Drama at Holyrood
Great drama today at the Scottish parliament in Edinburgh, as Alex Salmond and the minority SNP government tried to win approval for next years budget.
The Lib Dems and Labour made it clear they were against. The Tories were willing to support the measures, thanks to the SNP agreeing to fund an urban regeneration scheme. It boiled down to the two Green MSPs, who want £100m a year spent on free insulation for Scottish homes. They were offered just £22m for next year. Not enough, said the Greens around 4pm, they want another 50%. Their decision threatened the whole £33bn budget. Rarely can the Green Party have held such sway in British politics.
It's just the kind of horse-trading we will see in a hung parliament at Westminster one day.
As I write the SNP has just offered the Greens another eleven million. It was not enough. The budget has fallen.
Watch my film on the day's events at Holyrood tonight on Newsnight.
I'm Michael Crick, and I'm Newsnight's political editor. My guiding rule is that in any story there's usually something the politicians would prefer the world not to know. My job is to find that out. Follow me on
Comment number 1.
At 28th Jan 2009, threnodio wrote:Before the usual suspects charge in with cries of 'that's what PR does for you', may I suggest that, if you substitute "reaching a sensible compromise" for "horse-trading", you are coming close to defining democracy.
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Comment number 2.
At 28th Jan 2009, TomNightingale wrote:Dear all
One way to reduce the volume of posts from JadedJean might be totally to ignore all posts from him/her. Perhaps s/he would get sick of talking to him/herself. Coventry is a boring place.
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Comment number 3.
At 28th Jan 2009, TomNightingale wrote:Apologies if I have offended Coventrians. I was born there.
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Comment number 4.
At 28th Jan 2009, barriesingleton wrote:REDEFINING DEMOCRACY (#1)
And if you outlaw parties altogether so that a lot of partisan voting (some against constituency interest) is ruled out, and compromise is at local level, democracy is even better served - as, indeed, is honour and integrity.
SPOIL PARTY GAMES
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Comment number 5.
At 28th Jan 2009, barriesingleton wrote:THE MAINTENANCE MAN'S NIGHTMARE
At some risk to your neck, Michael, take a look at the state of all those bendy oak poles on the outside of the Spanish Joke that is the Parliament Building. The sea air should have well-rogered the varnish by now.
See if you can find out the upkeep cost to date, and how many maintenance blokes have gone mad.
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Comment number 6.
At 29th Jan 2009, Bill Bradbury wrote:Democracy and hung parliament in action??!! I thought Alex Salmond was excellent in the art of appearing to say one thing and doing another. Would he resign or not?
I doubt it as he has a few more years left to soak up the gravy of this train.
Still it got us away from the miseries of our own Parliament for a few moments.
I'm getting fed up with all the "doom & gloom". I think we have all got the message by now.
The Tories will get us out of this mess because perhaps they have a "cunning plan" which in the case of Cameron is to stick two match-sticks up his nose, put underpants on his head and shout "Bibble". If it didn't work for Blackadder it may for him.
Perhaps my "supreme Leader" might give it a try?
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Comment number 7.
At 29th Jan 2009, lordBeddGelert wrote:Ah, Mr Crick, most enjoyable to see you collaring Alex Salmond, and others, in the lift...
Sure you didn't fix the door delay to be a bit longer than usual ?
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Comment number 8.
At 6th Feb 2009, singaporejasper wrote:I feel strongly that the choice to have more than 2 children should be left to the individuals as long as they can support them. I think the state can help all families support 2 children but any more should not just be a reason to obtain more social help and money. I know we need children to help and sustain our ever growing community of pensioners but not children who are going to live off the welfare state.
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