Monday, July 07, 2008
Sectarianism and politics in Glasgow East
Defeat in Glasgow East is apparently another line in the sand for Gordon Brown’s leadership of the Labour Party. There are many questions about the Roman Catholic vote in the constituency and even complaints of anti-Catholicism in the Labour Party. Meanwhile the Conservatives leader David Cameron will be holding an event in a Roman Catholic church as part of their campaign. It is also an area that Iain Duncan Smith has done much work in through his social justice initiative. Fraser Nelson offers his perspective on sectarianism, politics and the by-election, concluding:
“Sectarianism may still be bad in Glasgow East, but the poverty is far, far worse.”
UPDATE: In Glasgow David Cameron has called for less sensitivity and more judgementalism.
Fair Deal @ 11:07 AM
Dewi,
That is an extrordinary post. After a Non Iron election my next favorite is a ROI one and then a Scottish one and then a Wales one. Plaid just cant seem to get a rumble on (bit like the Welsh pack). Dont know how can I dare say that after they won the grand slam - but old attitudes die hard (even when they are clearly wrong) and I fear that will also be the undoing of SNP.
Posted by on Jul 07, 2008 @ 09:01 PMInteresting one this by-election it should be a safe Labour win what with a 13000 majority however with the state of the economy,the Labour leader in Scotland resigning,Brown being very unpopular and hopeless as well as the debacle over the amount of time it has taken Labour to pick a candidate you yave to say that the SNP will never have a better chance of winning this seat.Also if Labour do lose this by-election and Brown is forced out would anyone really want to be Labour leader as the polls look like the Tories will get in at the next election.
Posted by on Jul 07, 2008 @ 09:55 PMRe Update
Lets hope the Tories lose their deposit.Posted by on Jul 08, 2008 @ 01:22 AMLabour’s organiser for this by election is Frank Roy MP. This is the man who caused the cancellation of the visit of Bertie Ahern to the Carfin Grotto in February 2001 by informing him that local Protestant extremists were planning to harm the taoiseach if he had the temerity to show himself in Lanarkshire. The whole thing was largely Roy’s own invention and caused considerable embarrassment in Scotland.
If Roy is capable of a stunt like that and given his past connections (AOH-certainly/local republican flute band - allegedly), I would be absolutely amazed if he does not advise a desperate Labour party to drag this by election down by appealing to ‘green’ tribal loyalties rather than campaigning on Labour’s record in government. It would certainly be an easier option than trying to defend the 10p tax band fiasco, Iraq, the greed of Labour MPS in the matter of expenses etc..etc…
It would be a shameful tactic, but it just might work. If it does not, then Labour in the west of Scotland are finished, because it is about the last shot they have left.Posted by on Jul 08, 2008 @ 08:26 AMK McLaughlin
Shouldn’t really say so - but this election just gets better all the time.
Could there ever be a scenario where one side enlist an Irish politican? SF might have appeal but would be a simple target for other side for supporting ‘terrorism’.
Posted by on Jul 08, 2008 @ 08:33 AMit is hard to over state how bed rock this place is fcor labour.
if this place goes to the SNP…........Posted by on Jul 08, 2008 @ 11:08 AMPerhaps the unionist vote in Scotland needs to get its act together. An inspirational guide to preserving the union might come in handy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zO5leiwEiTMPosted by on Jul 08, 2008 @ 11:57 AMSammy
>>The Scottish Catholics simultaneous allegiance to both England and Ireland is an ideological complexity that (speaking as I often do on behalf of all the plain people of Ireland) we can never hope to understand.<<
I’ve explained this a few times at length. Short answer, a look across the sea saw what the Prods of Ulster were doing to the Catholics. Despite being to some degree treated as second class citizens in Scotland, Catholics always believed that the English would act as a bulwark against any excesses of Scottish Protestantism.
Dewi
>>Glas (green) Cae (Field)<<
We still pronounce it as Glesca or Glesga, it’s proper pronunciation as a matter of fact. Labour have finally got around to selecting a candidate. I rate her, she is tough, a fighter. However she has not got off to a good start. Soundbites and spin;
Posted by on Jul 08, 2008 @ 07:39 PMOh and I don’t know for sure despite the sectarian spin put on us, but she just might be a jungle Jim.
Posted by on Jul 08, 2008 @ 07:42 PMPE Margaret Curran?
Born in Baillieston in 58 (like oul Philbhoy here).
memory is feeble, but I might have went to school with her.
Might have.
If that is true then picking a Baillieston tim is a good move on the part of labour.Posted by on Jul 08, 2008 @ 08:04 PMP. Eoghan
Dont buy the ‘bulwark’ malarkey - you have the same anti-nationalism amongst the ‘Irish’ in Kaydiff - which I’m sure Dewi will confirm. Anytime I hear some fecker sounding off against the WelSh language a quick check of their lineage oft reveals an Oirish link. As my good old-sluggeronian friend Willowfield loves to say - shame on them and the jockstraps.
Posted by on Jul 08, 2008 @ 08:16 PM>>Dont buy the ‘bulwark’ malarkey - you have the same anti-nationalism amongst the ‘Irish’ in Kaydiff <<
Well I’m sure there is a hint of the colonial mindset there(think we have been here before) in that it was the done thing to sneer at anyone/thing that wasn’t Anglicised, even one’s own culture as backward. Since you mention the Welsh, they were pretty good at putting themselves down as well. Anyhow I stand by my original answer.
>>and the jockstraps.<<
Dearie me, patter like waater. Was that supposed to be cutting humour? This comes from watching too many shows with canned laughter I guess.
>>If that is true then picking a Baillieston tim is a good move on the part of labour.<<
Aye Phil she is popular in our auld areas, seemed to be doing well up at the shopping centre the day.
Posted by on Jul 09, 2008 @ 07:04 PM
