BIRTHDAY CHARITY EVENT

DONATION TOTAL SO FAR

OK I told you all you would get sick of hearing about this, but so far the total for donations is £100!! My thanks to all of you who have contributed including 'oor Julie' in Oz!

If you want more information please visit the following link donating couldn't be easier!

htt://www.justgiving.com/rayleenkelly

CONSERVATIVES LACK OF POLICY

CAMERON CATCH UP

Anymore policy? No! Anymore substance? No! Strange but true, Cameron is charismatic no one is denying this, but charisma only takes you so far. The UK political system is still based on policies not personalities to the extent that the USA system is.

Although they are not promising tax cuts, they are suggesting that the ability to cut (or raise) taxes such as fuel duty, should be given to the Scottish Parliament. Can anyone guess how this will appear in the election literature? As the ability to raise tax? No! And so trying to dupe the Scottish Electorate into voting for them for the purpose of a tax cut without promising it! Do they really think we are that thick!

FEMALE LORD ADOVCATE

WELL DONE!

Today the Scottish Executive made a landmark decision to appoint Scotland's first woman Lord Advocate. The picture above is Eilsh Angiolini, the daughter of a Glasgow coalman, 46 year old Eilsh was the Solicitor General for Scotland.

I personally abhor the fact the Conservatives in Holyrood tried to overshadow this particular appointment by suggesting that she did not have enough experience for the job then voting for it anyway!

DOIG THE SCAREMONGERER

SNP SCAREMONGERING

On this evenings Scottish news the BBC ran a feature on Linwood and the issues surrounding the shopping centre. It was a prime of example of the lack of understanding of serious issues that the SNP locally show, that they let their Scottish Parliamentary (perennial) candidate Andy Doig to speak on national TV.

He suggested (incorrectly) that the Council and the developers have done nothing to try and resolve the situation, fortunately it was a 'somewhat' balanced piece and the Director for Planning and Transport and Balmour advised the viewing public that the Council and Balmour were working together and the plans for upgrading the centre should be out within the next few weeks.

I am appalled that the BBC saw fit to interview the SNP candidate instead of the elected members such as Cllr Green the planning convener or Wendy Alexander the local MSP (who has been working with both Renfrewshire Council and the Local Community to resolve the situation). Mr Doig and the SNP are latecomers to this particular party as usual!

COUNCILLOR RAYLEEN KELLY

MARTIN SCAREMONGERING

Well it turns out that Cllr Martin's defection from the SNP has not made him any more likely to check his facts. He appeared in the local newspaper this week suggesting that Renfrewshire Council were closing down ALL of their community halls for two days every week, causing alarm to the general public.

I would point out that this is not the case any closure during the week is because the halls are not being used. There is no point opening up a centre on nights when it is not being used, this is a waste of tax payers money. If anyone has any questions with regards to this please contact your local councillor.

CAMERON'S PROBLEMS CONTINUE

NHS AND THE TORIES

One of my close friends called me today after hearing Cameron speak, she is a 'floating voter' and although she sympathises with Labour (mainly because of my talking her through policies) I encourage her to make up her own mind about parties and policies, you get a better class of debate that way! Anyway this friend said next election she is definitely voting Labour at the next election.

Her point was that Cameron can't be trusted if he uses his son as an example of why the NHS is best in his hands, he is not going to be thinking of what is best for the country simply what is best for his child, as you would expect from any father.

Who decides what is best for the patients and the professionals? What happens if there is a conflict between the two? For example in the news today we learn of Ayr accident and emergency being closed in order to make the Crosshouse Hospital in Kilmarnock a 'blue light' or specialised emergency hospital.

This is good for the professionals, and the patients, yet patients are suggesting that people will die, who makes the decision here? Who decides what is best? Yet again a HUGE whole in the policies of the Tories.

BIRTHDAY CHARITY EVENT

RESPONSE

OK I have had not a bad response given that most of the paper invitations only arrived this morning! A lot of my family have not responded as yet, so I may do a phone round at the weekend, be prepared if you are reading this! Anyhoot I wanted to thank those who have donated online or in person already, the running total is £60 which is not bad for about four days!

Keep it coming that is what I say!

SHERIDAN AND MI5

RIDICULOUS!

Has he lost the plot, not my words but those of the newsnight journalist, Sheridan now seems to be saying that he would not be surprised if MI5 were involved with his downfall! As Janice in Friends would say 'OH MY GOD!'

What does he think he is achieving? Best thing is that he suggests that 250 people turned up in Dundee to listen to his argument, if indeed that many did turn up, does he think that they are all there to listen to Solidarity? Has it not occurred to him that most of the people there (apart from those he has brought with him) are there for the curiosity value? Curiosity regarding him and what he will suggest next not his policies or politics. His downfall is sad but inevitable he had to learn that representing his constituents comes first not his ego!

LABOUR THE MOST REPRESENTATIVE

NEWSNIGHT

Strange but true Newsnight have tonight aired an article on the Conservative party and where they come from! It seems that they have inadvertently advised the electorate of the UK that the Labour Party are the most representative party in Westminster. When they looked at women, when they looked at education, when they looked at ethnic backgrounds and when they looked at business the Labour party wins hands down!

We need to do more to get this message out.

EUROPE AND THE CONSERVATIVES

CAMERON'S PROBLEM

On the Conservative Party website for their conference David Cameron advises that he is supporting the leader of the Conservatives in the European Parliament Timothy Kirkhope MEP in his attempt to stop the European Parliament sitting in Strasbourg, what he doesn't tell you is that it is NOT the Conservatives petition.

