tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20722989.post5702718729905690876..comments2024-03-24T23:01:57.640+00:00Comments on The Justice Diaries: Holyrood, msps & their queasy feelings about regulation reform : Eight petitions against Scottish Public Services Ombudsman closed in minutesUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20722989.post-41899865985315441652011-02-22T01:26:19.535+00:002011-02-22T01:26:19.535+00:00http://www.journalonline.co.uk/News/1009365.aspx
...http://www.journalonline.co.uk/News/1009365.aspx<br /><br />Scottish Labour's policy on knife crime has been described as "silly" by a lawyer who hopes to represent the party at Holyrood.<br /><br />Ian Smart, a former President of the Law Society of Scotland, is one of six candidates for the seat to be vacated by Wendy Alexander, who last week announced her decision to stand down as an MSP before the election in May.<br /><br />Labour go into the election promising a law to impose a mandatory six month jail term on anyone caught carrying a knife. Mr Smart however said: "No government is ever going to do that. We should stop being silly about it."<br /><br />He recognised however that Scotland had a serious problem with knife crime and a second or subsequent conviction might be a different matter.<br /><br />Mr Smart also went against the party leadership by saying that he personally would have made the same decision as Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill to free convicted Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset al-Megrahi on compassionate grounds, on the medical evidence put to Mr MacAskill at the time.<br />===================================<br />The law would change overnight Mr Smart if an MSP, lawyer, doctor, sheriff or high court judges family were victims of the knife culture. <br /><br />You people do not care, but that would change if the victim was one of your own.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20722989.post-89879127540603719492011-02-21T20:06:29.564+00:002011-02-21T20:06:29.564+00:00Yes Peter I agree this committee shows off exactly...Yes Peter I agree this committee shows off exactly what Holyrood think of the rest of us.why anyonne bothers voting for this bunch of wasters i have no idea as this proves they are against the people all alongAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20722989.post-65990910459398825282011-02-21T18:40:41.829+00:002011-02-21T18:40:41.829+00:00So another 'cover-up' then.So another 'cover-up' then.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20722989.post-40918192957722727082011-02-21T13:01:13.618+00:002011-02-21T13:01:13.618+00:00http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-12523144
To...http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-12523144<br /><br />Tory MSP Bill Aitken is facing demands to step down as convener of Holyrood's justice committee, following comments he was said to have made about rape.<br /><br />The call, made in a Green Party parliamentary motion, came after the recent gang rape of a woman in Glasgow.<br /><br />The Sunday Herald newspaper subsequently reported comments apparently made to it by Mr Aitken that the victim may have been a prostitute.<br /><br />The Greens said the reported remarks were "unacceptable".<br /><br />Meanwhile, police are continuing to investigate the rape, which happened in the early hours of 11 February.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20722989.post-2785768664685539952011-02-21T01:28:41.304+00:002011-02-21T01:28:41.304+00:00Revolutionaries do not make revolutions. The revol...Revolutionaries do not make revolutions. The revolutionaries are those who know when power is lying in the street and then they can pick it up.<br />Hannah Arendt<br /><br /><br />This is the precept by which I have lived: Prepare for the worst; expect the best; and take what comes.<br />Hannah Arendt<br /><br /><br />Power and violence are opposites; where the one rules absolutely, the other is absent. Violence appears where power is in jeopardy, but left to its own course it ends in power's disappearance.<br />Hannah Arendt<br /><br />Wherever the relevance of speech is at stake, matters become political by definition, for speech is what makes man a political being.<br />Hannah ArendtAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20722989.post-54267102152121961572011-02-21T01:08:01.240+00:002011-02-21T01:08:01.240+00:00Comment at 19 February 2011 20:33.
