Perth and Kinross Liberal Democrats

HP Polling day result

2011-09-18T15:13:00.001+01:00

Mike Williamson won the HP by-election with just over 54% of the vote. Well done to Mike.

Graham Rees polled 22% for the Conservatives, while Victor Clements polled just over 12% for the Lib Dems.

Willie Leszke polled a very commendable 10% as an Independent, while the other Independent Chris Rennie got just over 1%.

http://www.pkc.gov.uk/Council+and+government/Councillors+elections+and+democracy/Elections+and+voting/Elections+Results/Local+Government+Election+Results/By+election+ward+4+highland.htm

Loch Rannoch on polling day

2011-09-18T15:05:00.000+01:00

Video: Having a laugh with Cooncillor Bob

2011-09-17T21:40:00.001+01:00

Here is a nice little video of Tina with Councillor Bob Ellis at Blair Atholl on polling day. Bob was easily the nicest Nat we met all day, and is definitely a Liberal at heart. Well done Bob. Good stuff.

Our signs are lying on the ground because the very nice (but very strict) returning officer would'nt allow us to place them against the building, and Bob would'nt allow us to lean them against the SNP boards!

Mopping up day in HP

2011-09-14T20:42:00.000+01:00

A bitty day today, moping up all the little bits and pieces. At 5pm, we had done all we could do.

Election day tomorrow. Thanks to all the many people who have helped to date.

The count is taking place at 10.30am on Fri morning at the Breadalbane Community Campus.

Wider view

2011-09-14T20:39:00.002+01:00

Big Leaftetting Blitz

2011-09-13T20:58:00.002+01:00

WE had 11 people out today helping us with HP by-election campaign.

We managed to leaflett Blair Atholl, Killiecrankie, Pitlochry, Ballinliug and Aberfeldy. About 2500 leafletts in all.

Well done folks.

VC

Success!

2011-09-12T10:42:00.000+01:00

One of the responses to our resident's survey was the very poor standard of maintenance in Aberfeldy graveyard (pics below). The issue ws taken to the council and in less than a week, all the trees and weeds between the gravestones have been cleared away, the grass mown properly and the whole place looks a lot better.

Residents' surveys work!!

And again....

2011-09-12T10:39:00.002+01:00

And again.....

2011-09-12T10:38:00.001+01:00

At the top of Glenlyon

2011-09-04T21:02:00.000+01:00

Here are a few photos from Glenlyon today, plus another few out and about on the Tay on Friday. You can see here that water is being released from the dam. There is a short video of this below.

It took me about six hours to get up here and canvass houses on the way back down the glen.

None of the othr candidates had been yet.......

With horse.......

2011-09-04T20:59:00.002+01:00

With sheeps.....

2011-09-04T20:58:00.003+01:00

Looking Down Glenlyon

2011-09-04T20:58:00.000+01:00

Lubreoch Dam

2011-09-04T20:57:00.000+01:00

VIDEO- LUBREOCH DAM

2011-09-04T20:56:00.001+01:00

Ducks by Kenmore Bridge

2011-09-04T20:51:00.000+01:00

Closer......

2011-09-04T20:50:00.000+01:00

A walk along the Tay

2011-09-04T20:49:00.002+01:00

All roads converge on Pitlochry

2011-09-03T20:34:00.000+01:00

All the candidates in the HP by-election seemed to be in Pitlochry today (except for Willie Leszke of course who is in America). We covered Blair Atholl, Ballinluig, Balnaguard, Grandtully and Aberfeldy as well, getting out 1115 letters to postal voters.

Well done to all concerned. Great effort folks.

Out and about in Pitlochry

2011-08-28T12:33:00.002+01:00

We had an excellent day in Pitlochry on Friday with party leader Willie Rennie MSP and a good team of canvassers and we managed to cover much of the town for a third time. It is amazing what you can acheive with a good team, and many others came up to help us during the week as well.

Willie is excellent on the doorstep, and he is clearly now getting recognized, although people dont really know too much about him yet. They are quick to ask though, and that provides good feedback.

Also here are Cllr Tim Brett, leader of Fife council, and local party member Ken Spittal.

There are a lot of new photos here, so you can scroll down a fair bit.