The petition and campaign was Labour led by Catherine Stihler MEP even before the Conservative party leader signed this petition the 1 Millionth signature required to send it to the European Council had been achieved! In fact on the 20th of September this year Ms Stihler had an article on her website.

Trying to keep up with Labour must be exhausting for Cameron!

CONSERVATIVE PARTY CONFERENCE

BORING JOHNSTON AND COMPANY

I must admit I watched some of the Tory party conference today, and I was suffering from sleeplessness before I did, during it I slept for about an hour and a half! There was NOTHING to inspire or encourage the voters, they seem to be willing to plod along without policy or substance.

It makes me think that I was hard on the Liberal Democrats and Mr Campbell when their conference was on. The interesting one this afternoon was a Tory Party member suggesting a move towards direct participatory democracy at the highest levels! It is the most radical ideological departure for the Tories ever, Anne and the the panel were not happy bunnies and try as they might they were not getting round the nutter that suggested it! Highlight of the conference for me, so far! Despite the manufactured arguments of Osbourne and Johnston it is not that interesting, their new logo has been described as a bad children's painting.

NEWSNIGHT SCOTLAND

SHERIDAN AND NEWSNIGHT

Last night's newsnight programme contained an article on the whole Sheridan/Police debacle. The main problem here is that while it showed Sheridan speaking it seemed to show loads of people entering the building. Why is this a problem? Well I have it from my (very reliable) sources that there were relatively few people at the event, and that the footage of the group arriving was slightly altered as it did not show them coming from the direction of the train station it has been suggested by some who witnessed this, that the majority of those in attendance were not from the area.

Not that we care, to be honest Sheridan and his mob are a busted flush, the perjury investigation should be interesting given that Mr Sheridan has already advised at his trial that he would lie under oath for political reasons, this is the man who was the founder and former leader of the Scottish Socialists, which begs the question what else has the party lied about under his leadership?

POLITICAL PHOTOS

POST YOUR FAVOURITE

I have loads of photos from throughout my time as a Councillor and my time as a Labour activist but I have to admit that my favourite has to be the one above. It was taken the first time I stood as a Labour candidate aged just 21 in 1999, Mo Mowlam opened the campaign rooms and visited the local youth theatre as the kids were being put through their paces.

As I was the one who had connections to the youth theatre I was placed at the Paisley Museum and asked if I would greet Dr Mowlam as she entered, I ended up introducing her to everyone and I must admit I thoroughly enjoyed it she was fabulous! She was fun and EVERYONE who saw her in the town centre wanted to shake her hand! I consider myself as privileged to have met her and the Labour movement in this country misses her.

SSP AND TRUTH?

AGAIN WHERE IS THE TRUTH

Short update on the Sheridan situation, the Procurator Fiscal in Edinburgh has instigated a police investigation into the the Sheridan defamation case. They have suggested that they will be looking at ALL of the witnesses in the trial and that new evidence including the newly discovered video tape of Sheridan allegedly admitting the allegations of sexual misconduct and lies.

Sheridan is in Paisley this evening, it will be interesting to see how many people turn up and what the press are saying about the meeting. I would imagine that most of the people that will turn up will be press, who are interested in the controversy factor. I have sources on the inside I may post again about 'the truth'.

BIRTHDAY AND TEBO

CHARITY BEGINS AT HOME

OK Just a quick update on the birthday celebrations, I have sent out text invitations and email invitations through the week and I have received a good response. I hope to see as many of you there as possible. I also received my first donation today of £30 from my adopted Gran, she is 80 years old and decided that this was a good cause! How cool is that! She loved Terence and obviously I love Her so to Mary!

SHERIDAN AND SPP

IS THERE ANY TRUTH?

Short post tonight, just on the developing situation with Mr Sheridan former leader of the SSP. There are two important questions to be asked from this whole situation ...

1. Is there any truth to be had?

2. Do we care?

Personally I am fed up with the whole situation, I don't believe any of them anymore, and I think that the Scottish Electorate feels the same. Tomorrow evening (Monday the 2nd of October) there is supposed to be a meeting of Sheridan's new party Solidarity in Paisley, he is supposed to be addressing the meeting, will he turn up? I will keep you posted!

SNP SPLITSVILLE

SNP CONFLICT

Well it is all falling apart now for the SNP nationally, as well as locally! It was revealed today in a national newspaper that Alex Salmond has allegedly 'threatened' Mike Russell his once friend now arch nemesis, that unless he change sections of his new book he would be removed from the SNP's list for next years Holyrood Elections. So threatened is he by new ideas!

Never mind the fact that a lot of the ideas he suggested were relatively harmless were damaging enough, the ideas that were supposedly very damaging are too harsh even for the Tories, by this I mean the old Tories not the new ones who love trees so much they make them part of the scenery on the stage at conference (pathetic!)

Mike Russell and his co author suggested a flat rate tax so someone on £1,000,000 pays the same tax as someone on £5,000, I suppose this would help Shir Shean Connery's return! This is supposedly one of the more 'harmless suggestions', although this may be why Mr Salmond thinks that working with the Conservatives is also relatively harmless!

All in all it just proves what we in the Labour Party in Scotland have known about the SNP for sometime, their days of being far right in one area and centre left in another are gone! Roll on next years elections!