http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: Should Keith Brown resign? en Mon, 01 Jun 2026 08:30:55 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=10942#post-122341 Tue, 20 Aug 2013 08:19:20 +0000 Instography 122341@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>No doubt. But it might help if everyone at least frothed about the NiceWayCode in the right direction now that we've all had our fill of sniping at the twitter feed. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=10942#post-122332 Mon, 19 Aug 2013 22:51:49 +0000 crowriver 122332@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Somehow I don't think KB's the resigning on principle type. He'll only go if he's pushed by someone higher up the chain of command. What chance is there of that happening this side of the referendum? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=10942#post-122325 Mon, 19 Aug 2013 21:58:42 +0000 Instography 122325@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>But whether he saw the ads or not irrelevant. Relying on experts is not relevant. He is responsible. You can delegate authority but not responsibility. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=10942#post-122316 Mon, 19 Aug 2013 20:57:31 +0000 wee folding bike 122316@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>His predecessor resigned because it snowed and the BBC blamed him for it. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=10942#post-122312 Mon, 19 Aug 2013 20:14:36 +0000 RJ 122312@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>There are non-cycling reasons too ... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=10942#post-122310 Mon, 19 Aug 2013 20:12:48 +0000 chdot 122310@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I think he should resign for the A9, Aberdeen Bypass and new Forth Bridge. </p> <p>But realistically he is just implementing some of the policies he believes voters elected his party to do. </p> <p>I would be surprised if he actually saw the TV ads before the public or the final versions of the various other ads. </p> <p>Don't forget this </p> <p>"<br /> A Transport Scotland spokeswoman said the wording of the ads had been decided based on focus groups run by Cycling Scotland and its creative agency, Newhaven.</p> <p>The spokeswoman said: “Key messages were also developed in partnership with an experienced cycle tutor.”</p> <p>"</p> <p><a href="http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/transport/councillor-pans-bus-campaign-s-cycle-safety-advice-1-3040007" rel="nofollow">http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/transport/councillor-pans-bus-campaign-s-cycle-safety-advice-1-3040007</a></p> <p>So even if he saw the 'final products' he would of course be relying on the 'experts' who <em>should</em> know what they are talking about AND have delivered to meet the original brief. </p> <p>It seems unlikely that he actually wrote the original brief. </p> <p>Perhaps he should resign for imagining that it was possible to convince 'everyone' to be #nice for less than £1/2m?</p> <p>Perhaps he should resign for taking the money from the Active Travel budget? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=10942#post-122307 Mon, 19 Aug 2013 19:43:14 +0000 Instography 122307@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>The good thing about calling for Keith Brown to lose his job is that it could at least focus responsibility where it belongs - with the minister - rather than allow it to be misdirected to the poor person working the twitter feed and blog, to the ad agency, to Cycling Scotland or any of the naives who put their name to it. Keith Brown is the minister in Scotland's government with devolved responsibility for transport. He should be held to account for everything within, and everyone acting under, his portfolio. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=10942#post-122304 Mon, 19 Aug 2013 19:25:17 +0000 Charterhall 122304@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>It seems to me that Keith Brown's indifference to cycling is entirely consistent with SNP policy. We need a Scottish Boris. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=10942#post-122298 Mon, 19 Aug 2013 17:35:35 +0000 chdot 122298@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"<br /> Dominic Hinde (@DominicMHinde)<br /> 19/08/2013 17:07<br /> @Aprilcumming @AlisonJohnstone @patrickharvie @scotgov I can't wait for Keith Brown to grow out of being transport minister.</p> <p>" </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=10942#post-122284 Mon, 19 Aug 2013 14:00:22 +0000 chdot 122284@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"Until the SNP need the greens to keep them in power"</p> <p>Might be some truth in that. </p> <p>BUT it's current Gov policy (aspiration - or whatever) to have 10% of trips etc. </p> <p>AND Fairer, Greener, Smarter, blah. </p> <p>'We' just shouldn't have to be doing all this.... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=10942#post-122283 Mon, 19 Aug 2013 13:46:53 +0000 sallyhinch 122283@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Until the SNP need the greens to keep them in power, we won't see much change out of this lot. That's my feeling, anyway </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=10942#post-122263 Mon, 19 Aug 2013 12:02:40 +0000 crowriver 122263@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@Insto, aye but the gritting (or lack of) inconvenienced <em>drivers</em>*. Clearly if you do that, the press is up in arms and heads roll. I mean, we're only talking about a bunch of surly cyclists here. Pah! That's nothing. KB farts in our general direction.