Willie will be up again before polling day on 15th September. We will be going to Pitlochry/ Blair Atholl again next weekend.

You can enlarge any of the photos here simply by clicking on them.

VC and Willie Rennie

2011-08-28T12:26:00.000+01:00

Who are you and what are you doing in Pitlochry......?

2011-08-28T12:24:00.003+01:00

Closing down? Really?

2011-08-28T12:23:00.000+01:00

As well as the many closed shops in Pitlochry, there are currently 9 displaying these closing down sale signs. Most of these are up for 12 months of the year, and a number of residemts have remarked on how this cheapens the look of the town. Businesses have got to advertize and get people in off the streets, yes, but this is not good practice and it reflects badly on the council and on Trading Standards that they tolerate it.

Blocked drains in Pitlochry

2011-08-28T12:19:00.000+01:00

In both Aberfeldy and Pitlochry we have been picking up lots of blocked drains, clogged right up with grit and sand from the winter time that was never swept away. No doubt there will be other problems in other villages as well.

Hello....!

2011-08-28T12:15:00.000+01:00

A bit of rain does not stop Tina.

Posterboard........

2011-08-28T12:13:00.000+01:00

Aberfeldy Graveyard

2011-08-28T12:11:00.000+01:00

Aberfeldy residents have brought up the poor standard of maintenance in the graveyard. As a native woodland manager, I am normally quite happy to see trees regenerating, but not between the headstones in our local graveyard. We know there are cuts and this puts pressure on things, but this is all just basic stuff that is easy to get right.

Weeds in the carpark.

2011-08-28T12:08:00.000+01:00

The carpark to the east of the graveyard looks particularly neglected at the moment. This is just basic maintenance that is not being done.

Speeding traffic

2011-08-28T12:05:00.000+01:00

One of the issues coming back from our residents' surveys has been areas where speeding traffic is a problem. Many of these areas will be suitable for the Twenty's Plenty initiative, and I will aim to follow all these areas up in a systematic manner.

And again...South Loch Tay road, Kenmore

2011-08-28T12:02:00.000+01:00

And again........Appin Place, Aberfeldy

2011-08-28T12:00:00.001+01:00

Appin Place, Aberfeldy. Other areas that were noted were the south end of Atholl road in Pitlochry, Grandtully and Kiliecrankie.

Lib Dem Cooncillor training in Perth.....

2011-08-28T11:54:00.000+01:00

There was an excellent training event ran by the Association of Scottish Liberal Democrat Councillours in Perth yesterday. What was immediately apparent going in through the door was the number of new faces around. Indeed, a bigger venue had to be booked the week before to cope with the demand for thew day.

In the photo above, local Lib Dem councilor Peter Barrett puts the propspective new candidates through their paces.

Other sessions included workshops for existing councillours, how to build on/ defend your record if you are part of an existing administration and the use of social networking sites.

Willie Rennie gave an insight in to the improvements he has been supporting recently.

Well done to Willie Wilson, Caron Lindsay and everyone else who put this day together. Well done folks.

Peter Barrett takes a class.....

2011-08-28T11:44:00.000+01:00

Local Lib Dem councillor Peter Barrett gave some very useful insights to the large crowd of prospective new councillors

The sky above Loch Rannoch

2011-08-27T09:00:00.003+01:00

All photos can be expanded to full screen size just by clicking on them.

Way out west.....

2011-08-27T08:59:00.000+01:00

Below are a selection of photos from around Loch Rannoch while canvassing this week, with Tina above at Rannoch Station. More photos tomorrow from canvassing in Pitlochry with Willie Rennie.

Schiehallion

2011-08-27T08:56:00.002+01:00

And again.....

2011-08-27T08:55:00.002+01:00

And again......

2011-08-27T08:54:00.002+01:00

Hello....!

2011-08-27T08:53:00.000+01:00

Looking west along Loch Rannoch

2011-08-27T08:52:00.000+01:00

Tree

2011-08-27T08:51:00.000+01:00

The Sky over Loch Rannoch

2011-08-27T08:50:00.002+01:00

With added fence post............

2011-08-27T08:49:00.002+01:00

With added tree.........

