Friday, 20 February 2009
Trams
The Edinburgh Evening news reports that the contractors are demanding £80m more two days before TIE closes Princes Street for the best part of a year. Are we really to believe that this is the last time that a gun is going to be held to our collective heads? Are we really to believe that the cost will not soar out of all proportion? Would we not be better to take a deep breath, eat humble pie, and pull the plug on the whole infernal project?
Edinburgh Traffic
Is it just me, or is it the case that most of the traffic congestion in Edinburgh has been caused by the Edinburgh Council Roads department with inappropriate closure of Roads, The utility Companies who are digging up the roads at will, (it is said with the conivance of the Council Roads department who are still sore at losing the congestion charge vote) and TIE with the infernal tram project.
It seems to me that most of our traffic problems could be solved by changing the philosophy at the Council and simply recognising that the private car is here to stay, will not go away and in any case is for the most part the most efficient form of transport where more than one person is involved.
It seems to me that most of our traffic problems could be solved by changing the philosophy at the Council and simply recognising that the private car is here to stay, will not go away and in any case is for the most part the most efficient form of transport where more than one person is involved.
Monday, 2 February 2009
Bankers and their bonuses (2)
John Barrett and his Liberals have recently suggested that I am out of touch for defending Bankers bonuses.
I wonder if they really have a clue about the way business works.
The fact of the matter is that the Banking industry, indeed most industries, use bonus schemes as incentives to greater performance. Everyone employed in the financial services sector and any other sector involving selling will be familiar with this. Employees have a basic level of salary and they are able to earn additional amounts over and above the basic in return for additional performance measured by specific targets.
Bonuses are paid after the event, in other words any bonuses paid to bankers in Edinburgh during 2008 (and before any taxpayers money was involved) relate to performance in 2007. It doesn't take Einstein to work out that if targets are not met, bonuses will not be paid. Given the losses incurred by the Banking industry in 2008 it is unlikely that many people will be paid bonuses. Those who may receive them will have achieved agreed targets, as such are entitled to their bonus (or incentive) payments.
Nothing that I am saying will come as any surprise to the many thousands of people in Edinburgh West employed in the banking and financial services industry. They already know how the system works.
No, the only people out of touch here are the Liberals.
I wonder if they really have a clue about the way business works.
The fact of the matter is that the Banking industry, indeed most industries, use bonus schemes as incentives to greater performance. Everyone employed in the financial services sector and any other sector involving selling will be familiar with this. Employees have a basic level of salary and they are able to earn additional amounts over and above the basic in return for additional performance measured by specific targets.
Bonuses are paid after the event, in other words any bonuses paid to bankers in Edinburgh during 2008 (and before any taxpayers money was involved) relate to performance in 2007. It doesn't take Einstein to work out that if targets are not met, bonuses will not be paid. Given the losses incurred by the Banking industry in 2008 it is unlikely that many people will be paid bonuses. Those who may receive them will have achieved agreed targets, as such are entitled to their bonus (or incentive) payments.
Nothing that I am saying will come as any surprise to the many thousands of people in Edinburgh West employed in the banking and financial services industry. They already know how the system works.
No, the only people out of touch here are the Liberals.
Saturday, 24 January 2009
Homelessness
Last November I took part in a sponsored sleepout in aid of the Homeless persons charity the Rock Trust. Can I say how grateful I am to those who sponsored me, I raised approximately £1500 for the charity.
The experience was an eye opener in more ways than one. Sleeping out meant that the following day I felt rough. It was easy for me as I was able to return to a warm house the following morning. But what of those who have nowhere to go?
A senior member of another homeless persons charity said to me recently that people only become homeless when they have suffered complete family breakdown and they have no one to turn to.
Isn’t that a terrible indictment of our society that has so devalued family life that we still have homelessness?
We have a broken society. My key objective as I seek election to Parliament is to try and help to rebuild our broken society. I claim no special expertise, and I am convinced that government has few answers. The answers do not come from new laws and regulation, they come from encouraging people to take responsibility for themselves and for their neighbours.
The experience was an eye opener in more ways than one. Sleeping out meant that the following day I felt rough. It was easy for me as I was able to return to a warm house the following morning. But what of those who have nowhere to go?
A senior member of another homeless persons charity said to me recently that people only become homeless when they have suffered complete family breakdown and they have no one to turn to.
