The Return of The Grim Reaper; Ex SNP Health Sec Jeane Freeman lands new job at Glasgow University as an Ambassador for Community Engagement, Public Health and Innovation, is there no depths, no humiliation, no sense of shame that University of Glasgow won't sink too, it seems the moral decline of Scotland extends to higher education

One thing which the general public may not know is that some ex politicians end up in academia such as universities. Probably one of the most notable ex politicians to move in academia was Wendy Alexander. Alexander who went to Glasgow University at the same time I was there, she was a former leader of the Scottish Labour Party and an MSP, her brother is Douglas, a former Labour MP and Foreign Secretary. It was said that Wendy Alexander was the type of person who had a million ideas, the bulk of which were unworkable or just plain crap. Much was made of her intelligence as being super intelligence. At university, I found her to be a gobby wee shite, self opinionated, and up her own arse. Anyway Alexander found employment at Dundee University, her bio on the Dundee University is designed to make her look impressive, after all they bought a 'pig in a poke' so to justify it, why wouldn't want to attach silk ears. Here is a snippet of her bio for you to read. 

"Wendy Alexander is Vice-Principal (International) and leads the University's international strategy and is a member of the University Executive. Her responsibilities include providing strategic leadership to the University’s global engagement including prestigious international collaborations, providing an outstanding experience for international students and new outward mobility opportunities for all students. She has been a champion of international alumni ambassadors, has led the creation of a Humanitarian Scholars programme, Chairs the board of International College Dundee and was instrumental in the establishment of the School of Business. She also represents the University, and the sector, at the highest levels of Government, industry, higher education and with alumni, both within the UK and internationally. She serves as Scottish Government International Trade & Investment Envoy for Higher Education. She is a member of the Department for Education’s Education Sector Advisory Group. She Chairs the Global Advisory Board for Times Higher Education Student and is a past Co-Chair of UUK Pro-Vice Chancellor’s International network." 

For those not familiar with universities and how this works, this bio is overhyped pudding. One thing which makes me feel for sorry for Wendy Alexander is that Wendy Alexander is married to Professor Elizabeth Ashcroft, who was previously a man called Brian. If I was in her situation, I would have got divorced, but that is just me, old fashioned, anyway, to sum up on her, poor bastard! It seems that even high flyers can end up not smelling of roses in every situation. Universities and Colleges are to ex politicians what 'care homes' are to the elderly. It is just than some politicians aren't as elderly as the normal residents. For the most part in my mind, the only reason for giving an ex politician the title of Professor when they have no teaching experience or some other made up title is to keep connections open with the mainstream political parties who they can influence regarding their funding. If you look at the political class in all parties you shift from ordinary people to university middle class graduates, especially in parties of the left. The route appears to be, university to politician then back to university, of course not all can make that transition. However, another recent ex politician who also took the same path was another ex Scottish Labour Kez Dugdale who end up at Glasgow University.    

Most people don't know much about universities, or how they operate within, it is a multi layered management structure, you have the management, the University Court, and in some cases you have the University Senate as well as a whole host of various subgroups and associations who have various forms of input. For the most part, universities seem quite normal, students go to classes, they sit exams, they go to the bars, they play sports and after a few years, graduate and get a job, much like a production line with various types of degrees and levels of qualifications. Typically, degree, honours degree, masters degree and PhD, is what most people recognise, as well as some further adult education classes and summer schools where applicable. As someone who spent 20 years at Glasgow University, I think I am competent to comment on what goes on in places like this. One of the most famous placements into Glasgow University although not a politician was an ex British spy, Andrew Fulton, he was made a Professor of Law despite having no teaching experience, running no classes or doing no research, he popped up in Lockerbie Trial Briefing Unit. This begs the questions, how did he get a job at Glasgow University, and how did he end up in the briefing unit? The point in mentioning Fulton is that at universities, some people mysteriously get appointed when no job for the post they hold, ever appeared on the university website. Fulton was never a lawyer, never a noted jurist and had no experience teaching Law. 