2011-08-27T08:48:00.000+01:00

By the Tay

2011-08-27T08:46:00.002+01:00

REd deer at Glengoulandie

2011-08-27T08:45:00.002+01:00

On the road today.........

2011-08-24T09:20:00.000+01:00

Away to Kinloch Rannoch today. Excellent article in the PA yesterday and we had a good meal last night at the Italian corner in Perth, a good turnout from all the local party and Scottish Lib Dem leader Wilie Rennie in attendance too.

Back with some photos later...........

Candidates lining up now for Highland ward by-election

2011-08-19T20:41:00.000+01:00

We have four candidates declared for the by lection in Highland Perthshire. Myself, Mike Williamson for the SNP, Graham Rees for the Conservatives and Willie Leszke as an Independent. We have through to next Wed for any late comers. Whether Labour appear or not, who knows? Your guess is as good as mine.

In the Black Spout Wood in Pitlochry

2011-08-16T15:02:00.000+01:00

Bridge over the River Tummel

2011-08-16T15:01:00.000+01:00

Subarban Pitlochry

2011-08-16T14:57:00.002+01:00

Essential rural services..........

2011-08-14T19:33:00.000+01:00

There is going to be a by-election in Highland Perthshire on 15th September. This was me out delegating some leaflets for delivery, and the sun came out just passing the Lawers hotel on Loch Tay side.

Looking across Loch Tay

2011-08-14T19:30:00.000+01:00

Meall Greigh above Lawers, Loch Tay side

2011-08-14T19:29:00.000+01:00

Quiet summer evening in Pitlochry

2011-08-14T19:28:00.000+01:00

Brian Taylor's Big Debate

2011-07-30T07:48:00.003+01:00

Well done again to Peter Barrett for a fine performance on BBC RAdio Scotland's Brian Taylor's Big Debate yesterday, chaired by the redoubtable Isobel Fraser. This went out live from Perth Concert Hall at lunchtime.

Peter answered questions on the Shore Rd incinerator, the proposed new city square and fuel poverty; his comments on the incinerator raised thunderous applause from the audience.

Listen again here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b012rdhj

Stop Perth Incinerator

2011-07-25T22:14:00.002+01:00

Perth City Centre councillor Peter Barrett has certainly been busy over the last 2 weeks!

With a deadline set at midnight on Friday, Peter and his team amassed an amazing 2300 letters of objection and a petition of over 12oo. As well as door-to-door campaigning, the team also collected objections at Edinburgh Road Tesco (within sight of the proposed incinerator) and the town centre. The response from the public was incredibly positive - people were queuing up to sign! A Facebook campaign was also set up, with over 200 members.

The last 1000 letters were handed over on Friday morning, with many more flooding in via email until the last minute.

Well done Peter and the team!

The Queen's View

2011-07-23T12:02:00.000+01:00

Strawberry tea at Corsiehill

2011-07-23T12:01:00.000+01:00

Perth & KInross Lib Dems had our annual Strawberry tea at the home of Cllr Barrett and his wife Liz at Corsiehill. As usual, we had a good turnout, raised £ for party coffers and had a good time. It rained right at the end but that did not spoil things. Willie Rennie gave us a good insight in to how he sees things working out at Holyrood.

Well done to Peter & Liz and to all who contribute to this great event.

Raffle in the rain

2011-07-23T11:58:00.000+01:00

It was a glorious afternoon, but the rain came on just at the end when we were having the raffle.

Top table

2011-07-23T11:56:00.003+01:00

Guests arriving. Peter Barrett (pink shirt) welcomes guests..........

2011-07-23T11:56:00.000+01:00

Guests arriving.....

Giving out the prizes

2011-07-23T11:54:00.001+01:00

Bottle of whiskey for Willie Matheson.

Willie Rennie.....

2011-07-23T11:52:00.000+01:00

Willie was just saying he sensed a change in the atmosphere....with that the rain came on!!

Willie is doing a great job in the Scottish Parliament.

All smiles....

2011-07-23T11:50:00.000+01:00

Cllr Ann Gaunt enjoys the strawberry tea.....

Barack Obama in Westminster Hall

2011-05-25T21:04:00.000+01:00

What a privilege it was listening to Barack Obama live on TV from Westminster hall this afternoon. He spoke for 40 minutes with no notes, and held everyone's attention throughout...OK...maybe not Ken Clarke who appeared to be sleeping....but everyone else.

