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Content of the Flag in the Wind Web Site is the copyright of the Scots Independent Newspaper.

[ Issue 623 - 11th May 2012 ]


Compiled by
Jim Lynch


 


Slight amendment this week – it should have been Jamie’s turn but there was a bit of confusion, so I am doing this one, and Jamie will be doing next week.  However we only tumbled to this on Wednesday, so delays;  having said that I returned from holiday in Tenerife on Wednesday – getting home at about 7 am, flight delay, so am a bit wabbit. Not having the Flag next week will leave me time to assemble all the election results for the June Scots Independent.  We published all the results    for the Scottish Parliament and the Local Government Elections in May 2007 (Excluding an aggrieved Grant Thom, whose name was missed off the Glasgow Council Results.)  We also published the full results of the 2011 Scottish Election in two tranches, the first in June 2011 showing the individual constituency breakdown for the First past the post seats, and the second in July showing the individual  Regional vote in each seat;  the SNP won 69 of the 73 seats!  We are charting the road to Independence

 

Local Government Elections

The world was watching, breathless, for the outcome of the election for the Mayor of London, when in a far off land , of which they know little, a cloud, no bigger than a man’s hand, heralded yet another phase in the dissolution of  the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

So to less histrionic language, in the Scottish local elections the SNP won 424 seats – an increase of 62 on 2007;  Labour won 394 seats, an increase of 46 on the 2007 election.  To complement the happy scene, the Tories lost   29 seats, leaving them with 115, and the Liberals lost 95 seats, leaving them with 71;  the Greens gained 6 and Others 9.

The SNP is the only party to hold seats in every council district in Scotland, and in virtually every ward!  However, Labour are strutting a bit, as they expected to be gubbed and were not;  they have teamed up with the Tories in Aberdeen and Stirling to keep the SNP out;  who knows how long that will last?  In Edinburgh the word was that they were going to go into coalition with the Tories, but thought better of it, and teamed up with the SNP.

Glasgow remained Labour, much to everyone’s surprise, but joy of joys, the SNP in Dundee put up 16 candidates – and all 16 were elected!  Angus returned to the SNP fold, after having survived 5 years of a Tory/Labour/Liberal coalition.  Midlothian had been Labour for 84 years, and now has an SNP administration.

Overall the SNP achieved the largest number of councillors, the largest number of votes, and the largest number of gains from the 2007 Elections.  In the last five years, the SNP has won the European Election, The 2007 Scottish Parliament Election, the 2007 Scottish Local Government Election, the 2011 Scottish Parliament Election and now the 2012 Scottish Local Government Election.

I joined the SNP in 1966, so spent 40 years in the wilderness before we broke through in 2007;  there are many like me who have spent even longer in the wilderness.

And while I was on holiday in sunny Tenerife during this election, I did deliver some leaflets before I went and left my proxy vote!  I now have an SNP Councillor for the first time; it’s great!

To those who mourn the Labour Party, the Party of their forebears, that Party no longer exists – Labour killed it.
 


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Read Christina McKelvie MSP's Weekly Diary



   Newsnet Scotland    
    Reporting Scotland's news, as it happens.


SYNOPSIS

Wednesday 9 May

News that young people in Scotland will be supported into work with a cash boost of around £25 million has been welcomed by SNP MSP Humza Yousaf.

Humsa Yousaff MSPThe money will be used for projects designed to help young people either gain or stay in employment, and support a range of initiatives from training to business development and recruitment incentives.

Mr Yousaf said:

"The 25 million of funding is in line with the SNP’s commitment to helping young people to get and keep jobs and I have no doubt these funds will be used to great effect to do just that.

"This funding boost will prove to be a vital support for those young people from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, allowing them to develop new and existing skills to increase their chances getting a rewarding career.

"The SNP are resolute in our aim of a Scotland for the many, not just for the few and this is backed-up with a guarantee for every 16-19-year-old a place in education or training.

"This cash injection - which almost doubles the dedicated youth employment budget of £30 million - will make a real difference to the lives of many of our young people."

