WHO SAID WHAT AT THE HUSTINGS 2015

Last night’s General Election hustings event was a well-attended, quiet and rather bloodless affair. 

Around 150 people filled St Mary’s Parish Church on Bellevue Crescent to hear seven candidates answer un-preselected questions by constituency voters from the floor. 

For the most part they answered without difficulty or personal rancour, and within heartbeats of their allotted 90-second spans. We gained few insights into what they might be like under pressure.

There was little in the way of inter-candidate debate, no mangled egos or egg-covered faces on the platform afterwards.

Chair Mure Dickie – local resident and Scotland Correspondent for the Financial Times – rarely had to intervene.

In fact, such was the soft-centre consensus on many issues that one sometimes had to pinch oneself to remember there were seven different parties represented.

Was this what we should expect in an age of coalition government? Or was it just the normal, grown-up behaviour electors are forever telling politicians they want to see from them, particularly after PMQs?

Or did the sense of calm originate among the audience? Are we less passionate and informed about Westminster politics now that so much of what appears to stir us at home is handled by Holyrood?

How this correspondent longed for a Willie Black snarling from the sidelines about cuts to public services: ‘It’s not the slice of the cake. It’s whose hand is on the knife’.

Below is a ruthlessly boiled down impression of who said what. Audience raspberries and ripples of applause appear in square brackets.—Alan McIntosh

 

TWO-MINUTE SELF-INTRODUCTIONS

Sarah Beattie-Smith (SB-S), Green: Has lived and worked locally for the last 13 years. Her politics are to the left of Labour. Seeks to achieve: (1) equality not poverty; (2) public services in public hands; (3) devolution of power to the most local level possible. Believes in listening not lecturing. 

Deidre Brock (DB), SNP: Record as hard-working, locally committed city councillor. On Westminster stage, would, in spirit of cooperation: (1) invest sensibly to boost growth and abandon austerity; (2) invest in public services; (3) oppose fracking and weapons of mass destruction; (4) approach with great scepticism the TTIP (Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership) agreement currently being negotiated.

Mark Lazarowicz (ML), Labour: Three most important issues are: (1) instituting a meaningful, long-lasting and generally acceptable constitutional settlement for Scotland within the UK; (2) achieving a fairer society in which the most vulnerable are protected; (3) achieving a fairer, safer and more secure world, particularly focusing on the poorest in the face of political disputes and climate change.

Iain McGill (IM), Conservative: Local origins. Stood here in every election since 2003. Live and work locally. Since Fall of Berlin Wall, have seen Conservatism as force for positive change. Since 2010, 100 new jobs created per day, 32,000 new businesses. A strong UK is best guarantee of strong economy.

Alan Melville (AM), UKIP:  Read out a long, rambling and unfollowable quotation from C.S. Lewis about theocratic do-gooders. Is opposed to the nanny state. Politicians have made a pig’s ear of the country since 2010. Time for a change. [Ripple of applause.]

Martin Veart (MV), Liberal-Democrat: Lived locally for the last 7 years, but widely travelled with background in the oil industry. Believes in devolving power to the people (and extending devolution to the English regions). Compelling economic reasons for continuing within United Kingdom.

Bruce Whitehead (BW), Left Unity: Born Fife. Brought up in Inch Court, Leith. Background as journalist in print and broadcast media. Labour have failed the poor at home, waged war abroad, would continue austerity. SNP are ‘Tartan Tories’ who have wasted money on ‘The Alex Salmond Forth Bridge’. Profit and greed of capitalism are root problem of social ills, and are causing environmental crisis. [Whitehead’s comments drew the loudest round of applause.]

QUESTION 1: What would you do about equal pay and equal opportunities for women?

BW: Fully committed to equality.

SB-S: As socialist and feminist, equality was main reason for entering politics. Would introduce quotas for women on boards.

DB: SNP led by Nicola Sturgeon with a gender-balanced cabinet. Popular Women’s Forum. Supports 40%+ representation for women on boards.

ML: Supports obligatory transparency of pay scales in private sector. Enforce existing equality law and restore provisions axed by Coalition Govt. Labour fully behind Women 50:50 campaign. 

IM: Women already achieving great things without need for quotas (including the ‘formidable’ Councillor Joanna Mowat in audience). Gender discrimination offensive.

AM: Society does not value women’s jobs enough. It’s merit not gender that matters.

MV: Felt a bit like a ‘turkey voting for Christmas’ as Lib-Dems need to do better on this in own party. Supports quotas and pay transparency. Wants best possible opportunities for his wife and daughter.