What a great hall for a great orator as well......900 years of history, and the American president did not disappoint.

It is very rarely that we are impressed by a political speech nowadays, but this was definitely one to remember.

Simon Hughes MP on our green cerdentials and achievements..........

2011-05-25T21:01:00.000+01:00

It's been a great month for Liberal Democrats who are setting the pace on the green agenda!
Two weeks ago, Chris Huhne, as Energy and Climate Change Secretary, led for the government when his Department's Energy Bill received its second reading in the House of Commons. This creates the framework for the Green Deal, a comprehensive programme of energy efficiency improvements for housing and office buildings, cutting both energy bills and emissions. Householders and business will be able to see up to £10,000 invested in insulation, at no up-front cost, paying back the investment through the lower energy bills they will enjoy as a result.

Last week, Chris Huhne announced the government’s ‘carbon budget’ for the mid-2020s, setting a legal requirement for a 50 per cent reduction (from 1990) by 2025. This creates the certainty businesses need to put in place long-term investments in the expanding low-carbon industries – renewable electricity, electric cars, home insulation. This is the most ambitious legally binding carbon budget set by any government anywhere; and by putting the UK at the forefront of the international debate, we will be able to push the EU and the international community towards further emissions cuts world-wide.

And this week, Nick Clegg, the Deputy Prime Minister, and Vince Cable, the Business Secretary, revealed details of the Green Investment Bank, the world’s first green development bank. Up and running from April 2012, this will use an initial £3 billion of public money to lever an additional £15 billion in private investment towards the low-carbon opportunities that are opening up – particularly in offshore wind and energy efficiency.

I was this party’s first environment spokesman over twenty years ago. It makes me proud to see what so many of us campaigned for all those years ago being made a reality now we’re in government. This is a key part of what we Liberal Democrats bring to the coalition, and none of this would have happened without us. As Nick said yesterday, ‘the LibDems have long been the greenest of the main three parties - the difference now is that it is not just a green party but a green party of government’.

Pick yourself up.......

2011-05-10T09:54:00.000+01:00

Alison Burns, Lib Dem candidate for Dundee City West has produced this recording to pick us all up a bit. Well done Alison. We have lots of talent in the Lib Dems and will not be wallowing in self-pity.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=euhj2Sa7W40

Still here........

2011-05-09T17:37:00.000+01:00

All over now......

2011-05-09T17:34:00.002+01:00

Platform speech

2011-05-09T17:33:00.000+01:00

This is what I scribbled down for my platform speech at 5am in the morning- ish.

"I would like to thank all those involved in the election process in Perthshire North- the returning officers, police and all those council staff here this evening.

I would like to thank all my camapign team....Lewis, Peter, Tina, Dorothy, May, Phil and everyone who contributed to our overall team effort. Thank you.

I would like to congratulate John Swinney and his team for their result this evening. Well done to you all. You appear to have a mandate to take forward your manifesto over the next five years.

I would like to thank my other two fellow candidates, Murdo Fraser and Pete Cheema for their efforts throughout.

This has been my first ever parliamentary campaign. It has been a very steep learning curve. I plan to persevere.

This has not been a good result for us, either at a local or a national level. However, Liberal Democrat values will be more important now than ever. We will not put those aside just because things happen to be difficult at the moment. As a local party, we will re-group and re-apply ourselves to working for our local communities across Perth and Kinross.

Thank you."

Boards at Blair Atholl

2011-05-09T17:25:00.002+01:00

Last board to be picked up at Caputh

2011-05-09T16:59:00.001+01:00

Closer........

2011-05-09T16:58:00.003+01:00

On the platform

2011-05-09T16:57:00.000+01:00

Here is image lifted from local SNP website. John Swinney prevails.

