A step forward

Roddy Martine talks...

At the beginning of May, the Scottish electorate went to the polls to choose the political make-up of its Edinburgh-based parliament for the second time since its revival in 1999. As had been predicted, there was a low turnout, but nevertheless, Jack McConnell, leader of the Scottish Labour Party, was reinstated as Scotland's first minister, in a coalition government with the Liberal Democrats.

Not very exciting, you might conclude, but what did make it interesting is that under the Scottish parliament's proportional representation voting system (different from the first-past-the-post Westminster parliament system), there were suddenly six Green MSPs, six Scottish Socialist
MSPs, a Scottish Senior Citizen's Unity MSP, and a health campaigner against hospital cuts MSP. The only one that appeared to be missing was the Raving Monster Loony Party candidate who contested Ochil.

Politics in its infancy is always fascinating to observe, especially when those who are suddenly thrust into the arena are as bemused to find themselves there as some of the people who elected them. It makes for ribald and often undeserved press headlines, but it also encourages a closer scrutiny of what these individuals get up to, and that has to be a good thing.

The forthcoming term of the Scottish parliament therefore looks promising for its entertainment value, if not necessarily for its legislative potential. And, moreover, there is the additional prospect of its being rehoused when, and if, the ne...

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• By : Roddy Martine
• In : Roddy Martine's World
• Issue : 9
• Page : 7
• Words : 687