NOTES

To date the Scottish Government has allocated £650 million from European Structural Fund supporting 14,000 individuals, creating 20,000 jobs and provided advice and support to 240,000 individuals to enter or progress in employment.

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2012/05/ESF-jobs09052012


Wednesday 9 May

SNP MSP Mark McDonald has welcomed comments from the top Scottish executive at Lloyds Banking Group saying the independence debate "is no bad thing" for promoting Scotland to international investors.

Philip Grant, chairman of the Scottish executive committee, told the Scottish Parliament's Finance Committee the independence debate has made global markets more aware of "the brand of Scotland".

He said: "Scotland has great strengths, great national opportunities and great talent and strength in its universities sector. For people to be more aware of the brand of Scotland and the capability that we have, and the opportunities, I think, is no bad thing in a global market."

Mr Grant added that the decision is something for the people of Scotland, but that there are "parts of the world where people are getting interested in Scotland again."

Mark MacDonald MSPMr McDonald, SNP MSP for North East Scotland and member of the committee, said:

"This is a welcome and positive contribution to the independence debate which also recognises all of Scotland's strengths.

"Mr Grant acknowledges the debate on our country's future has put Scotland, our talent, opportunities, our universities and the fact we are leaders in the renewables sector into the global spotlight and is generating new interest in Scotland's potential.

"A recent Ernst and Young survey found Scotland was the most attractive nation in the UK to do business in 2010, which has been vindicated by the investment of companies such as Gamesa, Amazon, Mitsubishi and Glaxo-Smith-Kline.

"As Mr Grant rightly said Scotland's future is a matter for the people of Scotland, its parliament and its government but anything which increases Scotland's profile creates opportunities for business, enterprise and trade.

"The Scottish Government's consultation Your Scotland, Your Referendum ends this week and I would urge the people of Scotland to have their say."


Wednesday 9 May 2012

Responding to the Queen’s speech SNP Westminster Leader Angus Robertson MP said the Coalition Government’s legislative programme failed to deliver for Scotland on key tests of boosting jobs and growth.

Mr Robertson said:

“With the UK having fallen into a double-dip recession, we needed the Queen’s speech to focus on jobs and growth but, just like the Budget, this programme fails to meet the economic challenges we face.

“After saying that more powers for Scotland, beyond the Scotland Act, were on the table there is nothing in this legislative programme to devolve real economic powers and responsibility so that the Scottish Parliament can act where Westminster fail.

“The Coalition’s legislative programme shows the difference in priorities between Scotland and a UK Government that is out of touch. While the Scottish Government focuses on job creation and the economy, the UK Government is obsessed with process issues and has failed to bring forward essential investment in 'shovel-ready' projects.

“People in Scotland have the right to know what the alternative to independence is – and the UK Government has an obligation to tell the rest of us what it is.

Angus Robertson MP“The UK is in a double-dip recession as a direct result of a sharp fall in construction output over a period when the Scottish Government has consistently called for investment in 'shovel-ready' projects.

“At a time when we needed capital investment to support employment, help small business and promote economic security, there is little in this Queen’s speech to meet the challenges we face. This fall back into recession in the UK shows that the Tory/Lib Dem coalition has its priorities all wrong, and that we urgently need a change of direction.

“Labour inertia first led us into recession, and Tory ineptitude, aided and abetted by their lib-dem partners, has taken us back there.

“It’s time economic powers were in the hands of a decisive Scottish Government who would take action to create jobs and grow the economy out of the mess they have got us into.”


The full list of the shovel ready projects submitted by the Scottish Government to the UK Government is available here


Wednesday 9 May

The SNP today welcomed reports in the Wall Street Journal’s Market Watch website which adds more weight to the case for Scottish independence and further discredits the anti-independence parties’ efforts.

Linda Fabiani MSPThis follows news that the majority of oil companies are unconcerned by the result of the independence referendum.

The Wall Street Journal Website says: “There is now little dispute that Scotland on its own can be a viable economy.”

And continues: "The claim that a penurious Scotland is a subsidy junkie has already been proved a myth."