Isn’t that a terrible indictment of our society that has so devalued family life that we still have homelessness?
We have a broken society. My key objective as I seek election to Parliament is to try and help to rebuild our broken society. I claim no special expertise, and I am convinced that government has few answers. The answers do not come from new laws and regulation, they come from encouraging people to take responsibility for themselves and for their neighbours.
The buck has to stop
Here we are in the midst of a huge financial crisis caused largely by the unsustainable levels of debt encouraged by Gordon Brown and he blames everybody else.
The UK has the highest levels of debt in the World yet Gordon Brown thinks the answer is to borrow even more.
Even the Archbishop of Canterbury thinks this is crazy, and generations to come will pay a terrible price repaying his imprudence. So much for sustainability. We have mortgaged out tomorrows so that the Labour party could create an illusion of wealth today.
Gordon Brown says that all this problem is caused by somebody else. He blames the USA and the banking industry over there. If that is the case, why has Sterling collapsed? Why are we seeing the Pound at parity with the Euro and the value against the Dollar down by 25%.
Sorry Gordon, this buck stops with you.
The UK has the highest levels of debt in the World yet Gordon Brown thinks the answer is to borrow even more.
Even the Archbishop of Canterbury thinks this is crazy, and generations to come will pay a terrible price repaying his imprudence. So much for sustainability. We have mortgaged out tomorrows so that the Labour party could create an illusion of wealth today.
Gordon Brown says that all this problem is caused by somebody else. He blames the USA and the banking industry over there. If that is the case, why has Sterling collapsed? Why are we seeing the Pound at parity with the Euro and the value against the Dollar down by 25%.
Sorry Gordon, this buck stops with you.
The safe option?
One of the features of elections is that there are people who when looking for a safe option have a tendency to vopte Liberal Democrat on the basis that they are nice, cuddly middle of the road people.
The reality is something else. They are by their own admission more left wing than the Labour party and their prime objective seems to be part of the power regardless of who is in charge.
Evidence of this is their support of the failed Labour administration in Holyrood where they were coalition partners and now their partnership with the SNP in Edinburgh Council.
Neither of these experiences of government reflect well on the LibDems. Indeed they contradict themselves, note Lib Dem MSP Margeret Smith’s support for the Panda Breeding plan at Edinburgh Zoo opposed by a LibDem MP from Portsmouth.
The only way we are going to see a change for the better is when we remove the socialists from control.
The reality is something else. They are by their own admission more left wing than the Labour party and their prime objective seems to be part of the power regardless of who is in charge.
Evidence of this is their support of the failed Labour administration in Holyrood where they were coalition partners and now their partnership with the SNP in Edinburgh Council.
Neither of these experiences of government reflect well on the LibDems. Indeed they contradict themselves, note Lib Dem MSP Margeret Smith’s support for the Panda Breeding plan at Edinburgh Zoo opposed by a LibDem MP from Portsmouth.
The only way we are going to see a change for the better is when we remove the socialists from control.
The safe optio?
One of the features of elections is that there are people who when looking for a safe option have a tendency to vote Liberal Democrat on the basis that they are nice, cuddly middle of the road people.
The reality is something else. They are by their own admission more left wing than the Labour party and their prime objective seems to be part of the power regardless of who is in charge.
Evidence of this is their support of the failed Labour administration in Holyrood where they were coalition partners and now their partnership with the SNP in Edinburgh Council.
Neither of these experiences of government reflect well on the LibDems. Indeed they contradict themselves, note Lib Dem MSP Margeret Smith’s support for the Panda Breeding plan at Edinburgh Zoo opposed by a LibDem MP from Portsmouth.
The only way we are going to see a change for the better is when we remove the socialists from control.
The reality is something else. They are by their own admission more left wing than the Labour party and their prime objective seems to be part of the power regardless of who is in charge.
Evidence of this is their support of the failed Labour administration in Holyrood where they were coalition partners and now their partnership with the SNP in Edinburgh Council.
Neither of these experiences of government reflect well on the LibDems. Indeed they contradict themselves, note Lib Dem MSP Margeret Smith’s support for the Panda Breeding plan at Edinburgh Zoo opposed by a LibDem MP from Portsmouth.
The only way we are going to see a change for the better is when we remove the socialists from control.
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