Achi news desk-
Oh, you don’t get me, I’m part of the union You don’t get me, I’m part of the union You don’t get me, I’m part of’ the union Until the day I die, until the day I die
Few others, it seems, had turned to this small act of solidarity. The song had been released at a time when Britain was in the midst of industrial unrest and the three day week.
Shortly after this, Humza Yousaf was leaving the building flanked by advisers and security detail. He is far too young to have known this song.
Just as well. The First Minister of Scotland has become obsessed with the waves of hatred that he believes are engulfing modern Scotland. Look again at that chorus: “You don’t get me, I’m part of the Union.” In recent form, he might be inclined to regard this as a cruel provocation with the sole purpose of hurting his feelings.
A short time before, Mr Yousaf’s speech had made someone look jubilant. I have seen philatelists discuss the High Values of the 1913 Seahorse with more gusto. A colleague in the press is kinder. “This was Gettysburg compared to Anas Sarwar’s effort yesterday,” he pointed out.
In fairness to both men, addressing the STUC congress is miles out of their comfort zone. All are familiar with bursts of contrived and organized applause at their own tribal gatherings. That is not really on brand for trade union representatives.
This year’s theme is ‘Employees Win Together’, a noble aspiration. We were told that Mr Yousaf would address: support for workers; the challenging financial landscape and Just Transition. And to be fair, he did get to these eventually, staring in all his stereotypical folders. There would be an Action Plan, although I don’t remember what. Mercifully, it didn’t come with the usual ‘five points’.
Plans regarding Just Transition were “still developing”. He would stand ‘shoulder to shoulder’ with some people and put others “at the heart of things”. Some unfortunates were “being ridden in the street” because in a speech like this someone always needs to be ridden.
However, Mr Yousaf couldn’t resist another trip for his favorite theme: how hateful Scotland has become. He reached out to the “everyday victims of hate crime” of whom there are still “far too many”. Then it was on to those who “experience hate at work” or are “victims of hate”.
The man is obsessed with how hateful his fellow citizens have become.
When did this happen? Should there be a period of national penance and a truth and reconciliation commission? Tony Blair and Bill Clinton are still joking around. Gordon Brown still has to have their numbers.
There was another pet theme. The Tories were the author of all kinds of falsehood. It made you wonder what Scotland could achieve if we managed Health, Education, Policing and Infrastructure. Oh, wait…
A few hours later I returned to the memory of the city square songs. He was singing Hotel California. “You can check out anytime you want, but you can never leave”.
That would have sent Humza round the bend
