Now, Malcolm thinks he has this right, but is open to correction.
The SNP first bought the Tories’ 17 votes. It cost £60 million for city-centre regeneration. That’s a smidgeon over £3.5 million a vote. Annabel Goldie seems to have been easily satisfied.
At some stage, Margo Macdonald was brought on board the good ship Salmond. Her stated price was money for housing in Edinburgh, in effect the lion’s share of the £20 million to be divided between Edinburgh and Glasgow. During the budget debate, John Swinney said he had given her what she asked for — whatever that means. Either way, she didn’t sell her honour as cheaply as La Goldie‘s
Then the SNP had to buy the two Green votes of Harvie and Harper. The opening bid was £22 million for home insulation. Or £11 million a vote. Which suggests even more that Annabel Goldie had obliged the nice gent for a bargain price.
The SNP conceded that, only to find that the Greens had already upped the ante. Their going-rate was now £33 million. A vote was now worth £16½ million.
The SNP agreed that again — no humiliation too great — , only to find the Greens were also requiringthe Holyrood budget to underwrite any shortfall at local council level. By this stage the Greens were talking of £100 million a year: £50 million a vote.
Even the pliant SNP choked on that.
So, at least in the short-term, the two Green votes went walkabout.
All of this is full public view of television, reporters, the public gallery …
To think, too, that the two Greens are not directly elected: they’re only there as a consequence of the “top-up” lists.
