The Flag in the Wind
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CAMPAIGNING FOR SCOTLAND
(Owned, Edited and Printed in Scotland since November 1926)
Compiled by Peter D Wright
[9 February 2001]

BUT WILL THEY VOTE!

The second System Three Opinion Poll of the year shows that support for Labour in Scotland appears to be unaffected by the Peter Mandelson debacle (it now appears that the ultimate Spin Doctor has been spun!) or First Minister Henry ‘Dither’ McLeish, will he, won’t he, adopt the Sutherland Report fiasco. For the Imperial Westminster Parliament, the survey shows 46% support for Labour – the same as last month. The SNP remains at 28% (6% up on the 1997 General Election) and Tory support still at 13% but the Lib Dems backing has strangely risen 2% to 11%.

The results for Holyrood show a little movement – Labour up 2% in the 1^st vote to 39% but down 1% in the 2^nd  vote to 33%; the SNP holding steady at 35% and 33% (7% and 6% up respectively on the 1999 Scottish Election); the Tories down 1% to 10% in the 1^st vote and down 2% to 9% in the 2^nd vote; with the Lib Dems showing a drop from 10% to 9% in the 1^st vote and a drop from 13% to 11% in the second vote. Projected seats in the Kirk Assembly Hall is – Labour 57; SNP 42; Lib Dem 17; Tories 9; and Others 4.

But as we all know the only votes that really matter are those in real ballot boxes! Falkirk West showed that a great many previously solid Labour voters, disillusioned with New Labour, are abstaining. The Challenge to the SNP is simple – convince these abstaining voters that now is the time to take Scotland’s side and to join us in voting for Independence.

                                                            FAIR PLAY

I admit that I was wrong. When the SNP took court action over the decision by Scottish Television to show a programme featuring Tony Blair, just before the Falkirk  West By-Election, I expected the challenge to be rejected. The decision however went the Party’s way, and Scottish Television were forced to feature John Swinney in a subsequent programme.

The verdict, which ensured a degree of fair play, has now further benefited the SNP as Grampian and Border are to screen interviews with SNP Leader John Swinney in order to ‘balance’ a planned ITV programme featuring Tory Leader William Hague and Lib Dem  Leader Charles Kennedy. STV is not involved and will not show the Hague – Kennedy programme. 

SNP Shadow Culture Minister Michael F. Russell said “This problem was caused by the ITV network not including  the SNP in their programme to balance the Tony Blair broadcast, which will only feature  Charles Kennedy and William Hague. Grampian and Border have offered a solution which is acceptable to the SNP on this occasion.

The lesson from this episode is that Scotland must have fair and balanced  broadcasting coverage in the run-up to and during the General Election. The London based networks are failing to deliver that at present, which is why the SNP will continue to press for devolution of broadcasting powers from London to Scotland.”

The Grampian programme will take place on February 12, and the Borders programme the next day.

                                                PARLIAMENTARY NON-ANSWERS

I am glad that my impression that Ministers in the Scottish Parliament are prone to give bland non-answers is shared by a leading Labour Councillor. Dundee Councillor John Letford, part of a large local authority contingent lobbying MSPs about the controversial issue of trunk road maintenance contracts, became so insensed at the performance by Labour Transport Minister Sarah Boyack that he was escorted from the Kirk Assembly Hall. The rest of the delegation left the public gallery in support of their colleague.

I can fully understand Councillor Letford’s feeling – after visiting the Parliament I feel the same way. He told the Dundee Courier that he became insensed when Ms Boyack  “just gave the same bland answer” when questioned about the contracts. Councillor John Corrigan, leader of the Dundee City Council’s SNP Group said that the SNP had been very disappointed at the Minister’s performance and he feared that awarding the contract to private firms would lead to both job losses and the lack of a proper system to maintain trunk roads.

The Scottish Executive’s decision deliberately  puts 3500 jobs at risk in their Tory-like drive towards privatisation. This has led to SNP MSP Bruce Crawford tabling a motion of no confidence in Transport Minister Boyack. I would predict in advance of the vote that Labour with their Lib Dem puppets will close ranks to defeat the SNP move, but given the reaction in the wider Labour movement  Ms Boyack’s jaikit maun be oan a shooglie nail!

