(Wednesday 6 May 2009)
Stranger than fiction
I caught In The Loop, Armando Iannucci's film based on the satirical TV show The Thick Of It, at Glasgow Film Theatre last week.
Iannucci's writing and, in particular, fellow Scot Peter Capaldi's dramatic creation of the venal, violent and foul-mouthed spin doctor Malcolm Tucker are brilliant.
The film is very, very funny, even though it is about the depressing machinations of a new Labour government as it prepares for an illegal and mass-murdering war on the coat-tails of a hawkish US administration.
As a piece of cinema, it is well deserves the five stars given in the Morning Star review. The creations of Glaswegians Iannucci and Capaldi would maybe make us proud to be Scottish if they weren't so disturbingly realistic.
I am reliably informed by some who have been inside the bizarre circus of new Labour governments north and south of the border that it is not really like this - it's worse.
My own tangential involvement in politics suggests that this might be right - every succeeding week of news about the likes of Damien McBride or dodgy expenses, never mind illegal wars, seems to confirm it.
The dramatic conflict at the centre of In The Loop and The Thick Of It is the way in which what we might call "a small group of politically motivated men" capture power in a large party and force its representatives to act against the interests of that party itself and the people it represents.
IT WAS good to see a little clear red water emerge at the weekend between Labour MEP David Martin and the candidates of the other main parties.
Martin, who tops the Labour list for the European Parliament, was arguing in a TV debate against the British opt-out from the working time directive, which limits the number of hours people should work each week on average to 48.
SNP candidate Alyn Smith MEP, former Lib Dem MSP George Lyons and Tory MEP Struan Stevenson all lined up to oppose the Labour MEP and his support for the "socialistic" working time directive.
Martin denied that he was going "off-message," but in fact this directive is one of the many scenes of huge political conflict within the Labour Party.
Martin and his Scottish Labour Euro MP colleague Catherine Stihler deserve credit for working closely with trade unions and taking account of what they have to say on workplace issues such as that of working hours - and fighting for them.
They played a leading role among the Socialist Euro MPs who voted in December against the new Labour line on the British opt-out from the working time directive.
The European Parliament's decisive vote by 421-273 to end that opt-out then had to go to what is known as "conciliation" - negotiations with the Council of Ministers. There, the democratic vote to end the opt-out was scuppered by new Labour ministers Peter Mandelson and Pat McFadden.
Employment Minister McFadden is a veteran of the Blair sofa as an internal adviser helping to deliver anti-socialist policies ever since the ditching of clause four all those years ago. He was elevated to a safe seat in Wolverhampton in 2005. His current claim to infamy is the disastrous privatisation plan for Royal Mail.
McFadden's justified scuppering the working time opt-out and supporting Britain's dismal long-hours culture by saying: "In the current downturn it is more important than ever that people keep the right to put more money in their pockets by working longer hours if they wish."
Although he doesn't sit for a Scottish constituency, McFadden comes from Glasgow and makes us all every bit as proud to be Scottish as In The Loop's Malcolm Tucker would if he really existed.
Glasgow's Latin heartbeat
ON Saturday, I'll be heading to the Scottish Trades Union Congress Centre on Woodlands Road in Glasgow to enjoy the Adelante Cuba! social and fundraiser for Scottish Cuba Solidarity.
Apart from the usual pleasures of supporting Cuba and meeting good friends and comrades, the music is guaranteed to delight as it will be provided by the wonderful Voces del Sur led by the talented Valentina Montoya Martinez.
The band has been gaining a good reputation, having played at Glasgow May Day on Sunday and also appearing at the UNISON-sponsored Cuba Solidarity night at the STUC in April.
The Adelante Cuba! event follows Scottish Cuba Solidarity's AGM in the afternoon. The social starts at 7pm on Saturday May 9, at STUC Centre, 333 Woodlands Road, Glasgow.
Tickets are £6/£4 available from the SCSC office - call (0141) 221-2359 or email scottishcuba@yahoo.co.uk to book.
Beat the BNP - help maximise the vote
SCOTTISH unions are supporting Searchlight's Hope not Hate campaign to prevent any success by the BNP in next month's European elections.
The Scottish Trades Union Congress and UNISON have already agreed to co-ordinate a union day of action, UNION Friday, on Friday May 15 and other unions will be taking action.
Scotland had a lower vote for the BNP in the last European election than any other part of Britain. In fact, the fascists only managed 1.5 per cent of the Scottish vote in 2004. But that's 1.5 per cent too much by any count and it is essential that we keep up the pressure.
One of the things that the BNP will be hoping for will be a low overall turnout in the European elections on June 4, so that their tiny minority of support will appear larger in percentage terms.
If enough people don't vote against the BNP, this might allow them to claim a seat in regions such as the North West or the Midlands.
So the Union Friday organisers want to make sure everyone who can possibly vote against the BNP will do so.
One of the actions you can take wherever you live is to make sure everyone you know is registered to vote. If people are not on the register they can't vote.
Check the electoral register at local library or council offices. Voter registration forms can be got from the local council or online at the Electoral Commission's official UK election site www.aboutmyvote.co.uk. The completed form has to go to the local council.
The final deadline for getting forms back to ensure a vote in the Euro election is Tuesday May 19.
Why not sign up your union branch to take some action against the BNP on Union Friday? Check out www.hopenothate.org.uk for more information.
They'll sell like hot cakes
ANOTHER place you can get a fix of music and politics, this time for free, is at Glasgow Caledonian University's Centre for Political Song on Wednesday May 20.
The centre is holding a Night of Political Songs, Hootenanny Style featuring a stellar line-up of Attila the Stockbroker, David Rovics, Alistair Hulett, Arthur Johnstone, Fiona Keegan and Dominic O'Hara. Tickets are free, thanks to the goodwill for the centre among performers and activists.
You'll probably have to be quick to grab one, as I reckon they will be snapped up pronto. The event kicks off at 7pm and, if you're in fast enough, you can reserve a place from research collections manager John Powles on (0141) 273-1189 or J.Powles@gcal.ac.uk
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