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CAMPAIGNING FOR
SCOTLAND
(Owned, Edited and Printed in Scotland since November 1926)
Compiled by Peter D Wright
[Issue 41 - 16 March 2001]
ELECTION DAY BECKONS!
 In spite of the spreading foot-and-mouth outbreak, the Scottish fishing crisis (unimportant in Westminster terms), the continuing question marks over the behaviour of Westminster Ministers such as Robin Cook and Keith Vaz, it now seems that Tony Blair is determined to have the General Election on 3 May. The recent Budget was obviously designed with this date in mind and the longer an election is delayed, the more gloss will go off Gordon Brown’s spin.
The polls point to a comfortable win for Labour in Westminster, albeit with a reduced majority. The real battleground will be in Scotland with the SNP poised to do well.
Last weekend’s Labour Party Conference/Rally in Inverness was obviously held to herald the start of the run-up to the General Election, but was overshadowed by the Constitutional row over the future of the Scottish fishing industry. Tony Blair must be scunnered that every trip he makes to Scotland is shadowed by yet another Labour crisis in Holyrood!
SNP leader John Swinney hit the nail on the head with his comments on Tony Blair’s Inverness speech:–
“Tony Blair has flown into Scotland in the storm of another Labour crisis. The refusal of Labour Ministers to abide by the democratic decision of Scotland’s Parliament, and the united voice of our fishing industry, will completely overshadow a speech from Tony Blair that contained nothing new.
In scarcely even acknowledging the crisis in the fishing industry, Tony Blair showed that New Labour are out of touch with Scotland. The SNP are ahead of Labour in the Scottish Parliament Poll, ahead of Labour in local authority by-elections, and in our strongest ever position in the run-up to a Westminster election.”
CONSTITUTIONAL CRISIS RUMBLES ON
The 8th of March will go down in historical terms as the first time the Scottish Executive lost a vote – as reported in last week’s Flag in the Wind Stop Press, the Executive lost not only one vote but three in the row over the question of compensation to Scottish fishermen.
The executive had only itself to blame for the defeat. For once Labour’s Mr. Fixit, Tom McCabe, failed to sew up the vote with Labour Ministers and backbenchers leaving early to enjoy the Inverness nightlife. But the Executive immediately provoked a Constitutional crisis by proclaiming that they would ignore the vote by the Parliament and press on with their own decommissioning scheme.
Their arrogance even upset the usually ‘Labour loyal’ Daily Record who said in an editorial that “The Scottish Executive appear to be all at sea over the future of our fishing industry” and concluded “They should re-negotiate the deal to use some of that money (£27 million decommissioning programme) for the tie-up scheme. And stop floundering”
John Swinney immediately wrote to the First Minister Henry Mcleish calling for cross party talks in the Parliament, to find a way to implement the will of Parliament and introduce a compensation tie-up scheme for Scotland’s fishing industry. He reminded Henry McLeish of his statement made on 25 January –
“I must say that the voice of the Parliament cannot and will not be ignored…I cannot be any clearer when I say that I, as First Minister, will not ignore the will of the Parliament.”
What Henry McLeish, trained in the smoke filled rooms of Labour local authority groups, meant of course was that he would not ignore the will of Parliament as long as it did not depart from the Labour Party line! Democracy has been the first casualty as Henry McLeish ignored his own words and backed his recently installed Fisheries Minister, Rhona Brankin.
 She in turn used the Inverness Labour rally to attack former SNP leader Alex Salmond who had been advisor to the fishermen’s protest. His constituency includes Peterhead, the stronghold of the fishing campaign. You almost feel sorry (no I don’t) for Rhona Brankin, only minutes in the job, and having to face Alex Salmond with his extensive and intimate knowledge of the fishing industry. The fishermen know that they can trust Alex Salmond and the SNP, they now know that they can’t trust the Scottish Executive. Hence the demonstration in Peterhead on Monday when skippers burnt their logbooks in anger at the Executive’s decision to ignore the vote by Parliament.
The Executive, indeed the Labour/Liberal Democrat Coalition, was left in an even shakier position when MSP Tavish Scott resigned as Deputy Minister for the Parliament (deputy whip). Although he had backed the Executive in the three lost votes, he fully realised that his own Shetland Constituents favoured the tie-up scheme.
Pressure over the matter was increased on Monday when John Swinney signed a Scottish Parliament motion tabled by Independent MSP Denis Canavan, which was also signed by David McLetchie, Robin Harper and Tommy
Sheridan, requiring the Scottish Parliament to implement ALL decisions of the Scottish Parliament, including the motion calling for a compensated tie-up scheme for the fishing industry passed by the Parliament last Thursday. John Swinney described the motion as “a ticking time-bomb under the Scottish Government which is why they should move now to bring in the tie-up scheme that our fishing communities need now.”
A further twist in the tail came on Wednesday when the Scottish Executive
stood democracy on its head and announced that the fisheries vote would be
re-run on Thursday. The
Executive has re-introduced a motion welcoming their £27 million
decommissioning scheme with no mention of the tie-up scheme.
SNP Business Manager Tricia Marwick said that the Executive’s
motion fell “a very long way short of what Scotland demands”.
She accused New Labour of trying to re-write history and acting
like “the union barons of the 1970’s” by re-running votes they had
already lost.
But,
regardless of how the re-run vote goes, this Constitutional crisis will
rumble on and on with little credit to New Labour.