Welcoming the reports, Linda Fabiani, SNP MSP and Convener of the Scottish Parliament’s Scotland Bill Committee, submitted a motion on the report.

She said:

“More and more informed opinions across the world recognise that Scotland can stand on its own two feet - the case for Scotland is strengthening all the time.

“Scotland is country rich in natural resources, big on skills, attractive to foreign investors and a world leader in renewable energy.

“As the Wall Street Journal points out, it is objectively the case that Scotland pays more in taxes to the UK Treasury than it receives in expenditure.

“The longer that the anti-independence parties continue to talk Scotland down, the further they will alienate themselves from the people of Scotland.”


NOTES

Read the WSJ Market Watch articles here and here

Linda’s motion can be viewed here

• The latest GERS figures, published at the beginning of March, found that every man, woman and child in Scotland would have been £510 better off last year if Scotland had been an independent country.
• In cash terms in 2010/11, the relative difference in Scotland and the UK’s fiscal positions was equivalent to £2.7bn. This is equivalent to £510 for every man, woman and child in Scotland.
• Scotland continues to be in a stronger budget position than the UK as a whole, contributing 9.6% of UK and public sector revenue while receiving 9.3% of total UK public sector expenditure, including a per capita share of UK debt interest payments. Scotland’s population is 8.4% of the UK total.
• The GERS publication shows that North Sea Oil revenue makes up 15% of Scotland’s total tax take. In Norway, the figure in 2011 was 29%
(source: US State Dept http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3421.htm )
• In December, the Social Attitudes Survey found that 65% of those questioned would support independence on the basis that they would be £500 better off with a higher standard of living.
• 60% of recipients said they felt that independence would make Scotland’s economy the same or better.


Wednesday May 9, 2012

Following the proposal from Conservative MPs, including former Welsh Secretary John Redwood and former Shadow Home Secretary David Davies, for the devolution of all taxes to Scotland except VAT and national insurance, the SNP said independence was the only clear solution to Tory confusion over the constitution.

Pete Wishart MPSNP Constitutional Affairs spokesperson Pete Wishart MP said:

"This contribution to the debate on Scotland's future shows the confusion in the ranks of Westminster government parties.

"The Tories are all at sea over what devolved powers Scotland should have. The ink is barely dry on the new Scotland Act, yet even senior Tories now recognise it is irrelevant.

"The case for economic powers for Scotland is a positive one. The latest Government Expenditure & Revenue Scotland figures(GERS) show that, last year alone, Scotland was in a stronger financial position than the UK as a whole to the tune of nearly £2.7 billion – or £510 for every man, woman and child in Scotland."

"As for solving the West Lothian question, SNP MPs already refrain from voting on exclusively English matters which do not impact on Scotland.

“But there is a clear and elegant answer to the West Lothian question which is fairer for both nations - independence.

"The decision on Scotland's future will not be made by Tory MPs. It will be for the Scottish people to decide their own future in an independence referendum in 2014.

"Both Scotland and England should be fully in charge of their affairs by becoming independent and equal nations."

NOTES

The Conservative MPs published their views on the "Conservative Home" website, as part of an "Alternative Queen's Speech." The draft "Double-Devolution" bill proposed more powers for Scotland and for English votes for English laws at Westminster, to tackle the so-called West Lothian question.

http://conservativehome.blogs.com


Tuesday 8 May 2012

Councillor Drew Hendry  -  HighlandsThe SNP have come to an agreement with the Lib Dems and Labour that will see them serve together on the administration for Highland Council.

The SNP will be the biggest group on the council with 22 councillors, the will Lib Dems have 15 and Labour have eight.

Drew Hendry, Administration Leader and SNP Group Leader, said:

“The SNP looks forward to working in partnership with the Lib Dem and Labour councillors in the best interests of all the people in the Highland Council area.

“With this strong coalition I have no doubts the three groups can work well together - setting aside political differences - to deliver for The Highlands.

“Our groups’ policies along with the skillsets of the elected members shall make for a winning blend and I am confident we will deliver.”

 

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