From across the fields.......

Loch Rannoch

The road to Kinloch Rannoch.

Yes, all you people further south...this is what it is like further north today...!!

Sunshine over Shiehallion again

The Crieff Road above Aberfeldy this morning.......

The infamous A9...

I spent some time just watching the traffic go by on the A9 today. This is one of the most dangerous roads in Scotland, with a number of very sad accidents during the past year involving loss of life, including an elderly gentleman in the past week.

I have lived in Highland Perthshire for five years, and have had two scares on the A9 myself in that time. many people just hate the thought of going on it, or just crossing it.

It will be an issue of interest and importnce to many people in this election. I am draughting my thoughts on this in the next day or so. A few minutes just contemplating the traffic does concentrate the mind very well.

This was time well spent today on the way back from Perth where we had an excellent campaign covering the two P & K constituencies.

Lots of big lorries.....far too many.....

Another roads issue..........

This is the works recently completed at the Ladywell bridge over the A822 at Dunkeld. The road has been closed for 6 months to permit this work to take place, allowing the wind turbines for Griffin windfarm to pass underneath the railway line.

The good news is the work is done and the road is opened again.

The bad news is that the over-sized loads are now starting. They will take 90 minutes to travel the length of the A822 to the site. Local residents where prepared to put up with one load a day, but not the two that has been proposed. This will potentially cause massive disruption for the next 6 months, potentially really hurting not only the businesses along the A822, but the wider Highland Perthshire economy.

Thankfully, we should know very quickly if there is a big issue here or if people can find a way of working around this. If there is a problem, I shall certainly be throwing my weight behind the local community in order to get things resolved.

We do need renewable energy, but not at any price. Six months of disruption is not acceptable. This operation of getting turbines to the site has to be done sensitively. The local population and holiday makers will not tolerate anything else.

Tavish Scott sets out his economic recovery plan

Scottish Party Leader Tavish Scott sets out his priorities at the spring conference in Perth.

Very well done Tavish. An agenda that genuinely matters to people.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-12652329

Stats and Polls Letter

Scotland on Sunday published this letter of mine today. Thankfully we have been spared these polls for the last two weekends, but no doubt this process of dubious manipulation will be in evidence again shortly.

In all these polls, as with letters written to a paper, the key is always to scan down to check who has commissioned it or written it, before actually reading the text. That way, you get a more realistic perspective and know where the story is at least comingfrom first.

DOUBTS OVER VIOLENT POLL SWINGS
Many of your readers will be wondering, and, indeed be suspicious of why political opinion polls can change so drastically within a few weeks and then seemingly change back again for little apparent reason. Ten point leads cannot disappear and then be re-instated without some-one, somewhere manipulating the methodology or the exact questions asked. Voters are not so engaged in the political process that individual policy announcements can have this sort of effect. It is both a statistical and political impossibility.
There is no consistency in the methodology of these polls. In the last few weeks, Undecided voters were included or not, presumably on the basis of what would give the better outcome. It appears that the party commissioning the report can suggest some of the parameters in the analysis, and it appears that neither print nor broadcast journalists are sufficiently wise to this. Either that, or the roller coaster is much more interesting to them, and this charade is allowed to continue for this reason.

SNP and Labour the same, only different.......

Those expecting to get a choice in this coming election are going to be disappointed in the SNP and Labour, with each moving on to the other's territory, and manifestos evidently converging. The SNP are effectively doing what Labour were doing this time last year prior to the Westminster election, promising the earth and hoping that we will be taken in by it.

The strategy is very obvious.

Labour in Scotland are suddenly having an attack of the wobbles, and thinking for some strange reason that maybe the SNP are right after all. Their change of stance shows a lack of confidence in their strategy for 5th May. Other parties would say that they have not really had much of a strategy anyway.

The two parties are now much of a muchness.

There is a well known north-east saying that describes such a scenario but I will save that for another day.

