First up is Patrick Harvie. He’s not very happy with the Dear Green Place’s… uhmm… Greenness.
Motion S4M-01856.1: Patrick Harvie, Glasgow, Scottish Green Party, Date Lodged: 31/01/2012
Glasgow’s Bid to Become First European Green Capital in the UK
As an amendment to motion S4M-01856 in the name of Drew Smith (Glasgow’s Bid to Become First European Green Capital in the UK), leave out from “a boost†to end and insert “a bizarre outcome for a city with persistent and severe problems of air pollution, congestion, low recycling rates, poor quality public transport and degraded public space, and in which local government policies have continually failed to address these problems, and calls on Glasgow City Council to focus on transformation of its own track record on environmental action instead of what is considered wasting its time on attempting to win undeserved recognition for its limited efforts to date.”
Fair enough. Like Edinburgh, Glasgow has pretty appalling air pollution, Union St’s a horror show and he’s calling them on it. A clear, concise and unambiguous motion directly addressing an important issue. A (recycled) Gold star.
That wasn’t the only motion concerning Glasgow this week. Sadly, this second one isn’t as good. Or good. Or in possession of any redeeming feature what so ever.
Motion S4M-01921: Liam McArthur, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 02/02/2012
Hands off Groundskeeper WillieÂ
That the Parliament notes that it has been confirmed that Groundskeeper Willie of The Simpsons fame hails from Kirkwall, Orkney; understands that the revelation is made in an episode entitled The Daughter Also Rises, to be broadcast in America on 12 February 2012, where Willie confides in Bart that his father was a ‘doonie’ and his mother was an ‘uppie’, in reference to the two teams in the world-famous ‘Ba game’; understands how the tension created by this modern day version of Capulets and Montagues tore his family apart but welcomes the fact that the long-running debate over Willie’s heritage is now at an end, and calls on Glasgow City Council to renounce its claim to Orkney’s Groundskeeper Willie as a son of that fair city.
Sweet mercy. This is what our Parliament has come to? Celebrating the birth place of a fictional character? The funny yellowy party that isn’t as popular as it used to be commenting on a funny yellow skinned character in a show that isn’t as popular as it used to be? Write out “I must not submit pointless motions about fictional characters to Parliament” a hundred times and don’t do it again.
#1 by commenter on February 3, 2012 - 1:51 pm
This is what our Parliament has come to? Celebrating the birth place of a fictional character?
That’s pretty offensive. I think you mean Person of Narrative Virtuality.
#2 by Doug Daniel on February 3, 2012 - 1:59 pm
Having lived in Renfield Street for 4 years, I am certainly on Patrick’s side in regards to Glasgow having air pollution problems (and the living room window remains a testament to how disgusting the air in Renfield Street is), as well as the congestion (never before or since have I witnessed 20 buses on one relatively small stretch of street), and the lack of recycling facilities in the city centre mean recycling is difficult, unless you drive to an out-of-town supermarket (which seems a bit ironic).
However, if he thinks Glasgow has poor public transport, he’s obviously never spent much time in Aberdeen. I would gladly swap Aberdeen’s over-priced irregular buses, driven by people who apparently think the brake and accelerator only have two settings (ON or OFF) and which all go through Union Street (meaning you need to take two buses to get pretty much anywhere else) for Glasgow’s vast array of public transport systems. With its suburban rail network, the subway and a multitude of bus companies, Glasgow is easily the best served city or town in Scotland.
Mind you, Glasgow bus drivers need a lesson in driving – they cause the congestion by jutting half-out at junctions just as the light turns amber. I’ve witnessed it myself many times, having sat in a car watching the lights change to green three times without even moving, thanks to buses from the right blocking the street.
#3 by Craig Gallagher on February 3, 2012 - 6:36 pm
I thought Willie was from North Kilt-Town?
Agreed on the matter of Patrick Harvie’s motion. Glasgow City Council have a depressing habit of congratulating themselves for things they quite simply don’t deserve, such as when I used to get leaflets through the door asking us to remember how the Labour controlled council had “frozen council tax”. Aye.
#4 by An Duine Gruamach on February 4, 2012 - 3:30 pm
Did they really do that? Good grief, that’s pretty pathetic.
And yes, Willie is indeed from North Kilt-town. Which may or may not be the village on the shores of Loch Ness from that one episode… Hm. We had He Man a week or so back, the Simpsons now. I wonder who’s next.
#5 by John Ruddy on February 7, 2012 - 5:15 pm
Well, to be fair to Glasgow, they did freeze the council tax BEFORE the election of the SNP in 2007.
And for complete balance, SNP-controlled Angus also froze the council tax before the election of the SNP Government in 2007.
The difference between those two acts, and what has happened since, is that the councils concerned CHOSE to freeze the tax. Now, they dont have any choice.
#6 by Barbarian on February 3, 2012 - 8:18 pm
I work in Bothwell Street, and can certainly recommend avoiding Union Street! (And that’s just charity muggers!)
That second motion is a bloody awful waste of time. Was the good Lib Dem trying to deflect attention from Chris “The Stig” Huhne?
#7 by Indy on February 4, 2012 - 9:05 am
I agree completely with Patrick Harvie’s amendment BUT there is a case for everyone enthusiastically supporting the Council’s bid so that we can helpfully suggest all the things they might want to do to qualify for the award!
#8 by Teri Forsyth on February 4, 2012 - 7:02 pm
As an asthma sufferer living in Glasgow, I support Patrick’s motion. Not enough is done about air pollution and Glasgow City Council ought to be tackling this problem now.
As for the second motion, it is as well the MSP who put it forward is not named as there would be an e-petition going by now to eject hin/her from parliament. This is a complete waste of time and energy considering too, all the serious matters that need tackled. The person who submitted it has nothing to offer parliament nor the voters and should find a job elsewhere.
#9 by Doug Daniel on February 4, 2012 - 8:59 pm
It was Liam McArthur, the Lib Dem MSP for Orkney.