Hot week, busy week..politicians leaving; politicians moving on...

Finally, parts of Scotland have a worthy summer, worthy of talking about! How do I know? Well, it's a long time since there's been so much uncovered flesh in such abundance. In the parks? On the beaches? Not a bit of it1 In the streets, in the shops, on the buses, on the trains!
I didn't venture on the clockwork orange in Glasgow this week, but if I had, I'm sure I would have seen I'd seen it all, already & elsewhere. http://www.yelp.co.uk/biz/glasgow-underground-glasgow,

And then there's that sizzle, as the oiled, raw meat, hits the hot racks, and comes off minutes later beautifully seared on the outside and raw on the innards. Ah, waft of the bar-b-qs mingling with the sweet aroma of...tropical tanning lotions. 

It brings out the worst in us, and yes, the best of us.
Lovely, lovely (very mature) lady tottering into a shopping centre yesterday, not a white hair out of place, even her walking stick had been polished. 

 So elegant in this year's white & black colours. But then, what goes round comes round since I think they were originals..1950's & 'labels' to boot. I just nodded at her, smiled & a tilt of my head in appreciation. 

I swear, her ram rod back raised itself all of half an inch, and her stick managed a bit of a swagger as we studiously ignored the wobbling pinky-red parts pushing past us in a rush for another bag of charcoal.

So hot and busy here, as the rumour mill ground to a halt with the confirmation that Mohammad Sarwar our first Scottish MP is moving on or if you prefer, back to Pakistan to work for and with the newly elected Pakistani government, headed up by the Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif.
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/first-muslim-mp-mohammad-sarwar-2068574

Original gossip had it that he would become High Commissioner to the UK, but it now seems more likely that he will take up a Ministerial post, or even become Governor of the province of the Punjab. Not a surprise really since Md Sarwar had stepped down in time for the last UK election and has always throughout his political career maintained close, working links with Pakistan. 

He's played a visible part in at least 2 high profile cases involving Scotland-Pakistan, Pakistan-Scotland, and thank goodness for that.

But what could this mean for Scotland? A knowledge base close to the heart of the Pakistani elite & power base with spin offs in improvement in trade, exchanges in 'culture',  academia, the criminal justice sector? It has to be time to recognise that such cross country connections at such levels can produce benefits.

And for Pakistan? Perhaps more than trade, cultural, academic and criminal justice exchanges....perhaps someone else who'll bring up the subject of  ....drone attacks, the narcotics trade, both internal & external, terrorism, corruption, irrespective of the actual portfolio he will have in the future.

We see examples of succession politics now in many countries, and it's not exclusive to Asia, nor the Sarwars. Afterall, it's rumoured (that damned mill again) that Chelsea's doing it,  
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/harry-reid-hints-chelsea-clinton-president-article-1.1399070t,

and the Benns did it, #bennh@parliament.uk.

So why not  Bangladesh?

http://www.virtualbangladesh.com/biography/mujib.html

Actually they've been doing it for a while, too. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Banga Bandhu, Friend of Bengal, massacred along with most of his family in '75, with only two daughter remaining, one of whom Sheikh Hasina now leads the country and a niece of hers;  no,  not in Bangladesh and up and coming. But up and coming and  born here.
The newly selected candidate for the Hampstead and Highgate seat, hoping to succeed Glenda Jackson is none other than Tulip.
Tulip Siddiq, Banga Bandhu's grand daughter, Sheikh Hasina's, niece.
(Tulip Rizwana Siddiq is a British Labour Party politician, councillor in Regent's Park and cabinet member for culture in Camden Council. In May 2010, she became the first Bengali woman in Camden Council....http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulip_Siddiq)
And again, the benefits should be obvious: not least the furthering and consolidation of links  between country & country, in this instance, UK & Bangladesh.
But perhaps someone else who'll bring up & pursue the subject of the quality of working conditions in the garment industry in Bangladesh, and the co-relation between the markets here.

Now then, can we move on  from the notion of succession politics - politico families and think of it as something in the environment, or the family, or the blood?

And you've got to admit, all in all, that's a pretty good body swerve in three areas;
maybe I could follow up on women in politics, strong women,
or maybe male only golf clubs...when is a private club not a private club?
or maybe the proposition to privatise the blood transfusion.....

or perhaps I'll just slap on the lotion , head for the secluded garden and maybe even join in that lunch time bar b q beginning to waft my way........

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