During  the early days of Covid, the SNP Government had Jeane Freeman, ex Labour advisor turn SNP MSP as the Health Sec. Freeman was a Member of the Scottish Parliament for Carrick, Cumnock and the Doon Valley from 2016-2021, she was part of Nicola Sturgeon's push to promote more women into senior roles in her government, basically you understand, 'jobs for the boys', well Sturgeon operates 'jobs for the girls'. This also tied in with Sturgeon promoting lgbt politicians. One other notable aspect which saw Freeman rise quickly in the SNP was the fact that she was known as a Quango Queen, one such appointment was her sitting on the board of the Golden Jubilee Hospital. The link is to a daily record story which may be of interest to you regarding Freeman's previous history as Chair of the Golden Jubilee. The story is to set the scene for the next and more damaging thing which I want to cover on Freeman and her tenure as Health Sec. During Covid, infected elderly patients were discharged from hospitals into sterile care homes without being tested, the other part of this story is the NHS wanted elderly people to sign DNR notices so that if they died, no attempt would be made to save their lives. Thousands upon thousands of Scottish elderly people who could have been saved died by the incompetence of Freeman as Health Sec. It wasn't entirely a surprise that in the aftermath that freeman decided not to seek re-election. Just like in the aftermath of the Alex Salmond trial, Nicola Sturgeon and her cult have a habit of disposal or moving of electorally damaging people. Freeman , 68 was damaged goods. 

Am I surprised that Jeane Freeman has resurfaced after retiring so soon from being a senior SNP politician and ending up at Glasgow University, in a word, No. Jeane Freeman is to join the University of Glasgow in what they term as a "key role" within the University’s College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences (MVLS). The hyping of Freeman by the university is not unusual, when a person cannot be sold on their merit, other people come along such as the university media team to sell as 'pig in a poke'. Freeman takes up the part time role of Ambassador for Community Engagement, Public Health and Innovation for the College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences with immediate effect. When I read this, my first reaction was 'whit'? She is said to be playing an active role in a £91m Living Laboratory project in Govan, which, via collaboration with the NHS and industry partners, will see the acceleration of world-changing research into a real-world clinical setting. The first thing which struck me was the title, Ambassador, to me that sounds like bullshit, and the fact it is a part time job just reinforces my opinion on that. The next part which seems much like the nonsense cobbled together for Green Ministers in the SNP Government is 'Community Engagement', my understanding would be, of dialogue with the local people of Govan. But that doesn't sound right, why would Glasgow University need to do community engagement with the people of Govan? Especially when they have no input to whether a £91 million Lab is built in their area, planning permission is a matter for the City Council. And why would the locals object at the planning stage anyway? 

As to being an Ambassador for public health, now that really is taking the piss, especially when you factor in the thousands of people who died in care homes due to negligence under her watch. Let's face it, would you take advice on public health from someone like Jeane freeman with her track record in Quangos and as Health Sec? Or would you rather trust your own gut? If you can read, if you have had education up to secondary school, you don't need anyone like Freeman.  

Freeman said: 

“I am delighted to join the University of Glasgow, and the College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, in this new position of Ambassador for Community Engagement, Public Health and Innovation. The University leads many world-changing projects all poised to create real-world impact for people, locally, nationally and internationally. I am particularly excited to play a role in the Living Laboratory project in Govan, where working together with all partners, we can realise health benefits for patients and our NHS.” 

She is basically 'talking up' a meaningless job. 

Prof Iain McInnes, University of Glasgow Vice-Principal and Head of the College of MVLS, said; 

“We are absolutely delighted that someone of Ms Freeman’s calibre will be joining the College. Ms Freeman’s experience will be a very welcome addition to the University, and we are confident that it will help us achieve our ambitious aims across a wide-range of innovative projects to improve the health and lives of the people in Glasgow, Scotland and beyond.” 

Somebody of her calibre? Did Prof Iain McInnes do a deep dive into Freeman's background or even pay the slightest attention what happened elderly people in care homes? Didn't he notice the decline of the NHS in Scotland under the SNP? Does McInnes have access to newspapers, radio, TV, the internet or the ability to communicate with the general public? In what must be one of the oiliest welcomes yet, the Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Glasgow, Professor Sir Anton Muscatelli, who said: 

"I am extremely pleased to welcome Ms Freeman to the University of Glasgow, in what will be an important role that harnesses her expertise in health policy and community engagement. Ms Freeman’s background as one of Scotland’s most prominent and respected politicians, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, will be invaluable in making a success of this new role." 

Finally, here is my opinion why Glasgow University has employed this deadbeat, the ruling party of government is the SNP, they are the ones who control ultimately the budget which goes to the Scottish Funding Council. So tossing a few scraps towards Jeane Freeman could in their eyes be a good marketing strategy. They give a job to Freeman, Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP approved, and it helps to secure university funding. Who knows may be they will give her an office in the lab in Govan to operate out of. As she apparently stays in the trendy West end, it would only be a few minutes travel through the Clyde tunnel to her work.  At 68 years old, her job is billed as part time, but it is also temporary. Once Freeman drops like a stone, I would assume that Glasgow University would look out for another SNP stooge to be hailed as someone of "calibre" obviously depending who the party of government is.