TRIBUTE TO Dr ROBERT D McINTYRE

The survival of the Scots Independent for nearly 75 years owes much to the late Dr Robert D. McIntyre. He ensured the continuation of the paper through many difficult periods and laid the foundation for its continuation.

Robert would have been an enthusiastic supporter of the SI moving with the times and starting its own webside. So nearing the third anniversary of his death (2^nd February) thought was given to having an appropriate tribute to Dr McIntyre on ‘Flag in the Wind’.

Our thanks are due to author Dick Douglas for his permission to add his biography of Robert McIntyre, ‘At The Helm’,  as a tribute to Robert on the SI website. Thanks to Dick Douglas, we now have a permanent tribute to our mentor and friend – Robert D. McIntyre - Follow this link to read his biography.

BURNS SUPPERS

Burns Suppers come in all shapes and sizes! SI personnel were involved in two recent vastly differing Suppers with the common thread that they were both chaired by Peter Wright and The Immortal Memory given by James Halliday. One, the Stirling CA SNP Burns Supper had a ‘real’ audience and the second only the four people taking part and a microphone. This was the first ever SI website Burns Supper recorded by the SI webmaster. Use RealAudio to download your own instant Burns Supper.

SI photographer Marilyn Wright was on hand to record the Stirling CA Burns Supper for ‘Flag in the Wind’. Follow this link to see the pictures and listen to the Burns Supper.

THEY SAID IT FOR US

“I am not embarrassed, oh no. I’ll tell you what I am. I’m ashamed.”
            -Tony Booth, Tony Blair’s father-in-law, attacks Labour for its pension policy.

“He has about as much charisma as a pair of dentures grinning in a glass of water.”
            -The Clockwork radio inventor Trevor Bayliss on Tony Blair.

“Try our Mandelson sausages ….full of porkies.”
            -sign in the window of a butcher shop in Richmond, Surrey, England.

“Having a conversation with Mr Mandelson was rather like walking down-stairs and missing the last step. You were uninjured but remained disconcerted.”
            - Political commentator Alan Watkins.

“Where once the media reported events, now events are often shaped by the media.”
.           -The Pope.

“You are a disgrace to the Labour Party.”
            -Labour Councillor John Letford, Convener of Tayside Contracts Joint Board, to his fellow Party Member Transport Minister Sarah Boyack.

BADGER WATCH VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

The Flag in the Wind is happy to help with this request from John Ralston of Scottish Natural Heritage...

HISTORICAL FOOTNOTE

Last week Jim Lynch underestimated the size of East Fife support in having a dig at Henry ‘I played for East Fife’ McLeish. Fellow SI readers David Wright, Sam MacKay, Gordon Rae and Steven Gillespie are regulars in the pie hut queue! Not only, as Jim rightly pointed out, were East Fife the first, and so far the only, Lower Division Club to win the Scottish Cup; they were also the first ever Lower Division Club to win the Scottish League Cup (1947/48). It took until  Season 1994/95 before fellow Fifers Raith Rovers achieved the same distinction. And East Fife , promoted to the First Division in 1947/48, went on to become the first Club to win the League Cup three times with further victories in 1949/50 and 1953/54.

DATES IN HISTORY

THE REBELS CEILIDH SONG BOOK

THE LAIRD'S PRAYER
(Words: Jim McLean Music adapted Jim McLean)

See the Songbook in our features section

A KIST O FERLIES
A Keek at the Guid Scots Tung
By Peter D Wright
(Note: All words underlined in this section are RealAudio links)

See Scots Language in our Features Section

THE MONTHLY PRIZE CROSSWORD

Each month the Scots Independent Newspaper offers a prize crossword and we're now offering this online in the Flag in the Wind as well.   Should you complete the crossword by the deadline you can fax it over to the SI and the first correct one opened on the closing date will win a £10.00 book token.

SI Prize Crossword No. 14
[Clicking on the picture will bring up a life size version which you can copy to your desktop or print out]