Comment posted Candidate response to Argyll Rural Schools Network by newsroom.
They have indeed – and this applies to the stance and voting of both Councillor Freeman and Councillor Gordon Chalmers of Mull, before as well as after they came together to form the Argyll and Bute Independent Councillors Group.
Recent comments by newsroom
- SNP meeting on Monday may be testing time for mega-coalition proposal
We’re not going to do a ’20 questions’ routine but, to let local politicians off the hook, it’s not any of them.
And we’re now taking a vow of silence. - First Minister’s choice not to condemn mob behaviour proves Farage point
Criticising behaviour – like Nimbyism [a worthy target], should not necessarily require tying it to a party or a group, although if there is good evidence why it belongs there, there is every reason to relate the two.
When you say: ‘Only in a very small number of occasions would I condone taking protest to the point of physical intimidation and I reserve that to some of the most significant ‘upheavals’ in modern times (examples being the fight against apartheid and the civil rights movement in the US) – even then there would be a line I, personally, couldn’t step over.’ – this is wholly understandable but using violence to protest against it is contradictory. I can never get playwright John Arden’s line out my head on this one: ‘You can’t cure the pox by further whoring.’
Civil disobedience is a very attractive and effective expression of disaffection but people are quite resistant to considering it.
Lynda - Arctic Convoy navies celebrated at Loch Ewe as surviving veterans receive Arctic Star medal
Email Jacky Brookes of the Russian Arctic Convoy Museum in Wester Ross: info@russianarcticconvoymuseum.co.uk (Russian Arctic Convoy Museum)
She will be glad to hear from you and of your father.
If you go to this webpage: http://www.veterans-uk.info/arctic_star_index.htm
- you will find an Application Form for the Arctic Star on it.
Alternatively, you can phone: 08457 800 900 and take it from there.
You will be able to get a posthumous medal for your father for his Arctic Convoy service – and although, painfully, he will never have known of it or seen it, he earned it and the medal will be very important to your family. - First Minister’s choice not to condemn mob behaviour proves Farage point
We have people in Community Councils in Argyll who are on the record as not wanting ‘people of low incomes’ in their area. And those will be people of a variety of political persuasions. The socialist NIMBY is not a rare bird.
It is unsafe to give representational status to the fringe adherents of any cause – and that is why the cause itself – any cause – must be clear about what it finds acceptable and what it does not.
The need for the formal, official representative of a country to be clear on matters like this is even greater – and it sets the bar.
How would Mr Salmond react to the same treatment the mob offered Mr Farage in Edinburgh?
It was sudden and unexpected.
It began with an invasion of the pub he was in.
It was intimidating – the mob crowded tight in, creating a real pressure.
The shouting and the abuse was literally ‘in his face’.
There was no way through nor any offered.
It would be surprising if the First Minister were not to feel equally shaken by such an experience – and very surprising if he had effectively condoned it as gleefully afterwards.
Personally, I’m not afraid of much – but the pressure of shouting bodies, the level of unreason, the aggression – with no signals that this might not turn to physical aggression… I wouldn’t have run but I would have been worried for my safety and I would have had no certainty as to the outcome.
The police clearly had reason to take a quite extraordinary series of measures to protect Mr Farage.
One of these was locking him in a pub for his own safety.
That meant that they were uncertain of their ability to protect him against a violence they, who were present – clearly felt was a potential development.
I feel – on good evidence – that Tony Blair did more damage than anyone to the political life of this country, to its expectation of honesty in those who govern, to its essential democracy and to its security – and that he has blood on his hands: of untold thousands of innocent Iraqis, of Dr David Kelly, of those who died in London in the bombings of 7th July 2005. I feel the most profound contempt for him.[And Nigel Farage has nothing of this level of gravity on his record.]
But I would act to protect Blair were he to be the butt of anything like this – because I do not wish to be implicated either in what he has done or in any primitive lynch mob response to it.
The best punishment for the attention-seeking and egotistical Blair is to pay him no attention. He is not an homme serieux.
The best response to UKIP and MR Farage, if you are opposed to their politics, is not to vote for them.
Lynda - Walsh to lead all but Lib Dems, Conservatives and George Freeman
No – not speculation – otherwise we would have said so.
But this is not a done deal.
