tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8552582416987628682.post4319144453111457507..comments2023-06-05T08:48:05.439+01:00Comments on The Withering Vine: The Quality of MercyUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8552582416987628682.post-66037405125404747252009-08-29T20:20:21.719+01:002009-08-29T20:20:21.719+01:00R G Smartt:
I think that you are right that in pa...R G Smartt:<br /><br />I think that you are right that in part the press are more used to seeing ministers administering justice making more retributive decisions, and giving greater weight to international relations when doing so. It is difficult to see Jack Straw remaining oblivious to the views of President Obama. Full marks to Mr MacAskill.<br /><br />I am pretty certain as well that in part the press are shocked by the degree of autonomy which has been afforded to the Scottish government (or Scottish Executive to give it its formal name), and the privileged constitutional position that this has given those in Scotland. As I say, this is something which I think the UK government have tried to play down as much as possible when addressing the audience in England.Withering Vinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05524070605860902422noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8552582416987628682.post-22198523544181178372009-08-29T17:17:39.047+01:002009-08-29T17:17:39.047+01:00Excellent. Gerry Hassan writes good stuff too. I...Excellent. Gerry Hassan writes good stuff too. I wonder, however or additionally, if part of the trouble has not been an inability or unwillingness to accept that a Minister should be able to make an honest decision on the net question of "compassion", putting other issues aside with all his human strength. This I think McAskill did. Unfortunately, if his integrity had been recognised, our journalists would have had much less scope for writing and speculation. What I do wonder is whether, even under the banner of compassion, he ought perhaps to have left his decision until nearer a time of stretchers and oxygen tubes, though I suppose that Tripoli would have welcomed even a corpse with flags.R G Smarttnoreply@blogger.com