more google
Gordon Brown waived his UK PM's pension entirely, ie for life. AS is donating it whilst he is still employed by the Scottish government/people as an SMP. That was my point all along. What Gordon Brown did was generous. What AS has done is PR.
@earnie I appreciate he could have kept these amounts, but there is a strong argument that he should never have had them. The condemnation from UK Labour about keeping half the £65k when stepping down as an MP was pretty strong. As I said it would be one thing if he just gave this money discretely but he announced it with a fanfare on Twitter.
but there is a strong argument that he should never have had them.
So you are criticizing the system not Alex Salmond, you didn't make that clear, you gave every indication that it was Alex Salmond that you had a problem with over this issue.
As I said it would be one thing if he just gave this money discretely
I don't see a problem with someone announcing that they are donating a salary to charity. It certainly doesn't make that the charitable act is less generous because they have announced it, which is what you've suggested.
Gordon Brown is obviously the best example we could possibly have
http://order-order.com/2014/01/24/exc-gordon-brown-office-has-10000-a-week-expenses-raises-over-3-million-gives-less-than-1-million-to-charity/
[quote=jambalaya ] As an SMP/FM I would imagine he had a lot to do with the pension rule.
Alex Salmond wasn't even at Holyrood when that rule was implemented. Oh - and it's MSP, not SMP.
jambalaya - MemberWhat Gordon Brown did was generous. What AS has done is PR.
You really are a hypocrite jambalaya. Three weeks ago you were criticising Gordon Brown's charitable donations from a second income dismissing him as not being motivated by altruistic considerations, you are now describing him as being "generous".
Do you remember that thread ? scotroutes used the same "evidence" then from a right-wing Tory blogger to belittle Gordon Brown's charitable work as he has now.
If you can't remember the thread here it is again :
http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/welcome-back-gordi#post-6420617
It's nice to see the relentless positivity of the no campaign is alive and well.
HAHAHA @ erie pwning you and NW comment
The Yes vote would have been permanent, I think a No should be the same.
Good luck with that thought
JY google it, its on all the news services.
I did before i asked i found nothing but top hit now
‘really, Salmond, you’re a paranoid loser and you really shouldn’t insult the BBC like that’,
I love statements like that, he should be on here with that level of hypocrisy... oh hold on is it you Jam 😉
Can you state categorically for the record what AS has to do in terms of a charitable donation for you to not insult him for it ?
duckman - Member
Only on here could somebody dig up AS for giving £40k plus pa to charity,[b]suprisingly it wasn't THM[/b].
Oi, play the ball ref....oops forgot, you are one! Are you Steve Walsh by any chance?
No need to worry about the DOs charitable affairs. There are enough basic facts that support ridiculing his posturing and lies, we don't need anymore. Spinning his way jnto Westminster will be funny enough and then the book launch....
JY, He could forgo his SMP pension for life, better he could forgo the FM one but as that's higher it would seem reasonable for him to keep that. He could have forgone his £65k allowance from the UK parliament.
@duckman - we don't know he is giving £42k to charity, there are too many caveats. Also he is giving the Scottish taxpayers money to charity from a pension which should not be paid under these circumstances, ie when he is till working/being paid for by the Scottish taxpayer.
Think about it - he can do the job of first minister for £85k or not bother and get £45k !
Northwind there is nothing negative about pointing out what a fraud Salmond is is there ?
ernie - yes I am criticising the system too, one he was the leader of and did much to shape. Brown gave up his pension for life, Salmond has done no such thing
There is no doubt in my mind he intends to stand as a UK MP in the May 2015 General Election - more jobs and more pay whilst drawing his pension from the Scottish taxpayer.
All of this just reinforces my view of the Holyrood political elite being just the same (in fact worse) than those other bods in Westminster
He seems to have accepted the future entitlement to a pension only to "donate" it to charity some years later.
If his moral compass is as strong as he says it is, why didn't he just waive it in the first place like Gordon Brown and David Cameron. Wouldn't the £42K a year be better retained in the public sector than stashed in his own charity?
@robdixon - yes this is my point exactly
The article linked to above says that the Scottish Parliament has now [b]abolished[/b] this special first minister pension which was drawable at any time and no matter what other jobs you where doing. So AS is drawing a pension which has now been withdrawn being seen to be too generous. The fact he is giving away some of it for a limited period doesn't make him a hero in my book.