It has to go for approval to an SNP meeting tomorrow [Monday].
powered by SEO Super Comments
Sorry to disagree with Cllr Donald Kelly but the Argyll & Bute Independent Councillors Group (NOT THE ALLIANCE OF INDEPENDENTS) has also taken a totally consistent view regarding the retention of rural schools since the Group was fist set up. Many readers will recall that my support for rural schools cost me dearly, both politically and financially.
So Cllr Kelly’s statement that “Argyll First has been the only group on the Council to take a totally consistent view regarding the retention of rural scools” is incorrect.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
They have indeed – and this applies to the stance and voting of both Councillor Freeman and Councillor Gordon Chalmers of Mull, before as well as after they came together to form the Argyll and Bute Independent Councillors Group.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Sadly it’s not just the pupils of rural schools who are treated with disregard by Argyll & Bute Council. John Logie Baird Primary is a school in crisis. There has been no head teacher for some time, despite advertising the post 9 months ago. As a result the school is in a complete downward spiral. This has resulted in a mass exodus of pupils to other schools, which seem to be overwhelmed, with Hermitage Primary having to create a whole new class to cope. I’m astonished that the area’s councillor, Ellen Morton, in her capacity as spokesperson for education and lifelong learning has not intervened.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
An interesting tale gd – out of interest do you know the approximate number of outward placement requests in this 9 month period compared to a similar period of time in previous years.
One thing ARSN advocates is that the Council act quickly when outward placement requests start to rise disproportionately and potentially threaten the sustainability of a school. This doesn’t mean they should jump to consider school closure as a first step – rather that they should take action to try and identify and correct the root cause – in essence take the necessary action to avoid closure rather than promote closure.
That a school in one of the urban territories of A&B is facing this makes for interesting reading as it will be more difficult for the Council to promote closure of a school in an area where there is more than a ‘pesky little community’ to consider.
I am also a little surprised that Cllr Morton seems unwilling to take action on this – not because of any inherent decency but more because of the potential for political fall out which could imapct upon her and her fellow Helensburgh Lib Dems.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
I have to comment that Rosneath does not require more social housing for families, it already has plenty but does urgently require purpose build housing for the elderly. We are awaiting the start of a housing development by link housing yet Rosneath with a healthy and growing population was still short listed for school closure. A change in rural housing policy which gives priority to housing locals (instead of importing unemployed from other areas) so that our youngsters are not forced to move away would be a start…
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
I’m not sure of the outward placing request numbers of JLB and can only speak from the perspective of a parent with children at Hermitage Primary. I know Hermitage has always had a number of primary 1 placing requests from outwith the catchment area, because of it’s reputation and from what I’ve heard this year’s future primary 1 is in line with the norm. But it is the huge influx of JLB pupils to Hermitage at all levels over the past 6 months that is particularly alarming. A new primary 6 class had to be created at Hermitage last term to cope with the additional students and seemingly JLB had a composite primary 2/3 class that is no more. Just from chatting to mums at the school gates, I know of 20 kids who have transferred to Hermitage from JLB and I’m sure that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Thankfully Hermitage is a well run school and seems to be coping with the challenge at the moment. But that is purely down to the outstanding leadership of the head teacher.
The fact that a fairly large Helensburgh school is failing so spectacularly, clearly conflicts with Argyll & Bute’s theory that bigger is better.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
So, to get back to the topic, Cllr Freeman of the Argyll & Bute Independent Councillors Group* are you calling Cllr Totnald** Kelly a liar? Or is he just mistaken? (again)
* All two of you, what vote against each other on things like the budget and therefore cancel each other out…
**The Galelic pronunciation
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Simon – how did you know the Council’s advert for a Communication Officer was ‘in’ before the two members of staff submitted their resignations?
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Simon, I don’t know what language Galelic is but the Gaelic name for Donald is Domhnall
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Scruff – that’s a wee secret
Want me to tell you when the interviews are?
And the folks being interviewed??
And the interview panel???
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
You can if you want to, do you think there will be much of a response?
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Sure Simon. We can then open a book on who the
poor sodwinner isLike or Dislike:
0 
0
Scruff, don’t believe everything you read on these pages mate. Even Newise, who writes half the rubbish, doesn’t do that.
Have a good evening
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Is it all becoming a bit of a struggle now Simon.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0