Good luck to SNP MP Mhairi Black

[claig]

She is phenomenal - just 20 years old, SNP MP.

"I'm not the one who should be nervous, the people who are responsible for so much poverty and so much struggle in people's lives, they're the ones who should be nervous becase they're the ones who are going to held accountable for all the damage that they do to people"

Thet are going to shake our usual spinners up. They won't know what hit them. The SNP have some great women MPs - saw some of them on TV over the weekendm a real breath of fresh air - they are going to shake things up and not put up with the bowing and doffing of caps crap.

They don't conform to the traditional profile of our useless lot. This is a bit like the movie "Mr Smith Goes to Washington". I can't remember what happens in that movie though.

Before being an MP she was weeks away from graduating and going out into the world to find work. She should have already been well on the way to making the transition from being a student to young professional woman and she wasn't.

She is everything her Tweets say she is.

I loved the pics of her sitting outside the commons with her chip buttie, very classy. I guess one things for sure, her expenses won't be high...

People shouldn't be slagging off her cheap suits - we all wore cheap shots when we first left uni or school and started work - but it is fair to comment on her overall demeaner. How she puts herself across is important, and that includes what she says, how she says it, her body language, her twitter feed, her ability to answer questions, and - as yet untested - her competence in the job.

People aren't being snobby, or trying to keep people in 'their box'. Politicians get harsh criticism from everyone - look at the battering Miliband got for eating a bacon roll the wrong way? Mhairi Black will be expecting this, and probably has a quite thick skin, so I wouldn't worry about her from that point of view. Why are so many people people taking the comments on here so personally?

If her lack of experience means she's useless, she will getting booted out next time. If she is the talented newbie some people think she is, she will learn fast and do well, then get reelected. Simple.

Remember everyone, she chose to do this.

Im not slagging off her 'cheap' suits because there's no shame in not being able to buy pricier clothes at any age. But I do agree with everything you have pointed out about overall demeanour.

She reminds me of Bernadette Devlin. I'm glad she is an unpolished, passionate, young woman. I hope that more young women are inspired by her and not put off by the type of bitchy comments that have appeared on this thread.

Young women, don't know your place, don't bow to the bitchy comments, don't be perfect, don't be afraid. Stand up, be counted and be the best you can be.

Some horrible comments on this thread.

Some people have very short memories. She's not "professional" enough for the House of Commons?! That place of work where just about every MP 5 years ago was running up false expense claims? That centre of privilege where there was known paedophiia and violent child abuse going on? Mhairi Black is already head and shoulders above some of her predecessors.

For info the SNP has a very strict policy on expenses so there should be no worry that this current crop will be exploiting their position. They know they're under the microscope. I see George Kerevan has already pledged to only take the average wage as salary with the remainder going to charity and office expenses.

Not Mhairi but here's a lovely story from one of her colleagues on her first day at Westminster indygalinspired.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/day-one-in-westminster-house.html?spref=tw

That is a nice blog post. Like the bit where she comments on no brolly.

It was me who initially mentioned Malala. So should anyone need reminding, I called out posters for their ageism I didn't 'compare' Mhairi and Malala as there obviously is no comparison. But I seem to have struck a nerve so I'll take that.

And again, would you feel (or say) the same about what Malala wears or the fact she could only afford one book, Charlotte's Web, in Pakistan.

Both great young women. Just a bit embarrassing that one of them is being torn to shreds by people old enough to know better given the issue of age. We're so used to be ruled by men that we see a strong woman and carp ourselves, oh look at her hair, oh who is her dad...

would you feel (or say) the same about what Malala wears or the fact she could only afford one book, Charlotte's Web, in Pakistan.

There's no link at all between Mhairi Black and Malala. None.

Mhairi Black is no where near a great young woman and I think you are really insulting Malala by putting her on a par with her. Maybe one day in the future, but as of now all I see of Mhairi Black is a disgraceful series of comments on social media and at independence events, and an unprofessional appearance in her speech and in her dress.

I'm sure she wouldn't want to be likened to a terrorist sympathiser either Dione.

I vote for someone who can represent me, she ain't it.

