normal circumstances an MP defending such a dismal parliamentary record would be facing electoral defeat at the hands of a more effective candidate. But Mr Macneil can rest assured in the knowledge that his record as an MP won’t be scrutinised in any great detail by a good proportion of the Western Isles electorate whose unflinching Nationalist mindset dictates that the SNP label takes priority over Macneil’s well-documented shortcomings as an MP.
It may be some consolation to the remainder of the Western Isles population who haven’t been swept up in this nationalistic frenzy to know that the May 7th election results would have been the same regardless of the qualities of the other candidates. In the event of such a hypothetical situation arising, the Nationalist faithful would have even gone to the extreme of considering it their patriotic duty to elect as their MP a reincarnated, kilted Jimmy Savile, were his apparition to appear in their midst at the election hustings with an SNP label wrapped around his trademark cigar.
How’s about that then (Nationalist) guys and gals ?
Yours faithfully
Iain M Macdonald
PS : I have nothing personally against Angus Macneil currently on the campaign trail with his female entourage, and whom I was talking to yesterday in my local shop whilst he was purchasing oranges and an assortment of confectioneries that possibly included a Toblerone Bar. However, an easy-going, and voluble manner doesn’t necessarily translate into an effective and hard-working MP.
Are you not simply highlighting an issue that has always been the case? Do you vote for the man locally or vote for the party nationally?
If you have a hard working decent honest man as your local MP but he represents a party that have policies nationally that do not sit well with you then which way do you vote? I appreciate that you are highlighting quite the reverse but the principle stands.
Without personalising it i agree that many an SNP candidate will sweep to power purely on the basis of the rosette they wear rather than the person they are, not sure there is much that can be done about it though, its the nature of the beast.
I agree with most of what you write, IMM, but there is still one way to beat the menace that is MacNeil, and that is to use your vote tactically.
I never dreamed I would ever say this, but a vote for Alasdair Morrison, the Labour candidate by all the people who voted to save the UK last September would get rid of MacNeil.
Morrison is the main challenger, and he has shown with his campaigns over the last few years that he has the interests of the islands at heart, and he will put people before party.
The talk in the tea room has brightened over the last week, and defeating MacNeil with tactical voting is the main topic.
My employees know that our business would fold if the SNP ever achieved their ruinous ambition of imposing Full Fiscal Autonomy and years of uncertainty.
MacNeil’s total disregard for the realities of business life on the islands means that I am serioulsy looking at relocating my entire business to the mainland where I am not at the mercy of a ferry system that fails to serve the islands; flights that would bankrupt anyone who has to pay their own way; broadband and telecoms that are primitive and strangling my business; and, a habit of power cuts. Power cuts! Yes, regular power cuts, in 2015.
Is not entirely Macneil’s fault we seem to be stuck in the 1970s, but he doesn’t seem interested in doing anything other than issuing press releases. He’s not getting my vote ever again.
Well the more I see and hear of MacNeil the more I have gone off him, and for the first time since I started voting in 1979 I will not be voting SNP, and I will be voting Labour with my husband.
We need to get rid of the Tories and I am at the age where my pension is a worry and the Full Fiscal Astrology of the SNP frightens me.
Also I have heard many stories of the way MacNeil treats women, my friend Cathy showed me the papers which she kept and I am ashamed I ever supported him. The way they shout and vandalise and film people who do not support them also frightens me and I can no longer risk voting for them because one day they might come after me.
MacNeil is all smiles to your face, but I now find that very creepy.
Many of my Manor friends agree with me and are sheepish about the way we were taken in by him.
It is not just Macneil and the local SNP who act in a creepy and threatening manner Sy Gal, it is now sadly true of the SNP nationally.
All the abuse could be stopped instantly by a command from Nicola. Instead of that, she has endorsed her abusive candidates, notably in Edinburgh, Argyll and Bute, and also locally in the form of ace tweeter abuser Angus Brendan Macneil.
How the old guard Free Kirk style party of Donald Stewart and Gordon Wilson must cringe at the storm trooper antics that now pass for politics with the nationalists.
IMM, don’t give up hope, I am just back from a week working in Uist and there has definitely been a move away from Angus Brendan. Many of the people I spoke to and worked with are fed up of his behaviour and are willing to vote against him, knowing that the SNP are predicted to do well elsewhere. Some former SNP activists claimed that ABM is panicking and implored Nicola to make a flying visit to shore up his vote, but she refused citing more pressing matters!
The truth is that he and Nicola do not see eye to eye, and she has never forgiven him for being a Thatcherite in his student days.
People down here fall about laughing when the SNP mention “austerity”, knowing that the MP lives in a publicly funded Mansion (Mansion tax anyone!) here and has become a millionaire at our expense.
He might be forgiven for that if he had made a difference to the Western Isles in his ten years long jolly in London, but he plainly has not.
I will repeat, once again, that it is now up to you in the North to follow our lead and make him redundant on Thursday.
Aye, and for years plenty of mediocre and some truly awful Labour candidates were rubber-stamped by the electorate for reasons unfathomable. I lived in the Shettleston district of Glasgow which loyally stuck with the party and a real hack while watching the area physically deteriorate, while the population struggled and in many cases up sticks if they could. It’s early days for the SNP as the party with the hold on the vote.
We have now reached an all time low in politics,by being urged to vote for a candidate for tactical reasons to shut others out.To hell with voting for achievement and of course holding anyone to account for lack of it,just vote for “ME” so “l” can get on the “jollies” bandwagon for the coming years.At least SNP know what they stand for,as for labour,the plot was well and truly lost many years back,and there is no too many signs that it has been found again
On the contrary, Oscar, there is a lot you can do about it – you don’t vote for them. Could you honestly say that you would vote for a man who you knew but who did not hold your respect ?
IMM you obviously have serious issues. Sadly these issues are not n touch with the issues that are affecting the people of Scotland. Wake up to what is happening. Sadly I fear that you are incapable of grasping reality.
ABM will win this seat by a serious majority. All I can hope for is that Murphy, Curran, Hood, Alexander and a great number of the waste of space, as far as the representation of their constituents are concerned, find themselves out of a job on Friday morning. Scotland will rejoice!!!!
What is reality , Truaghan ? I have sufficient grip of it to realise that your Nationalist party’s stated aim of disintegrating the UK will be a long-drawn out ,costly and acrimonious exercise in futility. It will sow the seeds of an eternal blame game of resentment and division both sides of a border whose populations face, basically, the same problems.
Yes ,Truaghan, I have my fair share of “ issues “ like everybody else. Though ,thankfully, taunting other people from behind a clock of anonymity is not one of them
Do you respect your SNP candidate then, truaghan?