 

QUESTION 2: Given threat posed by Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership agreement, what would you do to protect public services from voracious capitalism?

MV: There are benefits to be had from improved trade, but not at cost of national sovereignty. Mooted Investor–State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) system within TTIP threatens public bodies’ procurement process. TTIP still being negotiated.

BW: Parliament must remain sovereign. More trade is not necessarily good. Enhanced capitalism will lead to further environmental damage and social unfairness. I oppose TTIP and support sustainable trade.  [Heckler: ‘Have you read it?’ No answer.] 

SB-S: We oppose TTIP. ‘Deregulated capitalism is wholly destructive’, e.g. Tobacco and Oil industries. [Round of applause.]

DB: None of us has really seen it due to confidentiality provisions during negotiations. Am gravely concerned about effect on services, NHS, powers of Parliament, agricultural products in Scotland.

ML: TTIP could trigger race to the bottom and environmental degradation. Can’t see EU voting in favour of ISDS.

IM: ‘TTIP’s effect on the NHS is this General Election’s great red herring.’ Still being negotiated, with result still two-and-a-half years away. SNP applies confidentiality clauses when negotiating Council contracts. All 28 EU states must agree.  ‘TTIP is great. Bring down trade barriers!’

AM: We’re against the EU and unelected Eurocrats. We want to negotiate our own treaties.

 

QUESTION 3: After this election, in the event of Conservatives being the largest party, would SNP support them if offered full fiscal autonomy for Scottish government?

DB: ‘No, we wouldn’t.’

IM: Nicola Sturgeon’s stance keeps shifting.

ML: Am sure Deidre Brock is sincere, but look at example of Nick Clegg.

MV: SNP has record of working well with Conservatives.

BW: Wait for voters to decide before discussing deals. We urgently need proportional representation for Westminster elections. [Loudest applause so far.]

 

QUESTION 4: Where should power in Scotland lie? What would you change?

AM: Pull powers back to UK government from EU and corporations, then devolve down as much as possible. Make local government more accountable to avoid failures of City of Edinburgh Council Planning Dept over trams. [Heckler: 'Rubbish!']

MV: Am in favour of devolving power. Unfreezing local authorities’ powers to raise Council Tax would improve local democracy.

BW: Devolving power away from London is good in principle, but not if it disadvantages one region over another. Barnett Formula is needed because capitalism doesn’t work, but BF is slightly and unfairly advantageous for Scotland. Needs adjustment and smoothing out.

SB-S: General consensus on devolution. We also favour unfreezing Council Tax. Would like to see a Land Value Tax for Scotland, and greater participatory budgeting and spending decisions made by locals at local level (e.g. Leith Decides). Favour tax breaks for renewable energy, and variable rates of Income Tax to tap ‘those with the broadest shoulders’.

DB: Scotland needs more economic levers to run Scotland’s economy. But full fiscal autonomy is not an immediate prospect. We support ‘Bairns not Bombs’.

ML: We support devolving more tax powers on rates and bands, and topping-up Benefits in Scotland if desired. But with Scotland’s limited tax-raising potential, and volatility of sources such as oil (‘I’m not gloating’), pooling and sharing of resources within a UK-wide budget is a good thing. [Ripple of applause.]

IM: If SNP want to ‘bleat’ about not having enough money, they should exercise existing powers to up taxes. SNP policy on full fiscal autonomy keeps changing. [Ripple of applause.]

 

QUESTION 5: I’ve taken part in every election since 1945. How would you re-engage voters disgusted by politicians’ increasing lies and broken promises?

IM: [Quoted punchlines from two newspaper cartoons which weren't 100% funny or understandable without the pictures.] We need to learn from the sentiments you’ve expressed.

AM: Hold our politicians accountable and vote them out.

MV: First-past-the-post system has much to answer for. Some politicians lie, but many others naively promise too much before experiencing practical and legal difficulties of making changes once in power.

BW: Postwar establishment of Welfare State was this country’s best stab at socialism. [Heckler pointed out early 20th-century origins of Welfare State in Liberal Reforms.] Mainstream parties have consistently failed since. Need progressive socialism, as now seen in Greece. [Derisive laughter. Ripple of applause.]

SB-S: Need participatory politics which grabs power back from 650 MPs in Westminster. The problem is more about how we all practise politics than about a few bad politicians.

DB: Media are partly to blame in creating disillusion. Judge politicians by track records. John Swinney’s track record is better than Osborne’s or Balls’s. [Scornful sniggers.]

ML: Politicians have been unpopular for thousands of years. Agree that media are partly to blame, with the exception of the Broughton Spurtle and the Financial Times. I’ve tried to address both local and big international issues in my 24 years as a politician. [Ripple of applause.]