Oi, play the ball ref....oops forgot, you are one! Are you Steve Walsh by any chance?
Now there is somebody that the English have cause to hate. Still I am sure he will continue to make a good bogeyman...AS not SW.
http://www.marysalmondtrust.com/guidelines.html
We do know he is giving the full amount to charity,what are these caveats you alone seem to be privvy to that make him a fraud?
AS gives to charity=fraud
Major parties renege on "the vow" tumbleweed
Jebus, pipe down... 😆jambalaya - Member
@robdixon - yes this is my point exactlyThe article linked to above says that the Scottish Parliament has now abolished this special first minister pension which was drawable at any time and no matter what other jobs you where doing. So AS is drawing a pension which has now been withdrawn being seen to be too generous. The fact he is giving away some of it for a limited period doesn't make him a hero in my book.
The foaming at the mouth that AS causes in some quarters is one of his most attractive attributes IMHO. I hope he does head back to Westminster just for the sheer entertainment value, especially if Labour had to rely on the SNP to shore up a minority government.
Maybe we should have a new thread on which coalition you'd prefer:
- Labour & SNP
- Tory & UKIP
Maybe we should have a new thread on which coalition you'd prefer:
- Labour & SNP
- Tory & UKIP
Jesus ****ing wept
epicsteve - Member
The foaming at the mouth that AS causes in some quarters is one of his most attractive attributes IMHO. I hope he does head back to Westminster just for the sheer entertainment value, especially if Labour had to rely on the SNP to shore up a minority government.Maybe we should have a new thread on which coalition you'd prefer:
- Labour & SNP
- Tory & UKIP
The SNP have stated they won't prop up a westminster gov.
Major parties renege on "the vow" - tumbleweed
❓
[img]
[/img]Smith Commission set up on 19th September to start drafting new legislation.
Proposals published on 13th October [url= https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/proposals-for-further-devolution-of-powers-to-scottish-parliament ]here[/url].
Now I don't know about you but to me that looks like the government has done exactly what they said they would, and on time too. We're not finished with November yet, and it would seem premature to say the government won't deliver on the future items in the timetable, so please, enlighten me as to which vow has been reneged on.
Lets see what happens to the smith commission proposals after a new government is elected in may.The Flying Ox - Member
Major parties renege on "the vow" - tumbleweedSmith Commission set up on 19th September to start drafting new legislation.
Proposals published on 13th October here.
Now I don't know about you but to me that looks like the government has done exactly what they said they would, and on time too. We're not finished with November yet, and it would seem premature to say the government won't deliver on the future items in the timetable, so please, enlighten me as to which vow has been reneged on.
Promises, what promises! 😆
but largely I do agree people need to engage in the process and see what comes from it.
@seaosamth - I did say earlier I was quite revved up about this, I meant it. Seems the Scottish parliament did agree with me that the FM pension was too generous, just that AS declined to give it up and we are supposed to give him a round of applause for only keeping half.
@epic, yes I agree I think that's one of his main appeals to his supports, that he winds up those opposed to him.
@Flying Ox - yes Government is absolutely on schedule, they are motivated to implement the more powers for English MPs on English issues. I think in time we will see they've been the biggest winners here. The Scots will get more powers which will shine a light on their overly optimistic promises which they cannot deliver (they'll still blame Westminster for everything of course), the English MPs will get to vote on English policies which will be a big step forward.
FTFY 😉 all for it!the English MPs will get to vote on English policies which will be a big step forward towards Scottish Independence
btw anyone heading to the RIC conference on saturday?
Is it not time this thread was brought to a dignified close? There can be other threads started at opportune times to discuss devo issues.
We all miss this thread, you can see that by the fact we won't let it go !
brought to a dignified close?
Bit late for that
We all miss this thread, you can see that by the fact we won't let it go !
Kill it, kill it with fire, napalm, badgers, nukes, and making progress.
just that AS declined to give it up and we are supposed to give him a round of applause for only keeping half.
What a weird way of writing he voluntarily gave up half his pension. You have let your personal feelings cloud your judgement here. If you chose to donate half of your pension I will applaud yo as we should all applaud him. he did not need to so this, he could no tbe foced to do it but he did and still you are nit willing to say well done. If he cured cancer you would moan he did not do it soon enough.
By all means suggest he could do more but FFS how many politicians or people do this ? Very few so lets applaud them when they do.
So my blood boils further
massive schadenfreude over here
