While the other part of this week’s Roundup focuses on the Glasgow North East by-election, there’s been no shortage of other topics to keep the MacBlogosphere talking this week, and as guest editor I’ve examined a few high and not so high profile issues in a little more detail, with the usual miscellany following.

With the contemporary high profile of environmental issues the Green Party’s James is pleased at the results of an opinion poll showing a lack of public enthusiasm for the Forth Road Bridge replacement, and he also proffers a comprehensive look at the various issues. The indefatigable Jeff agrees – albeit casting some doubt on the survey methodology – and takes a wider look at sustainable transport issues. Meanwhile, Gary Marshall compares the economics and practicalities of travelling by plane and train, and plumps for the eco-unfriendly option.

Perhaps last week’s story saying most about the sad state of much of our political discourse was Spelling-gate – Gordon Brown’s ostensibly slapdash note of condolence sent to the bereaved mother of a soldier killed in Afghanistan – and yours truly attempts to use several sources to conclude that The Sun’s attempt to discredit the prime minister backfired. But Advanced Media Watch takes a more critical approach, albeit with a smidgen of sympathy, while Rantin Rab suggests a rather Machiavellian attempt by Mr Brown to exploit the newspaper, assuming he’s not being tongue-in-cheek! However, Jack Deighton examines the circumstances surrounding the recording of the phone call and is extremely sceptical about the motives of Mrs Janes. Caron, on the other hand, manages to be totally uncynical and empathises with both parties, but not the dastardly Sun. Alex Massie carries a Politics Home poll showing strong support for Gordon Brown. Meanwhile, Jess the Dog links the controversy to the wider issues of equipment shortages, the ill-defined war aims and related politicking.

Sticking with the military theme, Scottish Tory Boy asks MSP Christina McKelvie what precisely the SNP have done for Scottish veterans in view of her claim that support for them is now “streets ahead”.

With an outbreak of the superbug C. Difficile at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee hitting the headlines this week, Subrosa uses her own experiences to proffer some thoughts on infection control.

Bill takes a nostalgic look at the fall of the Berlin wall on its twentieth anniversary, but seems distinctly un-nostalgic about socialism, despite acknowledging that the ancien régime at least provided some kind of comfort blanket for the East Germans.

A lucky CJ blogs from the European Parliament, where he’s been attending a seminar on politics and the web, and where he made a presentation on the Scottish blogosphere. He contrasts the conflictual nature of our own medium with the more consensual approach on the Continent. Chris also contemplates the future of the MacBlogophere and asks whether anyone is actually listening to us. Perhaps only to the extent that we’re preaching to the converted!

Neil Craig takes a sceptical look at both the forthcoming Copenhagen climate change summit and supra-national government.

PoliticsScot reflects on another FMQs triumph for Alex Salmond on the back of open goals from Iain Gray and Tavish Scott.

John Ault outlines some sage advice for election candidates who may get too big for their boots, but provides anecdotal evidence that at least one polling clerk may contribute  to the ego massaging! And MP Jo Swinson confirms her opposition to all-women shortlists, but is equally critical of the all-men equivalents. Continuing with the theme of Lib Dems and election candidates, Stephen Glenn examines the issue of political pillow talk.

Saturday’s anti-Muslim demonstration by the BNP-esque Scottish Defence League inspired a ‘unite against facism’ message from Indygal. On another nationalist note, Independence Cymru makes common cause with other Celtic nations.

But with SNP attention now turning to the referendum bill (note the pun!), SNP Tactical Voting suggests a postponement until after the 2011 Holyrood elections.

Away from the political bear pit domestikated celebrates Sesame Street’s 40th birthday, while dissident group In Trust for Scotland tries to influence the future direction of the National Trust for Scotland.

On a humorous note, Sky TV’s rumoured decision to launch a dedicated Scottish channel leads Big Rab to speculate on a possible schedule.

Sad news for the MacBlogosphere this week as the civilised and deservedly popular Malc in the Burgh seems to pack his keyboard away, but in true soap opera style leaves his broadband connection open with the possibility of occasional posts and a future return – haste ye back!

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Labour’s decision to delay the date of the Glasgow North East by-election seemed to pay dividends in view of the party’s widely trailed victory, but the winning margin, the SNP’s failure to make inroads and the jostling of the other parties for the minor places still makes for an interesting post-vote analysis from Scottish bloggers. The Roundup special below organises the various sources roughly along party lines.

Naturally the Labour MacBlogosphere has been sounding a triumphant/triumphalist note following their candidate’s overwhelming victory. Possibly first off the blocks was Yousuf, who points out that Willie Bain’s success occurred during a recession and at the end of a third Labour term at Westminster. Alex Salmond’s boast that the SNP could win 20 seats at next year’s general election is ridiculed by the Grumpy Spindoctor, who concludes: “The Salmond magic touch has lost its lustre somewhat.”