I totally agre...Comment at 19 February 2011 20:33.<br /><br />I totally agree with you . Your comment sums up the reality in Scotland today.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20722989.post-7933814309904611922011-02-20T23:18:36.045+00:002011-02-20T23:18:36.045+00:00Thats the best thing I have heard yet a "peac...Thats the best thing I have heard yet a "peaceful revolution" and I also think it is more than they deserve.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20722989.post-72904422473078718562011-02-20T21:21:17.489+00:002011-02-20T21:21:17.489+00:00The Petitions has demonstrated, once again, that i...The Petitions has demonstrated, once again, that it is not fit for purpose.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20722989.post-34011908298057958432011-02-20T16:27:52.352+00:002011-02-20T16:27:52.352+00:00I'm a little curious Mr Cherbi about who you m...I'm a little curious Mr Cherbi about who you might recommend we vote for now you've featured the result of this petitions camnpaign against the SPSO.<br />It looks to me the whole lot of them no matter which party they are are just in it for themselves or to protect the status quo.Is there any one of them worth a vote would you say ?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20722989.post-47534766290440109442011-02-20T14:47:29.921+00:002011-02-20T14:47:29.921+00:00http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west...http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-12515997<br /><br /><br />An Ayrshire Justice of the Peace has resigned her post to campaign against knife crime following the murder of a teenager who was stabbed to death.<br /><br />Reamonn Gormley, 19, died in hospital after being attacked in Blantyre, South Lanarkshire, on 1 February. A SHOCKING WASTE OF A YOUNG MANS LIFE. IF IT WERE AN MSP's SON THE LAWS WOULD CHANGE OVERNIGHT. <br /><br />Caroline Johnstone said his murder was the tipping point in her decision to resign.<br /><br />She said she could not work for a justice system that was "flawed".<br /><br />Caroline Johnstone further said<br /><br />"There is legislation on the books that says somebody can get up to four years [for carrying a knife], but I would like somebody to show me where that has actually happened. For me, it is a zero tolerance policy with knives that we need to have.<br /><br />"What is it going to take for people who can make a difference to listen?<br /><br />"Is it going to take a politician's son or daughter to get murdered or a judge's son or daughter to get murdered?" YES EXACTLY. THEY DO NOT CARE BECAUSE IT IS NOT PERSONAL. <br /><br />THE WORLD OVER CAROLINE, I LIVE IN HAMILTON, STABBINGS ARE IN THE PRESS EVERY WEEK. <br /><br />THOSE IN POWER WILL ONLY CARE WHEN SOMEONE SPILLS THEIR BLOOD. <br /><br />SCOTTISH JUSTICE, A DISASTER FOR THE INNOCENT PEOPLE OF SCOTLAND. <br /><br />CURSE ALL MSP's DIFFERENCE BLIND BASTARDS WHO CARE ONLY ABOUT THEIR OWN COLLEAGUES AND FAMILIES.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20722989.post-79039058907203004192011-02-20T14:11:37.237+00:002011-02-20T14:11:37.237+00:00Victims of the Scottish Legal profession are seen ...Victims of the Scottish Legal profession are seen as bodies meaning not human beings, therefore rightless. The comment at 20.33 about the scottish Parlaiment criminals is spot on. These elected MSP's are spokespersons for the Law Society.<br /><br />We fight to warn others because justice in Scotland is not egalitarian, it is not available to those robbed murdered or ruined by a lawyer.<br /><br />Kant said "from the crooked timber of humanity nothing straight was was ever made". Lawyers rights are infinite even when they are wrong, and clients, murder victims families, well rights do not apply to them.<br /><br />A Justice of the Peace has resigned in Aryshire in protest against knife crime, she cannot servce in a system that is unfit to deal with this, what about you MacAskill so call Justice Minister.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20722989.post-53933488761670693622011-02-19T20:33:00.081+00:002011-02-19T20:33:00.081+00:00As a very interested observer of this and other ca...As a very interested observer of this and other cases on this excellent injustice blog, it never fails to amaze me the dogged determination of those who have suffered from blatant miscarriages of justice and who have to tenaciously fight to get answers to their wholly justified questions and the truth and justice they seek for their loved ones who have died under very suspicious and mysterious circumstances - which is what a lot of the formal complaints made to the SPSO over the past 8½ years have been about after all. <br /><br />Sadly, after four years of an SNP "Government" that has miserably failed its 5,200,000 citizens (and the wider world - remember Lockerbie / Megrahi?!) when it comes to justice issues, I cannot see much changing whoever gains power on Friday 6 May. <br /><br />Methinks a "peaceful revolution" is required on the streets of downtown Edinburgh (at Scotland's main legal and political power bases) for us ever to see any radical reforms and changes to our justice system in Scotland now - but the apathy and indifference amongst ordinary Scots is just far too great for such an Egyptian-style peaceful revolution I fear. <br /><br />Is this really the kind of "democracy", openness, fairness, public accountability, "Wisdom, Compassion, Integrity and Justice" (the four words inscribed on the Mace at the Scottish Parliament) that the people of Scotland wanted and expected when the Scottish Parliament was founded 12 years ago – and over the past 4 years under the SNP?<br /><br />I think not.Kenny MacAskill, Alex Salmond and the SNP OUThttp://petercherbi.blogspot.com/2011/02/why-lawyer-should-never-be-his-own.html?showComment=1297379925896#c842945038631767491noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20722989.post-20484718582951233782011-02-19T14:26:44.291+00:002011-02-19T14:26:44.291+00:00Powers of the Parliament