 

QUESTION 6: What are main issues facing Edinburgh North & Leith. What would you do about them?

ML: People raise with me: (1) immigration (I want humane and welcoming response); (2) big increase in housebreaking/theft (centralised Police Scotland is failing to address well enough); (3) lack of affordable housing; (4) low wages and part-time jobs; (5) environmental concerns.

IM: People worry about: (1) independence; (2) crime and sense of personal safety (agree that Police Scotland’s failing); (3) redevelopment of the old Royal High School; problems around homelessness/mental health/addiction where services have been slashed and need restored.

AM: Agree with ML's and IM’s summaries. Would tackle Holyrood and Westminster wasting money. Would prioritise Edinburgh’s £200m road repair backlog over extending tram system and widening pavements. However, difficult for MPs to address all local problems because of devolved powers.

MV: Extend eco-tourism in and around capital, particularly through Leith where we also need more affordable housing and jobs.

BW: Surprised at ML’s mentioning immigration. Housing is big problem. Uncapped rents are out of control. Would push for £10 per hour living wage. I support trams and would extend with trolly-bus system.

SB-S: I will comment only on reserved powers which MPs can affect. I would focus on: (1) collaborative style of politics which listens more carefully to the public; (2) supporting social justice and establishing minimum income people could live on; (3) employent rights; (4) move away from fossil fuels to sustainable sources of energy.

DB: (1) Would remain active in this community. (2) Support 0.5% increased spend across departments to boost jobs and economic growth. (3) Stop squeezing public services and spurious cuts to Benefits. (4) Progressive politics and a strong voice for Scotland. [Loud round of applause.]

 

QUESTION 7: What have you to say about proposed cuts to Housing Benefit for the under-25s?

SB-S: Bedroom Tax particularly affects those with disabilities in specially adapted housing. Proposed Benefit cuts for under-25s are abhorrent and inhumane, and give the impression we don’t value our young people.

DB: Don’t have means to control this right now except by dragging Labour back to the left.

ML: Labour opposed to this and the Bedroom Tax. Effects obvious from increase in number of Scottish foodbanks since 2010: from 1 to 55.

IM: Cuts and caps necessary as Benefits had got out of control. Conservatives help people by generating more jobs and ensuring fair rates of pay. ML’s figures on foodbanks factually wrong. There were at least two in Edinburgh in 2010. [Heckler: ‘Oh, for God’s sake'.]

AM: I was on Benefits last year. Benefits mustn’t be allowed to be a public subsidy which allows private companies not to pay decent wages. UKIP would focus special attention on homeless ex-military personnel. ‘People living on the streets is not the mark of a civilised country.’

MV: Bedroom Tax was very harsh and clumsy as applied to existing tenants. Need more housing and more social housing.

BW: Need more housing. Stop selling Council houses. Renovate empty properties. Raise tax for those who can most afford it, and financial services. [Ripple of applause.]

COMPOUND QUESTION AT END OF MEETING

8:   To ML: How can you support Trident?

9:   What’s your position on fracking?

10:  How would you address restrictive union laws and the fall in real wages?

SS-B: We would scrap unjustifiable Trident. We would ban fracking (unlike ambivalent SNP). We would introduce £10 per hour minimum wage and roll back Thatcherite anti-union laws.

DB: Get rid of Trident. Raise minimum wage and, through government procurement process, force companies to pay living wages. We support strong unions. SNP pro-moratorium on fracking.

ML: Have always disagreed with Labour on Trident and will continue to vote against it. Would like moratorium on fracking. Will oppose scandalous zero-hours contracts and poor wages.

IM: ‘I am completely unconflicted about Trident.’ Would renew it, quickly. Absurd to just park submarines 100 miles down the coast in England. ‘Fracking’ is a pejorative, blanket term for a variety of methods to extract fuel, some of which are fine. Good for the economy and avoiding national fuel poverty. On wages: we must make work pay.

AM: Renew Trident. Honour NATO undertaking to fix military spending at 2% of budget.  Seek better alternatives to fracking, but not insane, expensive, mass-bird-killing wind turbines.

MV: Lib-Dems support £8 per hour minimum wage and good trade-union representation. Pro-Continental system of joint union–management planning. Am totally opposed to Trident and will campaign on this within the Lib-Dem Party. As a professional geologist, I urge you to seek accurate information on responsible ‘fracking’ on my blog. 

BW: On Trident: watch Dr Strangelove. On fracking: 'Durr!' [i.e. no brainer, against] We would scrap anti-union laws and unfair tribunal system,  ensure £10 per hour minimum wage; end zero-contract hours. We would renationalise essential services and infrastructure.

