The Daily Record have continued to run Kezia Dugdale’s weekly column despite her resignation as Scottish Labour branch office manager (North British division), and this week we were interested to note her assessment of the devolution years, which could be summarised neatly as “Labour devolution good, SNP devolution bad”.
We raised an especially quizzical eyebrow at the claim that the 1999-2007 Labour/Lib Dem administrations had apparently ended homelessness. So we thought we’d do that thing we do when Kezia Dugdale claims something.
We hadn’t been planning to talk any more about the curious case of Claire Austin, the suddenly publicity-shy Edinburgh nurse who – how can we put this? – seemed a rather ill-chosen figurehead for the good cause of getting more pay for a group of people who are rightly well-regarded by the public.
But yesterday, the release of a letter from Scottish Labour branch manager Kezia Dugdale re-opened political hostilities after last week’s hiatus for the Manchester terror attack by shoving the now-reticent Ms Austin right back into the spotlight.
It’s the holidays, so the papers are desperate to fill space and the political parties are all trying to help out by sending them helpful press releases which can be slotted directly onto pages, titled “PARTY X CONTINUES TO SUPPORT POLICY Z WHICH IT HAS ALWAYS SUPPORTED. ALSO, THE OTHER PARTIES ARE BAD”.
Scottish Labour’s contribution is a piece in most papers today reiterating their demand for the Scottish Government to hike the top rate of income tax – a policy on which Labour stood at the last Westminster and Holyrood elections and which was quite stupendously comprehensively rejected by voters, but which Labour inexplicably feel the SNP should implement anyway.
And that’s all very well and good, because Kezia Dugdale gets paid the best part of £80,000 a year by taxpayers and she’s got to say something all day to justify it. The trouble, as we’ve noted at great length on this site, is that so many of the things she says aren’t actually true.
It reveals that the party’s income from donations plunged from £600,000 in 2015 to £100,000 last year, which in the article is blamed on Jeremy Corbyn’s UK leadership (even though Dugdale opposed him in the leadership election).
But there were a few comments in the piece that we thought needed scrutiny.
Kezia Dugdale talking to Gordon Brewer on BBC Scotland today:
“I’m astonished that you’ve spent 10 minutes in this interview talking about independence and Trident when almost 50% of the poorest kids in the country can’t read […] I’m sure you’d be shocked to know that 50% of the poorest kids leave our schools unable to read.”
We suspect he would too. Because it’s total cobblers.
Dan on The King And Queen Of Cringe: “How will Freeports / Greenports fit in and comply with Treaty of Union articles. Article IV “That all the Subjects…” Oct 11, 22:59
George Ferguson on Two Spaces: “I know I remember that article. But have faith the downticks won’t stop me commenting on the obvious anomalies of…” Oct 11, 22:55
Mark M on Two Spaces: “You really have no idea about the law at all, do you. Tell us which article of the Claim of…” Oct 11, 22:50
Gordon on Two Spaces: “Sadly, we have a virtual monopoly of them Breeks….” Oct 11, 22:45
Confused on The King And Queen Of Cringe: “yeah … https://archive.is/wu8z1 this is how pogroms begin and why I won’t be “making the case for indy to the…” Oct 11, 22:43
Mark M on Two Spaces: “The Crown Agent is simply the most senior solicitor in COPFS. I am sure there is an equivalent in the…” Oct 11, 22:43
Mark M on Two Spaces: “Most people in Scotland don’t really care about it.” Oct 11, 22:40
Geri on The King And Queen Of Cringe: “No. No one misses that many open goals without being paid handsomely to throw the game.” Oct 11, 22:32
George Ferguson on Two Spaces: “When you get the dismissal of a universal standing charge and get the difference charges of renewable grid connection, you…” Oct 11, 22:17
agent X on The King And Queen Of Cringe: “Was there no constituency work for Sturgeon to do today? She certainly doesn’t do any work in Holyrood. (when she…” Oct 11, 22:04
Dan on Two Spaces: “Aye, and here’s an older article on those higher grid connection charges in Scotland. https://thecommongreen.scot/2016/09/12/grasping-the-grid/” Oct 11, 22:03
George Ferguson on Two Spaces: “In my region I pay 62.02 standing charge versus 38.05 in London. Explain? An Ofgem ruling. Connection charges for renewable…” Oct 11, 21:43
George Ferguson on Two Spaces: “https://metro.co.uk/2024/03/13/uk-really-risk-power-blackouts-everything-know-20449855/#:~:text=Last%20month%2C%20there%20were%20also,a%20worst%2Dcase%20scenario’. 2024 Energy Secretary wanting to build new gas fired power stations to prevent blackouts” Oct 11, 21:19
Robert Louis on The King And Queen Of Cringe: “So the first pic, Sturgeon and her coven,discussing how to make a career from doing nothing. Mibbes pretendy ‘professor’ Kezia…” Oct 11, 21:05
George Ferguson on Two Spaces: “https://www.cityam.com/revealed-brits-are-paying-the-highest-electricity-bills-in-the-entire-world/ Depends on your source” Oct 11, 21:05
100%Yes on The King And Queen Of Cringe: “I take it Sturgeon got the good news she was hoping for.” Oct 11, 21:03
100%Yes on The King And Queen Of Cringe: “Peter’s at home washing the dishes and doing the ironing it takes his mind of other matters whiles Mrs Murrell…” Oct 11, 20:54
Geri on The King And Queen Of Cringe: “NI is power share – they can’t invite one without the other or there’d be a war lol This facade…” Oct 11, 20:52
Young Lochinvar on The King And Queen Of Cringe: “Meant to say; assuming this coven took place in the house of SHE who shall not be named (and whose…” Oct 11, 20:49
Muscleguy on Two Spaces: “It hinges on whether Murrell is guilty. If he is so proven then attention falls on the other two who…” Oct 11, 20:46
Dan on Two Spaces: “Was doing a bit of reading on maintaining Grid Inertia / Frequency, and the issues with increasing amounts of asynchronous…” Oct 11, 20:34
Southernbystander on Two Spaces: “British energy is indeed expensive but in fact Denmark and Germany have higher electricity prices than GB in Europe in…” Oct 11, 20:27
Young Lochinvar on The King And Queen Of Cringe: “So.. Andy Burnham has achieved his mid term aim: on a parity with countries FMs. He’ll be even more insufferable…” Oct 11, 20:22
Geri on The King And Queen Of Cringe: “They’re pissed at the UKs complicit actions in Palestine & blocking security council resolutions.. They’ve also joined BRICS. UAE sells…” Oct 11, 20:18
Mia on The King And Queen Of Cringe: “Was Sue Gray even in Scotland? I am wondering if that new “role” of hers is just an excuse for…” Oct 11, 20:17
Mia on The King And Queen Of Cringe: “Representation of Scotland in England-as-the-UK parliament: 8.8% Representation of Scotland in Sir Kid and Elderly Starver’s council of nonsense: 5.6%…” Oct 11, 20:12