You will get a much better analysis of the issues with the Scottish Liberal Democrats......

Reviving a Liberal tradition.......

I have been on the phone today, putting together a list of people with strong Liberal connections from the past, and looking to strengthen our networks across the north part of Perthshire North. One of our outputs for this election will be to use the opportunity to build up our local party capacity, and already we have people coming forwards to offer help and their goodwill.

This is a very motivating aspect of the campaign, and hopefully putting this time in now will help create a legacy that will serve us well going in to the future.

If you are interested in the Liberal Democrats, want to know what we stand for or how we operate locally, please get in touch, either by commenting on here or via the email link on the right hand side of this blog.

Nat propaganda on the telly.........

I was dozing in my chair this evening when the first SNP election broadcast came on.  For a moment I nearly believed it.....and then I woke up.....!!

The serious point is that the SNP have now given out all the sweeties they have to offer, and will struggle to sustain any of this going forwards now. The game has changed, and the focus of this election must be on looking forwards, not on self-congratulation.

Alex Salmond says they acheived 84 out of 94 of their 2007 manifesto committments. The ones they missed where: Independance Referendum, Local Income tax, reducing class sizes to 18 etc etc. ie All the big ones.


Nice try though guys. At least it is a bit better and funnier than what you recycled last year from the 2009 European election.

Perth Bridges again

Better light today..........

St Mathews Church dominates the skyline......

Sun, snow and shadows this morning.......

Margo MacDonald puts in a word for us......

Margo MacDonald was on Newsnight Scotland (News-Necht) last night saying how the SNP and Labour, and even the Tories were now much of a much-ness, with not much between them.

She thought the Lib Dems were different because we were a Federal party and could think for ourselves, and were the only ones with distinctive policies.

Margo, although once a Nat, has now seen the light and is well known for her independance of mind and spirit. Well done that woman. Great piece of independant political analysis, and a welcome relief to some of the other stuff being trotted out at the moment which is little more than what the other parties have given journalists in their Press releases.

Cold outside today

The wind would go through you. We had electric off in Aberfeldy last night and this morning as well.

Snow yesterday........

Supporting the campaign for City status for Perth

Orkney & Shetland MP and Lib Dem Chief whip in the House of Commons Alastair Carmichael, Perthshire North Holyrood candidate Victor Clements and Depute Provost Cllr Willie Wilson.

The Fair City of Perth

Here are a few photos out and about yesterday evening.

VIDEO- Looking out over Perth

Here is a quick scan across Perth yesterday at tea-time. I was just beside the road leading out to the motorway, so quite a bit of traffic on the road. This is the Fair City, 800 years old, and hopefully soon to become a City again.

Friarton Bridge

Looking down the Tummel

Looking out across Strathtay

Crops are growing now.....

Birnam Hotel

Empty Conference centre or no?

It was reported in the Sunday papers yesterday that Perth Conference centre was nearly empty for Nick Clegg's speech and that he was very defensive in his tone and delivery.

Can I have been the only one present to notice the size of the crowd that was in fact present, or the reception that Nick Clegg got afterwards? The Deputy PM was determined, positive, and he had an edge about him.....the kind of edge that comes when some-one is tasked with doing something both demanding and important, the kind of edge that you have when the responsibility for delivering significant change within our country now lies squarely with you and your party colleagues. I was sceptical about Nick Clegg the first time I seen him, but I can see the substance now, we all can. He is growing in to the role very well.

Well done Deputy PM. You did a great job on Saturday, we are all clear about that.

There are a few pictures circulating on Nat websites, showing the supposed lack of people present. This is interesting. There were two types of people present at this conference.....party delegates and the Press. The circulating photos obviously came from within the Press, presumably taken by private means for (other) party political reasons.

The Nats complain about the media supporting Labour, but they obviously have their own means of infiltrating the media. The result is a mis-representation of the facts.There is no professional integrity in this at all.  Put this alongside some of the dubious polls taken recently and you can see immediately how the public are being cynically manipulated at present, with sections of the Press seemingly quite happy to participate in this deception. Policy seems to only be off secondary importance.