Poll results for the 2 X local constituencies

2011-05-09T16:53:00.000+01:00

Votes

Pete CHEEMA Scottish Labour Party 2,672

Victor CLEMENTS Scottish Liberal Democrats 1,196

Murdo FRASER Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party 7,866

John Ramsay SWINNEY Scottish National Party (SNP) 18,219

Electorate: 53,412

Spoiled / rejected ballot papers: 117

Percent poll:56.3%

Perthshire South and Kinross-shire

Votes

Roseanna CUNNINGHAM Scottish National Party (SNP) 16,073

Tricia DUNCAN Scottish Labour Party 3,980

Willie ROBERTSON Scottish Liberal Democrats 2,256

Elizabeth Jane SMITH Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party 8,907

Electorate: 58,093

Spoiled / rejected ballot papers: 90

Percent poll: 53.9%

Election Morning in Perthshire North

2011-05-05T10:47:00.006+01:00

Memorial Hall, Luncarty

2011-05-05T10:47:00.001+01:00

Three signs (& an AV one lurking)

2011-05-05T10:46:00.002+01:00

Caputh

2011-05-05T10:45:00.001+01:00

Meikelour

2011-05-05T10:44:00.002+01:00

Closer

2011-05-05T10:43:00.002+01:00

Bridge of Cally

2011-05-05T10:42:00.005+01:00

Closer.....

2011-05-05T10:42:00.001+01:00

May 4th......

2011-05-04T22:10:00.002+01:00

.......tomorrow is polling day.

Leadership Debate, Perth Concert Hall

2011-05-01T21:26:00.003+01:00

Several local party members attended the final BBC Leadership Debate this evening, held in Perth's own Concert Hall.

Despite the BBC's attempts to keep party activist numbers in the audience to equal proportions, a BUSLOAD of SNP supporters quite blatantly drew up outside the Hall. How and why were they allowed to get away with this?? It made a mockery of a supposedly unbiased audience. Is this a true reflection of Scottish voters? I like to think not, but it may be a reflection of SNP and the tactics they're prepared to use...

During the election campaign it's been noticeable that Alex Salmond has been avoiding the independence issue - he's managed to keep it at bay over the last 4 years, and no doubt intends to continue this over the next 5. But, asked directly this evening in front of a partisan audience of stalwart activists, the SNP's true colours shone through.

Alex Salmond is no Braveheart - he's more of a Bonnie Prince Charlie. He's no bonnie, and he's certainly no prince, but he's a proper Charlie if he thinks Scotland will vote for independence. Like Bonnie Prince Charlie he'll discover that, when the crunch comes, the Scottish people don't care for what he has to offer. Think again, Alex.

Courier hustings and photo shoot

2011-04-27T15:11:00.003+01:00

Yesterday saw Victor Clements and Willie Robertson both at the Courier hustings in Perth; Willie in particular gave a rousing performance. Both received a very respectable write-up in the Courier today - well done!

The photo was taken earlier in the afternoon, when candidates had a photo-shoot in the town centre; unfortunately Willie was unavailable, but Victor was there to fly the Lib Dem flag.

Not long to go now.......

2011-04-24T12:11:00.000+01:00

We were getting posterboards out yesterday....these ones are along side the A94 just north of balbeggie.....John Swinney drives by this way on his way in to Perth.

If anyone would like us to put up a board, large or small, please do get in touch through the email address on the right.

Thank you.

Sun going down........

2011-04-22T21:53:00.002+01:00

Treeline

2011-04-22T21:52:00.006+01:00

Blackthorn blossom

2011-04-22T21:52:00.002+01:00

An impenetrable wall of flowers

2011-04-22T21:51:00.002+01:00

Big bird

2011-04-22T21:49:00.002+01:00

If you look closely, there is a male osprey at the top of the dead tree. Click on image to enlarge a bit.

Explaining AV.......

2011-04-22T14:06:00.000+01:00

This article recently appeared on Commentonline, two Highland Perthshire folks explaining the AV system.

http://www.commentonline.co.uk/general/FromTheTopDeckAlternativeVoting.htm

AV is actually just a very simple upgrade to our current voting system, but the winning candidate just has to be that little bit better to get 50% of the vote.

Their explanation is funny all the same though:

“Aye Vee, …Aye Vee, ah tell ye”

“Naw! Are ye glaiket awthegither? Aye Aye Vee is the thing, can ye no see that? ”

The raised, unmistakeable and less than dulcet tones of Jock and Hamish assailed my ears before I reached the top deck. The bizarre notion flashed through my mind that this was some dispute about an arithmetical calculation - but was it being conducted in Roman numerals? Eventually seated beside the protagonists, the situation gradually became clear, and the truth was hardly more credible than my initial thoughts on the way upstairs. Jock and Hamish were ‘discussing’ voting reform.

