91Èȱ¬

The advent of celebrity endorsement is another encroachment into rational politics by American style politics.
It has no bearing on the policies nor on the effectiveness of the parties. It is the final rot of democratic systems.
Parties will begin to spend so much time and momey trying to obtain celeb endorsements that they will have little or no time for the public nor the policies that the public seek.
What does it matter if 100 footballers support the union?
Whta does that say in real terms: Look here folks our cause is good and just because we have 100 socially priveledged wealthy people who say we are right!
Hogwash whats your policies and why do you resort to celebs to cover up your lack of action over the past 4 years? Thats my question.
As to the SNP listing 100 business persons. Thats another story and has historical context as one of the biggist attacks by both Labour and Conservatives has been that money and businesses will flee an independant Scotland. Are those Footballers willing to flee? Are they even Scottish residents?
Ask the right questions and celeb politics evaporates like the light and smoke show that it is.

I'm not a member of any party and I think they all have some good ideas however I suppose I must be open and say that I couldn't vote for the SNP because the thought of pulling this tiny island apart and making me a "foreigner" in parts of it depresses me deeply.

No chance of anyone saying I haven't been open on that issue!

The SNP is doing well (very well!) and I know that those in opposition looking at their first chance of government are likely to be the more excited than those defending power. However even if you take the most favourable poll the SNP is on 35 (or perhaps even 38%). Yet a huge majority of those commenting on this and other sites like The Herald are of an SNP view. I wonder why? Are the SNP more organised at getting their members to contribute or are the other parties just lazy. As soon as an article appears on some of these sites there's a comment at 2.00 am (!) usually from an SNP viewpoint.

Finally I wish people from both sides wouldn't continually complain about 91Èȱ¬ bias. The 91Èȱ¬ is in an impossible position because those complaining only ever see it from their side. If a Labourite occasionally complained that he had heard something unfair about the SNP (or vice versa) the complaints would have more force. In reality all they are saying is I want good things said about my side but I'll pretend I'm after balance.

Thanks

P.S I don't work for the 91Èȱ¬, have never worked for the 91Èȱ¬, will never work for the 91Èȱ¬, my sister doesn't work for the 91Èȱ¬, my wife doesn't work for the 91Èȱ¬. That's before the conspiracy theorists start replying!

Of course real celebrities can be influential but it can be more meaningful to examine the ‘position’ of the individual celebrity’s personal conditions in which they proffer their opinion and support.

Alex Ferguson Manchester United manager supports the Union, would we expect a man in his position managing an American/English/Irish football to publicly state he supports the SNP? This support has parallels with Gordon Brown’s support for England’s bid to host the World Cup and his stated support and expectations for England to win.

Celebrities in my opinion only carry any credibility if they have no personal conditions they wish to preserve or are in the pursuit of cheap publicity; business men who feel they can be more successful under one or other administration may be more credible but only if the have no links to the ‘system.’

I would never be swayed by any celebrity who does not or is not willing to speak or be questioned on the issues they claim to associate themselves with; it is only by examining the manifestos on offer and their ability to stand up to scrutiny which should ultimately capture our vote.

What on earth was that SNPtv braodcast about, talking about celebs?

They had 3 minutes of Sean Connory (his finest roll since Dr No- not) then some woman who (correct me if i am wrong) used to be on GMTV?

i mean, Sir Sean is famous- but other than being well known what message does he convey?

That it's okay to leave scotland and never come back? Like Alex Salmond thought about doing when he went to London again?

Phh!

Quite right Brian, decide on the policies- not the dodgey vids of celebs!

Catriona

Brian, It's a lovely thought, but in twenty years time 'celebrity' and politics will be indistinguishable.

Candidates are already going through pseudo-X-factor auditions. The old adage about politics being showbiz for 'ugly people' doesn't really apply.

There will be 'Big Brother/Strictly Come Dancing on my Celebrity Love Island' type 'evictions', and then a 'phone poll' for the winner...

Don't believe me ? Just ask the Governor of California...

Well in that case were going to have some pretty poor parliamentarians then.

To evaluate the intent of celebrities and those in business apply these tests:

Is the celebrity’s career waxing, waning or is it headlining?
Is the business persons ventures profitable or struggling?
What could the celebrity gain or lose from such an alliance?
What could the business person gain or lose from such an alliance?
What could the party gain or lose from such alliances?

The intent of the party is clearly to gain from such alliances; if the celebrities and those in business have the intent to gain from such an alliance their support will be seen for what it is, opportunistic, however if that support shows no indication of gain the support will seem meaningful.

Just for you Brian,

Help with the word cool:

Book; Adj. Cool or excellent. Teen and adolescence vernacular, derived from the first choice of words offered on a mobile phone (cellphone) when texting the word cool with predictive text switched on.

People have to vote on policy and the candidates standing in their area. Ross Renton is campaigning hard in Glasgow Shettleston. Out of the three main parties he was the only one to turn up at the only hustings/debate to be held in the area this election. With the last turn out being only 35% in Glasgow Shettleston, forget celebrities, it would be good for some local people to meet candidates!

Jack - what's that smell?

The firth of Forth - or your breeks?

Answers on a postcard.

SNP environmental issues are LIGHT-YEARS in front of the short-sighted, London-led Scottish Labour Party.

The Greens and the SNP have issues to work on - but they at least are in a position to talk to each other, chiming on a great many issues!

Spineless, gutless, nuclear toting Joke McConnell. Take your meathead football 'stars' and scuttle back under your rock.

Honestly - dumb as a bag of hammers.

Well you can see who Laird Alec is aligning himself with the
" Business men" which proves the SNP deserve the title " Tartan Tories" and sorry wheeling out Sean Connery to Rally the People on the Web ..Its like watching an episode of the Twighlight Zone .doododoododoodo etc....
Actors shouldnt interfere in Politics ..Remember Ronald ( Duh!! Duh!!) Reagan the World survived him ...just ....and now the Sports heavies have stepped up to the line ...so it is the SNP against all the Footie Fans ( ..My money is on the Footie Fans )...You see Alec you aimed for the wrong group ..to do your flag waving and not too impress to fine a point on it ..it is a short trip from organisation to utter chaos ...

I entirely agree that policies should be judged on their merits and not by celebrity association.

Would that the media agreed and behaved accordingly! So great is the obsession with celebrity that that's what attracts coverage and, now, seems to determine the eligibilty and credibility of national politicians.Even the way Gordon Brown smiles gets compared unfavourably with Tony Blair.....

On the other hand, the views of successful and emerging Scottish "artists" are of some interest to the development of the Arts in Scotland and party policy in relation to that. Sir Sean spoke with commitment on that on SNP tv, as have the young artists who have appeared since. Indeed, they have restricted their comment to only that subject.

By the way, Catriona, the "some woman from GMTV" is a local lass from Livingston who went to Stirling Uni and is well known to many of us here.

Mark wrote, "I wish people from both sides wouldn't continually complain about 91Èȱ¬ bias.
Mark - I watch 91Èȱ¬ World Service and have not seen even seconds about these elections (or anything else concerning Scotland and Wales for that matter) The rest of the World knows nothing about Scottish elections or the SNP's leads and it maybe consequence. We are given news concerning various elections in France, Nigeria, Turkey, East Timor and almost everywhere else but never about those in Scotland. It's this being continually ignored that has helped grow the support for the SNP - it is not anti-English (most Scots have English relatives plus Kiwi and Aussie ones) but rather anti- Westminster and not having a voice in World forums. Even Andorra and Malta can choose which wars to send their young people to. Being self-governing is the normal state for virtually every nation in the World and so should England and Scotland - they’d be much better friends.