Can someone remind me why all the SNP MPs went to Westminster? Why did NC go? She isn't even an MP... Sounds like a bit of a jolly and a bit of bravado.

Erm, the SNP MP went to WM because that's where they're working now. Just like the Tory MPs, who also had group photocalls etc.

I imagine Nicola went too because she's been a major part of the campaign, and is leader of the party. (Assuming you meant Nicola by NC, even though she's NS? It's not the first time I've seen that error.)

At the very least, she is something different. And I'm willing to see how she goes, considering polish, good elocution and years of practice haven't exactly sorted the country out, have they? As a Glaswegian woman, to me it's cheering to hear a voice that sounds familiar and isn't being modulated to sound 'better.' In the office where I work, most of us are Glaswegian females. Most of us have been told at some point to soften our accents if we want to get on. My accent never stopped me getting a doctorate.

I've taught 20 year olds at Glasgow Uni (not in politics, but other subjects) and it's bloody rare to find one who speaks as confidently and convincingly as she does.

Yes, she's inexperienced, but she seems to have got into this game for the right reasons, which is more than I can say for a lot of the MPs in Westminster (and Holyrood, for that matter). So there are the Celtic comments. Sadly, as a Glaswegian Catholic I'm well acquainted with the harm sectarianism causes. And I don't believe her comments qualify as sectarian. I hate to say it, but maybe if she were a vocal Rangers fan there would be cause to read them differently. But sectarian behaviour between Partick Thistle and Celtic doesn't exist. I didn't even vote SNP, or yes. I say give her a chance.

I would be interested to read what she said about nuns, though, Annunziata, if you could please link. That may sway me, if she is saying stuff that's genuinely bigoted.

She Tweeted 'the nuns can get tae fuck'.

No idea what the context was.

I don't understand it.

'Meanwhile a tweet saying "the nuns can get tae f*" has received 125 'likes' and 415 retweets.'

www.express.co.uk/news/politics/576316/Mhairi-Black-youngest-MP-x-rated-Twitter

Peggyundercrackers, are you fucking serious?!

It looks as if that tweet was sent in March 2010 - over 5 years ago! - and was football related, but as it's been deleted I can't see more.

Is 'the nuns' the nickname for a football team?

Result five is the closest to the full tweet I can find. "The nuns" isn't a nickname for any football team, but Rangers are also called Huns, and it's a pretty easy typo... If it was a typo, it disproves allegations of sectarianism for calling Celtic supporters "scum".

(For those not familiar with Scottish football, Celtic were originally Catholic, and Rangers Protestant.)

It's just possible she has played to the crowd. She may well be articulate, poised and middle class, if se is also intelligent then she may have realised that would play to the wrong demographic in Paisley, a gobshite however would immediately let her identify with the typical Paisleyite.

I have to take issue with the people saying that she's a whole lot better than the MPs in the commons who have fiddled expenses, covered up abuse, etc etc.

She's brand new to the job. She hasn't had any time at all to prove herself either way. Not one MP that I know of turned up fresh faced to parliament and proceeded immediately to blag, lie and whitewash.

Have you heard the phrase power corrupts? Or my favourite one, 'they come to do good, but they stay to do well'? I believe that the vast majority of MPs will have begun their careers on a wave of heartfelt commitment to public service. As the years go by and they become part of the established order, many of them turn out to be corruptible and dishonest. That bloke who got his wife to take his speeding points, does anybody think that at the outset of his career he was a scheming twat? I bet he wasn't.

There are countless pictures of Blair, Brown et al in their student demo finery. They were once angry young men, raging against the system and determined to make institutional change.

Mhairi Black may well turn out to be a steadfast and professional parliamentarian. Or she may duck, dive, obfuscate and sell out her views as so many hopefuls have before her. Only time will tell, and it's farcical in my view to invest her with near religious levels of faith because she has a regional accent and speaks loudly. Give her a chance.

Morriszapp has it spot on.

11th May
"11 MayMhairi Black MP @mhairi1921
started with a few wkd's at hannah's and now i'm watching channel 4 OD ....what the fuck happened to my night :L
Retweeted by Gabriella

Oh dear

Behoven...what exactly's caused the oh dear for that one?

I would think that was clear - conduct unbecoming