The Grumpy SD also asks why Alex Salmond hasn’t been around to account for the SNP defeat and questions why the party didn’t learn lessons from their reverse in Glenrothes.

Tom Harris rather obtusely compares Labour’s by-election record with the Tories’ while in office before 1997 and concludes that “Cameron has most definitely not sealed the deal”.

Away from the immediate aftermath of the declaration Yousuf highlights emerging divisions in the SNP over the decision to cancel GARL, and also outlines its impact on the by-election and future ramifications.

The Nationalist bloggers are understandably downcast and some have clearly decided that ‘no comment’ is the best strategy, but there’s still plenty reflection and suggestions for future strategy, not to mention predictable opprobrium aimed at Labour.

SNP Tactical Voting’s Jeff claims that Labour’s “dastardly” tactics and message utilised in the campaign won’t play well in other parts of the country. By the same token, the inimitable Lallands Peat Worrier – who headlines simply with “Gubbed” – posits (I think!) that Labour’s parochial neo-”Clydesideism” emphasis may be apt to “depress their broader electoral fortunes”.

Jim at No More Diaspora opines that the SNP’s candidate didn’t resonate with voters, and those who could be bothered voting just “went with the devil they know”. As a reformed Labourite Christian Jones dissects his former party’s approach, and uncompromisingly laments its lack of a positive message and lambasts the “level of downright lies and nasty personal attacks” which was a “new and rather crude development” He further claims that the SNP needs a “treasured local stalwart”, which would be preferable to a “bright young thing”. A more magnanimous Moridura takes solace from his view that Willie Bain seems more “old” than “new” Labour, and emphasises both the critical nature of candidate selection in view of the intense scrutiny during a campaign and the importance of one or two core issues that will be subject to “spin and distortion”.

North to Leith confines himself to expressing the irony of relief at the Tories coming third (thus ahead of the BNP) and Indygal conveys a similar sentiment. But the MSP also slates Jim Murphy for suggesting the SNP got “too big for its boots”, conflating the Scottish Secretary’s view of her party with the “people of Scotland” and the country generally.

As for the edgier pro-independence blogs, Wardog laments the “poverty of ambition” and “lack of aspiration” in the constituency. An indignant Omar at Advanced Media Watch points out that the prime minister was barely mentioned by Labour during the campaign but a victorious Willie Bain had declared his triumph an endorsement for Gordon Brown. Key Bored Warrior advises Alex Salmond to tone down his act but paradoxically advocates a course of action unlikely to be adopted by SNP strategists, at least in the literal sense: “The SNP need to get down in the sewer with Labour and start grabbing them by the bollocks and squeezing.”

For the Lib Dems, Caron puts her party’s poor performance down to a lack of financial resources while attributing the overall result to the SNP’s “shocking” performance rather than any Labour advance. Andrew Reeves compares the Glasgow East, Glenrothes and this week’s by-elections, and congratulates the Lib Dems much-criticised candidate Eileen Baxendale. John Ault says Labour have learned lessons from previous by-election defeats and thinks this presages a long general election campaign.

Tory Bear thinks Labour’s reaction to their victory is overdone in view of the ultra-safe nature of the seat, the low turnout and the “negative kitchen sink” campaigning thrown at David Kerr.

In the less partisan reaches of the MacBlogosphere Alan at Aye We Can claims Willie Bain is a “cut above the average Scottish MP”. James Kelly thinks Nick Griffin’s appearance on Question Time provided the BNP with a by-election fillip, but yours truly suggests that if UKIP had stood – as they did in May’s European elections, when they outpolled both the BNP and Tories – then this could have split the right wing vote and propelled Tommy Sheridan into third place.

On a lighter note Polaris at Wholly Rude suggests a secret plan to reverse the SNP’s fortunes in Glasgow – splitting off “TraitorLand” from the rest of Scotland and towing it into the Atlantic, as part of a strategy culminating in “Bagpipes, Whiskey, Tartan Dolls and Haggis for every patriot for generations tae come”.

As for the MSM blogs, at The Steamie David Maddox points out that although the SNP only secured 17.6% of the vote in 2005 they are now consistently showing around double that in opinion polls, and are thus likely to significantly increase their representation at Westminster from 6 seats, although 20 seems unlikely. And the Nationalists’ “dream” of 20 MPs is suggested by Alex Massie to mean that while once a dozen or so seats would be regarded a great success, “now, thanks to the SNP’s over-inflated rhetoric and hubris, it will look like failure”.

Brian Taylor underlines the “oppositional” nature of Labour’s campaign, which paradoxically concentrated on the record of the SNP administration at Holyrood in a Westminster contest, and also alludes to a Glasgow v Edinburgh dimension. And he doubts the SNP’s claim of a dearth of “aspirational” voters as distinguishing Glasgow NE from last year’s Glasgow East contest.

Well that’s it folks, and since the next Roundup election special will probably be the big one, I nominate, ahem, someone else!

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