Say what you like about politicians, but they are ultimately accountable to the public. It is time that the light was shone more closely on the more parochially minded members of the Press pack as well, otherwise our democracy is going to suffer.

All in all, a very good example of how the world around us works if we are not prepared to stand up and be counted when confronted by such nonsense. Lib Dems having always been willing to do that.

Scottish Liberal Democrats meet in Perth

The Scottish Liberal Democrats had their annual Spring Conference in Perth on Fri/ Saturday this week, with a record crowd in attendance, really strong and coherent policy messages for the coming election campaign and a feeling of optimism and fun throughout.

Very well done to all concerned for organizing such a great event. We will round up some more photos over the next few days and build on what has been posted here just now, and in particular, give a feel for what the main speakers were saying. Nick Clegg, Danny Alexander, Michael Moore and off course Tavish Scott all put in very strong performances and with very, very many others too.

Malcolm Bruce MP gets things going.......

Perth Depute Provost Willie Wilson opens the Conference.....

Willie welcomed everyone to Perth and really set up the two day event very well. Very well done Willie. Seeing him come tottering on to the stage with the music playing all around him was an excellent and funny way to get everyone going.

The more normal Willie look......

Willie more normally gives us his scowl that his political opponents in particular find impossible to read.

Here, Willie scowls one way.......

And then the other.......

Callum Leslie at the podium

Despite having been out on the town the night before, 18 year old Calum Leslie gave an excellent performance....calm and measured, really engaging the audience. Very well done Calum.

Calum is on the Mid Scotland and Fife list for the Lib Dems

Borders MSP and farmer Jim Hume MSP

Sir Menzies Campbell makes his point in defence of RAF Leuchars

North East Fife MSP Iain Smith on the big screen

Iain and Menzies Campbell did an excellent job of laying out the important of the airbase at RAF Leuchars, supported also by Lib Dem list candidate Tim Brett.

Deputy Prime Minister NicK Clegg

Nick Clegg gave an excellent speech.......positive and determined and full of energy. As Deputy Prime Minister, he has a difficult job, but has clearly grown in to the role and is obviously very focused on making sure both the party and the country understand the full implications of the situation we inherited, and that dealing with these issues is not optional for anyone; for us, or for anyone else.

The sun was shining.......

Friday in particular was a beautiful day in Perth. The Conference Centre is very central and easily accessed. The view here is from the top floor of Kinnoull Street carpark.

St John's Church

And then, the ceilidh.......

Mid Scotland and Fife Lib Dems organized an excellent ceilidh in the George Hotel in Perth on the Suturday evening, which delegates from all over the country stayed behind for.......

The band at work.......

Closer.......

Whats's that?

Dorothy Guyan catches up with MSF No. 1 list candidate Willie Rennie

Dorothy and Lib Demmy Duck

The stovies were excellent by the way.......

The raffle table at work.......

VIDEO Ceilidh

Here is a little snippet from the dance floor last night where Mid Scotland & Fife put on an excellent ceilidh in the Georhe Hotel.

VIDEO- Ceilidh 2

Here is a slightly longer one........

Out and about in Highland Perthshire

Here are some photos out and about in Highland Perthshire, by the side of Loch Tummel today. This picture features much of what is central to the local economy and landscape.........farming, forestry and tourism.

Loch Tummel from the other side......

Opposite the Queen's View that is........

Some coos by Loch Tummel

What are you eating?

The lower River Tummel today

Feed rings

Pine trees below Clunie dam

Loch Faskally today

Hazel catkins oot the noo.....

Twa gooses........

Election maps.......

Here is a good website for finding election maps through Britain and Ireland. Should be worth a look through. OS do some very useful products. Well done guys.

http://www.election-maps.co.uk/index.jsp