Devolution is the delega...Powers of the Parliament<br /><br />Devolution is the delegation of power from a central government to local bodies. Scotland was granted devolution by the passing of the Scotland Act in 1998 which means that Scotland has a parliament with ‘devolved’ powers within the United Kingdom. Any powers which remain with the UK Parliament at Westminster are reserved. Reserved matters were set out in Schedule 5 of the Scotland Act. A basic breakdown is given below. Essentially the powers of the Scottish Parliament are set out by what it does not have legislative competence in rather than in what it can do.<br /><br />Devolved powers: Matters such as education, health and prisons, which used to be dealt with by the Parliament at Westminster, are now decided in Scotland.<br /><br /><br />Reserved powers: Decisions (mostly about matters with a UK or international impact) are reserved and dealt with at Westminster. <br /><br />THE LAW SOCIETY CONTROLS ACCESS TO JUSTICE AND MSP's CONDONE THIS.<br /><br />IN LEGAL TERMS WE NOW HAVE DEVOLVED DICTATORSHIP.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20722989.post-76308582860178116682011-02-17T22:36:05.065+00:002011-02-17T22:36:05.065+00:00Hmm not a nice bunch of politicians
good thing the...Hmm not a nice bunch of politicians<br />good thing there are no protests in Scotland over your crap democracy because this lot might order you all shot to death!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20722989.post-14716389872176509282011-02-17T21:03:52.891+00:002011-02-17T21:03:52.891+00:00I think the lesson here is if anyone has a petitio...I think the lesson here is if anyone has a petition going they should not agree to it being transferred out of the petitions system to another committee or the same will happen again.<br /><br />I am really shocked at the lack of debate on this and the apparent lack of willingness of any of those msps present to make points for a discussion.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20722989.post-47554931363794022582011-02-17T17:25:01.446+00:002011-02-17T17:25:01.446+00:00Well let this be a lesson to all you lot up there ...Well let this be a lesson to all you lot up there who wanted your own Parliament!<br />They have turned their back on you full stop!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20722989.post-16535692747698186442011-02-17T15:24:57.897+00:002011-02-17T15:24:57.897+00:00The parliament has certainly shut the door firmly ...The parliament has certainly shut the door firmly in the petitioners faces with this episode so campaigning for a review of the spso is now just a waste of time.Maybe with the publicity it has given his team a good shake to do better in future complaints.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20722989.post-21654296267491566432011-02-17T14:36:23.574+00:002011-02-17T14:36:23.574+00:00Just another day in our 500million++ quid parly.As...Just another day in our 500million++ quid parly.As someone else said they will all be having a ball at the weekend laughing about it (and probably claim expenses too)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20722989.post-36119781290491751262011-02-17T14:23:37.450+00:002011-02-17T14:23:37.450+00:00Where can we see the letter from Paul Grice to the...Where can we see the letter from Paul Grice to the committee?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20722989.post-2308435294910615822011-02-17T13:55:55.139+00:002011-02-17T13:55:55.139+00:00Disgusting and they dont care one bitDisgusting and they dont care one bitAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20722989.post-46833443362755568182011-02-17T13:46:19.952+00:002011-02-17T13:46:19.952+00:00"The closure of all eight petitions, calling ..."The closure of all eight petitions, calling for a review of the independent regulator which investigates complaints against public services in Scotland, maintains the Scottish Parliament’s noticeably almost perfect record of refusing to consider any public petition which calls for an independent investigation into, or reform of any regulator, self-regulator, or ‘Ombudsman’ position in Scotland."<br /><br />Peter you hit it right on the button there - these msps will never allow anything through to challenge regulation of anything in Scotland<br /><br />Nothing short of total corruption going on here and they all know itAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20722989.post-22889954648192943992011-02-17T13:22:33.902+00:002011-02-17T13:22:33.902+00:00I read about this last week although I have to adm...I read about this last week although I have to admit actually seeing the video of the Committee deliberations puts a different view on it.<br /><br />The authors of the petitions should be asking themselves if they had a fair hearing from the Parliament.I for one certainly don't think they did.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20722989.post-58166839008551145122011-02-17T12:36:53.454+00:002011-02-17T12:36:53.454+00:00Well if there's a debate at that parliament wh...Well if there's a debate at that parliament which offers proof msps are no friends of the public this must be it<br /><br />When are people in Scotland going to wake up to the fact this lot are doing nothing for the rest of us just for themselves ?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20722989.post-30310577189064254932011-02-17T12:02:54.950+00:002011-02-17T12:02:54.950+00:00An absolute disgrace, so much for Parliaments duty...An absolute disgrace, so much for Parliaments duty to represent the public interest. <br /><br />Jim Martin is only there because he won't rock the boat, hence his re-appointment.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20722989.post-37214011479207498612011-02-17T11:30:57.231+00:002011-02-17T11:30:57.231+00:00Evil MSP's supporting evil lawyers and neglect...Evil MSP's supporting evil lawyers and neglecting their constituents. These people are more like the Nazi SS.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com