Although difficult to believe, the cries I had heard were in fact not ‘Aye Vee’ and ‘Aye Aye Vee’ but ‘I.V’ and ‘I.I.V’. They stood for ‘Ither Vote’ and ‘Ither, Ither Vote’ – voting systems devised by Jock and Hamish respectively as alternatives to AV.

Intrigued, I sought and got an explanation of both systems, here offered for consideration.

Jock’s ‘Ither Vote’ system:

Ballot papers as now, but with an additional blank box below the list of candidates and two columns in which to indicate your vote; a ‘Yes’ column and a ‘No’ column. Voters may put a cross in as many of the Yes/No boxes as they wish (in fact, in all of them if they wish), or write in a candidate in the blank box and vote ‘Yes’ or, I suppose ‘No’, or even ‘Yes’ and ‘No’, for the ‘write-in’. (Jock sees this as a positive thing as there can be no ‘spoiled votes’ with his system).

To arrive at the result, all the ‘Yes’ votes for a candidate are counted and his/her ‘No’ votes total is subtracted. A candidate with a net negative result cannot be elected; the winner is the candidate with the highest net positive count; and it is also possible for a‘write-in’ or for no-one to be elected.

In this last case the seat will be vacant until the next election, with a welcome consequent saving to the public purse of elected representative’s remuneration and expenses. (In his perverse way Jock sees the potential for humour in the ‘write-in’ option as his system’s greatest selling point!)

Hamish’s ‘Ither, Ither Vote’ system:

Ballot papers are as now, but with an additional box below the list of candidates to indicate ‘None of the above’. If the ‘None of the above’ votes are in the majority, then no-one is elected and the seat lies vacant till the next election. The same result in three consecutive elections and the electoral area is merged with a neighbouring area which has not yet suffered three ‘None of the above’ majorities.

Hamish sees the prospect of reducing over time both the numbers of elected representatives and constituencies as offering greater potential cost savings than Jock’s IV system.

Asked which system I preferred, I thought it prudent to try to change the subject and asked if they had thought about the problem of low turnout and the introduction of compulsory voting.

“Nae need”, they said in unison, “wi’ oany o’ oor systems, an’ the chance they gie tae cut doon on the nummer o’ numpties wi’ thur nebs in the trough, – man, ye wull hae tae be batin’ fowk ower the heid wi’ sticks tae keep them frae votin’ !”

It is heartening to know that democracy is safe when the likes of Jock and Hamish take such an interest.

Lots to do......

2011-04-20T17:47:00.002+01:00

Spent all afternoon responding to emails and preparing for FSB hustings in Birnam tomorrow. Things are starting to hot up now. There are three hustings next week. On Tues in the AK Bell Library in Perth, the Courier/ Perth Chamber of Commerce are on, on Wed Breadalbane Community Campus, on Thurs the NFUS in the Huntingtower Hotel on Crieff Road. Lots to do, work is starting to fall by the wayside a bit now.

In the heart of Perthshire

2011-04-18T20:11:00.000+01:00

Here is me up above Aberfeldy at the weekend.

Wade's bridge

2011-04-18T20:09:00.001+01:00

Drip feeding of celebrity endorsements

2011-04-16T11:19:00.000+01:00

There is a very good letter in The Scotsman today, criticizing the strategy of drip feeding celebrity endorsements for Alex Salmond.

Given their fantasy manifesto published this week, it is maybe no surprise that they think they need this parallel strategy.

As a first time candidate in the Scottish elections, I am amazed at the lack of discussion or analysis on the policies of both the SNP and Labour.

Whoever wins on 5th May will be making decisions about our lives for the next five years. If we make our decisions on celebrity endorsements, we will all be in big trouble.

Out and about in Perthshire today

2011-04-12T22:01:00.000+01:00

Here are a few pics out and about in Perthshire today......campaigning in Auchterarder and Loch Tay side.

Getting the tatties in.....

2011-04-12T21:59:00.002+01:00