Glasgow's public transport

The SNP Government in Scotland has not done anything to help clean up the air pollution in Glasgow. Increasing studies have clearly shown the link between air quality and heart disease. Recently they spent about £250 million building a new motorway in the south of Glasgow. Since then, the congestion in Glasgow and the air pollution has increased. That money could have been spent to upgrade the bus services; build miles of cycle lanes; install the infrastructure for electric vehicles and improve the trains.

Glasgow City Council election hustings

I attended a hustings meeting to hear what candidates would do about the environment of Glasgow. A number of people in the audience were concerned about the damage that air pollution does to our health. The Conservative candidate talked about his plans to improve the cycling lanes, something much needed.
I was given a list of the Green Party's green priorities for 2012-17. It was full of economic policies such as: bringing in a living wage; harnessing the buying power of councils. There was no mention of tacking Glasgow's deteriorating air quality, no mention of improving our public transport, and nothing about our cycle lanes. Very disappointing.

Will Scotland join the Euro?

The SNP are at sixes and sevens over their economic policy. That's not surprising when you consider that Mr Salmond was an economist for the Royal Bank of Scotland.

Initially they promissed that we would join the Euro after independence. Now they want to delay that and stay with Sterling for a while. This dithering is not good for businesses; which need stability. In reality, an independent Scotland would have little choice. If we want to join the European Union, we will probably have to accept the Euro as our currency.

Approximately 60% of Scottish exports go the rest of the United Kingdom. If we have a different currency from our main customers it will impede trade. Many Scots also work for British organisations;and it would be complicated to get paid in a foreign currency.

Even if Scotland were able to keep Sterling as its currency, there would be problems. Britain would have to impose strict supervision over our spending and borrowing so thay we didn't damage the currency. The Bank of England would be unlikely to bail out Scotland if we got into financial difficulties.

In either of the above currency scenarios, we would be less independent than we are today.

Glasgow city council elections

I have just heard the SNP leader for Glasgow City Council speaking about carers. Her party, she says, will have a "carers' champion".
Her party completely let me down when I was caring for my mother. I was having terrible problems with the management of the care home and asked my SNP councillor for help; he was not interested. The social workers supported the care home against me. I also contacted Nicola Sturgeon, she is the Secretary for Health after all. Twice I tried to contact her, and she never bothered to reply.