Up in Aviemore, the SNP's champion PPCs and members are gathering this evening for the weekend Conference. Sadly I'm down in London and missing out this time but still looking forward to catching Salmond's speech on Saturday (3pm) and keeping tabs on goings on via Twitter (at #snpconf).
One little tidbit of information that I've heard through the grapevine is that Labour and the Tories are pushing a line that the SNP high heid yins have cancelled the Bloggers Breakfast, presumably suggesting that recent 'Cybernat' stories in the press have caused the move (still don't know if it's a press release or just a rumour).
And, well, given that I organised last year's event ('event' being far too strong a word), I would like to think that I would have received an invite to this 'cancelled' one. Either I've fallen pretty far out the loop or the story is proper cobblers.
Anyway, that's just a bit of fun, hope the weekend's a cracker.
Salmond vs Trump
14 minutes ago
14 comments:
Well I will be going to my first conference. It is worth it to show my support for the only party that has my interests and the interests of my country at heart.
I have been planning one for years but due to work committments I have been unable to attend.
Totally looking forward to it.
Sorry to hear your not going Jeff as I thought about making the effort (1hrs drive away) still undecided as to its overall worth.
Anne Moffat "deselected" tonight by the EL Labour Party.
Now will someone from the BBC ask Ian Grey how he voted (he lives in EL)?
Not actually altogether good news for the SNP--she was an electoral asset for THEM!
Likewise actually;
Still not confirmed I'm going to be there, but pretty much certain..
Whether I can get into the conference itself I'm only half sure on, since I don't have the name of the person in party HQ who assured me it was all ok…
Fingers crossed though...
I want to go as only a couple of hours drive but I cannot find any information on if I can just turn up on the day.
Is there specific criteria?
Anonymous - the local party have indeed voted to deselect Moffat, but the decision still needs to be approved by the central party. If they do, there'll need to be another selection, and who knows what that might throw in the works? A parachuted candidate? An all woman shortlist?
Of course if Labour decide they can't go through that process so quickly, they may reject the deselection... opening the way for an independent Labour runner to split the vote - or even win a la Blaenau Gwent. Interesting times.
If I was there, I'd have been making sure a blogger event happened, but then if I was there I'm sure I'd have been making waves in other ways. Never one to toe the line ;)
TBH, I suspect that many of the cybernats won't be there simply because of the problems with Aviemore at this time of year. Even my local branch delegates were having problems getting rooms.
@Anonymous;
Nah, Moffet is a disaster that's true, but it's gonna take them at least another week before they get a candidate, and I'm being generous. Could be longer; there could even be those in the local branch that decide to "punish" Labour Party HQ for trying to foist moffet on them again, and just refusing to settle on a candidate in time; wouldn't really bother them that much, surprising as it is to say; it's a Labour stronghold so unless the winner (hopefully SNP) was amazing in office, come the next GE they'd get back in again nae bother.
Of course that's a pretty unlikely situation, more likely is central party HQ will foist someone else on them, and the local party will of course give that person 110% of their support. No, really. Honest.
Hopefully the SNP can capitalise on this.
Anon
But will she stand as an Independent? Could take a few thousand off the Official Labour candidate, split the vote and allow the SNP to come through with 31-32% to win.
Of course if she's promised a new job as Baroness Moffat of UNISON post-election that may calm her anger...
Isn't Salmond's speech on Saturday?
And aye, you can turn up on the day, and just pay a day pass thing - but I dunno what the rules are about voting and stuff with that
Yep Grogipher, just checked it there actually. 3pm today it kicks off. Enjoy!
With regards to Labour Party selection process,
here's some news from my local blatt regarding Dr John Reid MP and his vacant seat at the coming general election -
Anger over Shotts Labour candidate
Wishaw Press
17 Mar 2010
SHOTTS will have one of the youngest MPs in Britain – if constituency voters decide to elect the Labour Party’s new candidate, Pamela Nash.
However, the chairman of the constituency branch has stepped down in protest after the 25-year-old was selected to fight for John Reid’s seat in the General Election.
ps
Shock! Horror!
Today's (Glasgow) Evening Times printed edition front page story seems to be about Labour Party GCC corruption - something about Purcell's diaries, or something - a rare outbreak of journalists actually working to professional standard of intellectual honest and responsibility!
I'm sure it won't last. They'll be back to havering about non-existent 'cybernats' and other assorted unimportant imaginary guff.
joekane,
why are you claiming to be the author of the daily mash's psychic bob column in your profile?
you do know that's written by someone else, don't you?
You and me both Jeff. WHAT Bloggers' Breakfast?
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