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The truths they don't want you to read....

Monday, April 06, 2009

Fuel Poverty

On Friday 20 March a debate was held in Parliament on a Bill to force energy companies to make homes more energy efficient; to introduce lower prices for the poorest consumers; and to force Government to end fuel poverty.

The following exchange says everything:
Mr. Jim McGovern (Dundee, West) (Lab): May I take the hon. Gentleman back a couple of minutes to when he mentioned the impact of his Bill on Scotland? I am sure that he will be aware that it appears that no Member from the Scottish National party is here. Does he agree that far from standing up for Scotland, as is the party’s slogan, more often than not its Members do not turn up for Scotland?

Mr. Heath: It is very noticeable that the SNP Members are not here today. I would have thought this matter ought to have interested them, and it is noticeable that Members from all the other parties, who have interests in all parts of the United Kingdom, are here—I shall leave it at that.

Back in 2005 it was all so different.....
Mr. Angus MacNeil (Na h-Eileanan an Iar) (SNP): I notice that the Minister has accepted the importance of finding ways and means of alleviating fuel poverty, to which clauses 1 and 6 relate. What specific extra measures do the Government propose, particularly for constituencies such as my own of Na h-Eileanan an Iar, which has some of the highest fuel poverty in the whole of the United Kingdom?
And in 2007...
Mr. Angus MacNeil (Na h-Eileanan an Iar) (SNP): Fuel poverty is the big issue for pensioners.
Ah well, he was probably trying to vote from home on this important issue.

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Fuel poverty does not bother the Barra Bhoy when he is playing with FIRE.

come2ursenses said...

This was a debate held (unusually) on a Friday morning and attended by less than 70 MPs, about 5 of whom were Scottish (mostly LibDems supporting their colleague's private members bill, 2nd reading). It is interesting that the only contribution to the debate by a Scottish MP who is not a LibDem is the one you quote. New Labour in Scotland seem to think that the only way to tackle the SNP is to constantly berate them for things they perceive the SNP has not done. This is the way the Free Press has gone too, once it was just a pro Labour local paper now it is a vehemently anti SNP newsrag.
This blog was once an interesting outlet for all sorts of information about the islands (and the governance of the islands) now it is, like the WHFP, a vehemently anti MacNeil/Allan rant. If it carries on like this redership will drop until it is only the anonymous illiterates who contribute nothing but bile (including 1.31) who are left.

Anonymous Literate said...

redership

anonymous illiterates

Pot and kettle........

Unfortunately whatever you might wish and hope, the "readership" of this blog continues to be the talk of the town and an extremely informative piece of constructive political journalism.

You stick to your Stornoway Gazette with Donnie writing his diatribe and leave us to the interesting and informative debate.

You know what they say, if you don't like the heat.

Anonymous said...

12:00 wrote: If it carries on like this redership will drop until it is only the anonymous illiterates who contribute nothing but bile (including 1.31) who are left.

It was signed by "come2ursenses"
On the subject of literacy, I always thought that readership was spelt with an "a" in it. Come to your senses never had a 2 immediately followed by the letter u.

Carrying on the literacy subject your sentence "It is interesting that the only contribution to the debate by a Scottish MP who is not a LibDem is the one you quote." Is somewhat ambigious and can be read three ways.
Kettle pot, pot kettle.

The point that was being made, was that give the Barra Bhoy has twittered on about fuel poverty so much, why wasn't he there for it?
The point of local blogs etc is to harry and chase the local MP and MSP over their pitiful performances.
If they can't take the heat don't take the cash.

Anonymous said...

8:47 I wote my comments just before yours were approved.
I wasn't plaguerising (sic) yours.
ps 12:00 I'm not illiterate, I meant sic as opposed to sick OK?

Anonymous said...

12:00, with or without spelling errors, has a point. This blog has become Ranting Central for gob-on-a-stick LazyCearc and Angus. It's rather comical in a way. Like the West Highland Free Press but without photos.

Bad move sharing the blog, Angus...

"...leave us to the interesting and informative debate."

Hahahaha! You should put a warning before comments like that. I almost wet 'em.

FlameThrower said...

come2ursenses

What sort of defence is that of our MP? Apart from piss awful.

In your empty mind, is he in the clear because:

- He doesn't work Fridays
- Only 70 people turned up (the None of us can be arsed defence)
- It was LibDem bill, and hence not worthy of his presence
- Only 5 Scots were there (the None of us can be MacArsed defence)
- Fuel poverty can only be cured by the SNP
- It is not fair to criticise our MP for not doing his job
- It is not fair to criticise our MP. Ever.

Looks like the local SNP don't like the public reading the truth about our MP and MSP.

Anonymous said...

Flame Thrower - I think the point is that most parliamentarians are in their constituencies on a Friday?

The bulk of debates in chambers in Scotland and London are from Tuesday to Thursday...

Or am I wrong?

Anonymous said...

if you are not sick why is plague rising?!

Flamethrower said...

Flame Thrower - I think the point is that most parliamentarians are in their constituencies on a Friday?

The bulk of debates in chambers in Scotland and London are from Tuesday to Thursday...


What, because fuel poverty is debated on a Friday, it is not important enough for our MP to attend?

Good to know fuel poverty doesn't exist at weekends.

Anonymous said...

"Flame Thrower - I think the point is that most parliamentarians are in their constituencies on a Friday?"

Since when did MacNeil represent Glasgow? cause I that where he is on Fridays.

Anonymous said...

I think the point is that most parliamentarians are in their constituencies on a Friday?

---

Is this the new euphemism for "Discussing Uganda" in Glasgow?

Anonymous said...

Flamethrower 1.PM. The issue with the Barra Bhoy is that he is hardly ever in Westminster as his attendance record shows. Also if he is in his constituency could you tell us where, as he is hardly ever seen in Lewis which has about 3/4 of the electorate. Perhaps he is to busy in his homeland of Barra.

p.s. Come a year May he will have plenty of time to spend there as the whole electorate have seen through him "including MWP who voted him in with the guarantee that he would stop all commercial windfarms". Also how he is going to defend Slippery Mathers decision to grant his merchant banker friend his windfarm with little or no benefit to the community.

come to your senses (for the pedants) said...

oh you MacNeil haters out there! I meant to make no defence of our MP but to point out that this blog is just another petty swipe at him from a disgruntled ex politician and that if the disgruntled ex politician were to review his blog history he would see that this particular blogsite was once quite incisive whereas now (like the WHFP) it is just becoming a sad little rant.
As a final thought I would add the the greysheet is equally as dire as the wee free for different reasons and we should be sad that there is no incisive journalism holding govt to account at any level in the isles.