</p> <p>* - Lothian Buses still running that winter, grit or no grit, if I recall. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=10942#post-122249 Mon, 19 Aug 2013 09:45:30 +0000 minus six 122249@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>The SNP came to office with some bright rhetoric about becoming a scandinavian styled nation. Disappointing that this political and cultural vision has amounted to nothing. Bluntly depressing realpolitik is the order of the day. We get what we deserve, and the cherry on top is a permanently glaikit-looking transport minister for motorways. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=10942#post-122237 Mon, 19 Aug 2013 07:55:04 +0000 chdot 122237@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>'We' may be only people mentioning it on Twitter and sundry blogs (and complaints to the ASA), but ads are still appearing on billboards and in newspapers and remain on the back of buses. </p> <p>It remains to be seen if 'we' curtail the campaign in any way, but raising objections is worthwhile. </p> <p>It's just a shame that some organisations seem to be too embarrassed to admit they have been misled into backing it. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=10942#post-122236 Mon, 19 Aug 2013 07:34:30 +0000 gembo 122236@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Unlikely that he would resign over 'nothing' which is how it feels from our perspective I mean being treated as if we were nothing.</p> <p>Also unlikely that he will engage with critics. We are at risk of being portrayed as fringe players on this one.</p> <p>Alternatively we are the only people interested enough to keep it all going, a cunning ploy by the team behind NWC? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=10942#post-122232 Mon, 19 Aug 2013 00:22:27 +0000 Instography 122232@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Excuse me. I don't mean to get all <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_writing_on_the_wall">Daniel</a> about it but for some folk Keith Brown's job was in question from <a href="http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=10742#post-119674">Day 1</a>. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=10942#post-122231 Sun, 18 Aug 2013 22:58:12 +0000 sallyhinch 122231@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Hmmm. A copy of the open letter went to his office and Alex Salmond's. Keith's returned an 'out of office' reply... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=10942#post-122230 Sun, 18 Aug 2013 22:57:59 +0000 SRD 122230@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"Sticking his head in the sand might help his chances for now. Will his colleagues notice and think that was the right thing to do?"</p> <p>If enough of us write to his colleagues, they might demand that he do something - as you suggest, both options would have some justification. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=10942#post-122229 Sun, 18 Aug 2013 22:54:07 +0000 chdot 122229@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>He should probably be replaced. </p> <p>But he seems to be doing what the Scottish Government wants done - 'better transport - good for the economy'. </p> <p>Should he resign over the NWC?</p> <p>I have never been comfortable with 'responsibility goes to the top' when some minor cog makes a 'mistake' and the person at the top can't reasonably be expected to know about it or have been aware that a decision they made could result in a particular consequence. </p> <p>In this case the trail from KB to Cycling Scotland via Transport Scotland isn't exactly long. </p> <p>There has been speculation that KB said 'devise a campaign that gets road users to be nice - in a balanced way'. </p> <p>The precise details will be interesting to see. </p> <p>More crucial will be whether he saw the final campaign before it went public. </p> <p>Even more crucial is what he does next. </p> <p>Ignoring the fuss would be a mistake. </p> <p>Backing the campaign is what he should do for those who did the work - if it's what he told them to do. Of course this would mean facing down all those who disagree - but if he still thinks the campaign is 'right', then he should. </p> <p>Withdrawing the campaign could be seen as brave - or giving in to an 'irrelevant' minority. If he did it would be interesting to hear how much he takes responsibility and how much he blames the arms length operatives. </p> <p>Sticking his head in the sand might help his chances for now. Will his colleagues notice and think that was the right thing to do? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=10942#post-122228 Sun, 18 Aug 2013 22:39:57 +0000 RJ 122228@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"Wrong kind of campaign", following "wrong kind of snow". A transport minister's lot is not a happy one. I'd be happy to see someone else in the role, but not with a great deal of confidence that it would change much within Transport Scotland. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=10942#post-122225 Sun, 18 Aug 2013 22:16:11 +0000 SRD 122225@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Magnatom thinks so </p> <p><a href="http://www.magnatom.net/2013/08/enoughs-enough.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.magnatom.net/2013/08/enoughs-enough.html</a> </p>