The Rt Hon Malcolm Bruce MP

January column

************************2007 -Year of a new Prime Minister************************

The inevitable political speculation of the New Year is when Tony Blair will finally tell us he is leaving Downing Street and allow his now almost inevitable successor Gordon Brown to step into the role.

It was clearly a mistake for Tony Blair to announce before the last election that he would be standing down although he did say he would serve a full term.

All of this stems from whatever the deal was that he and Gordon Brown struck at their famous dinner at Granita in Islington when Labour was in opposition.

It has done nothing to enhance Tony Blair's reputation and has undermined morale and the sense of direction within the Government.

There are those who predict or demand an early election once the change takes place. There are, however, plenty of precedents for new Prime Minster's taking office without precipitating an early election.

I believe voters have taken Mr Brown into account in their assessment of the Labour Government. I do not see Labour's standing altering significantly when he takes over.

Having waited ten years to step into the job I think a naturally prudent Mr Brown will think twice before risking its early termination at the polls. He may try to take some bold initiatives to put his own stamp on Government but unless they deliver a sustained poll lead I doubt he will call an early election.

************************Scottish elections - need to avoid confusion************************

One set of elections we know for certain will happen is the May 3 Scottish Parliament and local government elections.

A key feature of these is that they will be carried out using two different types of proportional voting system - the additional member list system for the Scottish Parliament and STV (the Single Transferable Vote) for local government.

It will be interesting to see how voters react but I hope they will agree with me that for them STV is simpler and more democratic. It also avoids the problem of having two categories of elected member.

If adopted for Scottish Parliament elections it would also avoid the confusion of having different boundaries for Westminster and Scottish Parliament seats of the same name.

In Gordon the contest for the Scottish Parliament looks like shaping up as a straight fight between our sitting MSP, Nora Radcliffe, and the SNP who have put up their leader as candidate.

Alex Salmond has already been an MSP but gave it up in favour of London based politics. Now he says he wants to return (although he hasn't promised to give up his Westminster seat if he is successful).

The SNP have not been willing or able to create a vacancy for him so he has crossed over the boundary to a seat where the SNP fell to third place at the last Scottish Parliament elections. Indeed the SNP's separatism has always been viewed with justifiable suspicion by the majority of voters in Gordon.

Maybe that's why Mr Salmond is hedging his bets both by keeping his Westminster job and by being first on the North East list for the SNP.

Nora Radcliffe is very much the local MSP, living in the constituency with deep local roots. She and I are working together on a whole range of issues such as delivering local health, schools improvements and continuing road and rail upgrades, campaigning for our local post offices as well as doing what we can to promote a successful local economy.

It is a good team and I hope that people will support it rather than be seduced by a high profile incomer who seems to want several jobs in a variety of different locations and is determined to try and take Scotland out of the UK.

************************Time for a positive North East promotion************************

I have had a number of discussions recently about the need for us to promote the positive attractions of the North East more widely and to varied audiences.

I am constantly surprised how little is known about our area even in other parts of Scotland let alone the wider UK.

This is highlighted by the difficulty of recruiting people to good jobs in the region. The shortage of teachers, especially in some subjects, has been a matter for recent comment and the oil and gas industry, health service and other sectors have similar problems.

In terms of tourism the North East does not rank high compared with Edinburgh and the Highlands.

Yet when people come here to visit, live or work they express a very positive view about the region - its scenery, history, amenities and friendly people.

Maybe the time has come for us to bring together all these interest groups to raise our game and tell the world about the attractions of the North East. In the past year, even the weather has been a plus with a pleasant warm rather than hot summer and a remarkably bright winter so far.

We need teacher, doctors, dentists, engineers, scientists and entrepreneurs of all kinds. We need to encourage our local pupils to consider these careers and to make their home here.

It'll help if when they travel people have a positive image of Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire.

************************Testing the real value of fair trade products************************

The International Development Select Committee is embarking on one enquiry at the start of the year, which I know will interest many constituents. It is an investigation into fair trade products.

Last year Ellon became a fair trade town and Nora Radcliffe and I were pleased to give the successful campaign our support.

Many people write to me with support for fair trade campaigns and there is no doubt that some of them help give producers in developing countries a fair return and access to our markets. Nevertheless they are a drop in the ocean compared with total trade.

That is why we will also be taking evidence from EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson to discuss what the EU can do to secure a development deal in the trade round and offer direct access to EU markets.

No doubt local farmers will be arguing that they could be doing with a fair trade deal for our markets too, especially given the difference between the farm gate price for milk and the end price.

I am sympathetic to that point but hope they will recognise the plight of farmers in the poorest countries many of whom are living on less than 50p a day.

We will certainly be asking people like Tesco, Sainsbury, Starbucks and Marks and Spencer whether their fair trade products really do help reduce poverty and on what scale.

I know many people including myself want to know what products really are fair trade and what difference it makes if we chose to buy these.

************************Fair wind for city's sustainability drive************************

Aberdeen City needs to be commended and encouraged in its determination to become a low carbon city committed to sustainable development.

This is easier said than done but requires political will which is being put behind it.

Woking is the UK community which has delivered the most spectacular results in terms of reducing its greenhouse gas emissions. It would be very appropriate if Aberdeen could give a northern example.

It requires a whole raft of policies from raising the design specification for new and refurbished buildings to greater energy efficiency and the application of renewable technologies such as solar, wind, wave, tidal and bio-fuels.

These technologies may be more expensive than fossil fuels but some of them are cost competitive with nuclear without the waste problems.

Also as they become more widespread and linked to more efficient uses of energy their potential will grow.

It is in our interest for Aberdeen to succeed in becoming not just the offshore oil and gas capital of Europe but the energy capital. That will extend the life of our region's energy technologies well past the long term decline of North Sea oil and gas.

8 January 2007