The meeting concluded at around 9.25pm. Spurtle’s coverage will resume in our May printed edition, with thumbnail assessments of how the candidates performed.

Got a view? Tell us at spurtle@hotmail.co.uk and @theSpurtle and Facebook

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 Fiona King ‏@Fee_King  20h

Good turnout for @theSpurtle #GE2015 Hustings for Edinburgh North & Leith Ward - 7 parties represented

 Rents ‏@Rents1974  19h

@theSpurtle Left the hustings early, crushingly dull format. Generated zero light and even less heat. Reading manifestos is more thrilling.

Patrick Hadfield ‏@patrickhadfield  18h

Very interesting evening at the local hustings, organised by @theSpurtle. I was impressed by @sarahbs_27 @scotgp, but not enough for my vote

Chris Gray ‏@scottishchris  17h

Thanks @theSpurtle for hosting #GE2015 hustings for Edinburgh North and Leith. Candidates presented to best of their respective abilities!

Martin Veart ‏@Martin_Veart  16h

@theSpurtle @LAHinds Thank you for the firm but fair hosting and the extra 90 seconds on fracking.

Glad to hear @Vote_Bruce mention trolleybuses at @theSpurtle #GE2015 hustings. My 2007 site: http://www.scottishelectrictransit.org.uk/ 

At least half of the candidates at this #GE2015 Hustings can barely make a point. I feel like I'm watching a spoof.

@jhalcrojohnston @Fee_King it was @theSpurtle hustings tonight. Tough crowd!

Martin Veart ‏@Martin_Veart  16h

Enjoyed the hustings tonight @theSpurtle. Even received a few words of encouragement afterwards. Looking forward to the next round.

1.  Motivation ‏@Motivationprobs  15h
   

   @DavidSterratt @theSpurtle @Vote_Bruce It would be like the I'll fated bendy buses in London. Edinburgh has had enough expensive experiments

2.  Motivation ‏@Motivationprobs  15h
   

   @DavidSterratt @theSpurtle @Vote_Bruce Edinburgh doesn't have the roads/space 4 long vehicles. Stand at E End & watch what blocks junctions

 Martin Veart ‏@Martin_Veart  15h

@theSpurtle I did a couple of blogs on fracking for beginners. http://martinveart.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/fracking-for-beginners-part-two.html …

Iain McGill retweeted Chris Gray 

A wooden spoon at @theSpurtle event somehow seems appropriate...

Iain McGill added,

@IainMcGill @theSpurtle does that mean that Lazarowicz should be worrying about squeaky bum time?

@innovate_tony @theSpurtle it's squeaky bum time for all Labour & Lib Dem MPs in Scotland!

Mark Lazarowicz ‏@marklazarowicz  5h

A number of qs at last night's @theSpurtle Broughton hustings (thanks Spurtle) about TTIP. My views in more detail http://www.marklazarowicz.org.uk/ttip 

@Motivationprobs @theSpurtle @Vote_Bruce Fair point, but single-artics fit in small spaces

http://tinyurl.com/mgk3539 

Zachary Korman ‏@ZackKorman  5h

@marklazarowicz @theSpurtle "treaty agreed being used to overturn action like that". Arbitrators can't overturn domestic law...

 Zachary Korman ‏@ZackKorman  5h

@marklazarowicz @theSpurtle Also, for the most part investor-state arbitration is not secret

@marklazarowicz @theSpurtle As for TTIP allowing US cos to bring a claim against the UK- they already can. It's about whether they'll win

@marklazarowicz @theSpurtle Also, if there is a "race to the bottom", that would occur unilaterally (competitive dereg)

 David Sterratt ‏@DavidSterratt  5h

@Motivationprobs @theSpurtle @Vote_Bruce Double-deck t-buses are possible too: http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/553404 

@DavidSterratt @theSpurtle did CEC consider trolleybuses? If so why did they reject them @EdinburghTrams

@Motivationprobs @DavidSterratt @theSpurtle good cos trolleybuses are no longer than normal buses

Vote Bruce ‏@Vote_Bruce  2h

@Motivationprobs @DavidSterratt @theSpurtle maybe true, check this little beauty: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f7/Trolleybus_1_Mairie_Limoges.JPG …

 Patrick Hadfield I wanted to heckle the Tory and UKIP candidates, who both said some pretty stupid things at times, but since no one else was speaking out, I decided not to! I was surprised how reticent Mark Lazarowicz sounded, and Martin Veart sounded as if he'd rather not be there.