SUPPORT FOR TIE-UP SCHEMES
 North East MSP Richard
Lochhead, SNP Shadow Fisheries Minister, whose successful amendment, passed by 55 to 51 votes, called for the introduction of a compensated tie-up scheme, said that Fisheries Minister Rhona Brankin must climb-down from her out right opposition to such a scheme. She could not dismiss a tie-up scheme on the basis of science when eminent scientists are of the view that a compensated tie-up should be supported.
Comments from Professor Alasdair McIntyre, former director of the Fisheries Research Service, said that technical measures alone would not work, and that “some sort of tie-up” was needed. Former government advisor Jack Robertson said of the voluntary tie-up by fishermen that “we do need to compensate them for this excellent conservation stance”. Professor John Shepherd of Southampton University reiterated his previous comments that “transitional assistance need not be ruled out – indeed, it is probably essential”.
As Richard Lockhead pointed out “The Scottish government’s arrogance and anti-democratic stance is jeopardising 25,000 jobs in our coastal communities and enormous damage will be inflicted on one of our most traditional and valuable industries if Ministers do not act quickly”.
A FOOT IN HIS MOUTH
Poor Nick Brown, English Minister for Agriculture. No sooner did he claim that the foot-and-mouth crisis was ‘under control’ when another 25 cases were announced. Farm leaders estimate that it will be at least another five months before the outbreak is eradicated which makes Mr. Brown’s comment look even more irresponsible.
Although the outbreak in Scotland has, so far, been restricted to Dumfries and Galloway, the knock-on effect covers the whole country and extends far beyond farming. Tourism, leisure and hauliers are badly affected. E.g. the crisis is costing Scotland up to £10 million a week in lost tourism revenue.
Without effective Government action the future looks bleak for many Scots – just saying the epidemic is ‘under control’ won’t work.
Click
here for information on foot-and-mouth situation in Scotland.
REMEMBER THE GOLDEN AGE
 Two former SNP National Chairmen, Dr. Gordon Wilson and James Halliday, will be among the speakers at this years Alexander III Commemoration Meeting on Sunday (18 March) at the Alexander III Memorial, Pettycur, Kinghorn at 3pm. A wreath will be laid by SNP Executive Vice Convenor for Youth Affairs Shirley-Anne Somerville, PPC for Kirkcaldy.
The reign of Alexander III (1249-1286) is regarded as The Golden Age of Scottish History – for a special article on his reign please click here :-
The Golden
Age.
SONGS OF FREEDOM
Top Scottish folk duo Gaberlunzie, Gordon Menzies and Robin Watson are to record a CD to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Scots Independent (November 2001). The CD, which includes a mixture of new and old favourites on the theme of Scottish Freedom, is due to be released at the Dundee Annual National Conference of the Scottish National Party in September.
Keep your eye on Flag in the Wind for more details.
THEY SAID IT FOR US
I am embarrassed to be a member of the Executive Party that has shown so much contempt for the Parliament and people of Scotland.
- Kate Maclean, Labour Dundee West MSP
Parliament must not allow itself to be treated like an ancient mistress now out of favour: bypassed, ignored, treated politely only for form’s sake, and fobbed off with occasional treats.
- John Major, one-time English Prime Minister
He is like the thief who steals your car and comes back the next day to return your hubcaps.
- William Hague, destined never to be English Prime Minister, on Gordon Brown and his Budget
He has done nothing to address the concerns of rural areas that are
disproportionately affected by high fuel tax.
- John Kinnaird, vice-president National Farmers Union of Scotland, on Gordon Brown
Racist, ugly, unimaginative sphinx. - comment by Cardiff City Football Club on Anne Robinson’s attack on the Welsh Nation
It’s no fish ye’re buying – it’s men’s lives.
- Sir Walter Scott
SCOTTISH
FOOD, TRADITIONS AND CUSTOMS
The inspiration for this new column came
from the historic canoe journey made by Oliver Brown Award winners, Sir
Alastair M Dunnett and James ( Seumas ) Adam, from Bowling on the Clyde
to Skye in 1934. The expedition led to them being known as The Canoe
Boys and the foodstuff which provided the back-bone of their diet, a
foodstuff which had sustained Scots for centuries, was oatmeal. They
preferred to have it, at least twice a day, in the form of oatmeal brose
rather than as porridge. An account of how they made their brose was
provided by Sir Alastair M Dunnett in 'Quest By Canoe', the story of
their adventure published in 1950 and reprinted in 1995.
Oatmeal brose was the true foundation
of the expedition, and the correct method of making it must be put on
record. A quantity of coarse oatmeal - with salt 'to taste' as they say
- is placed in a bowl and boiling water poured over it. The water must
be boiling hard as it pours and there should be enough of it to just
cover the oatmeal. A plate is immediately placed over the bowl like a
lid. You now sit by for a few minutes, gloating. This is your brose
cooking in its own steam. During this pause, slip a nut of butter under
the plate and into the brose. In four or five minutes whip off the lid,
stir the mass violently together, splash in some milk and eat. You will
never again be happy with the wersh and fushionless silky slop which
passes for porridge. This was the food whose devotees staggered the
legions of Rome; broke the Norsemen; held the Border for five hundred
years; and are standing fast on borders till. It is a dish for men. It
also happens to taste superbly. We ate it twice a day, frequently
without milk, although such a simplification demands what an Ayrshire
farmer once described to me as a 'guid-gaun stomach'. He is a happy
traveller who has with him a bag of oatmeal and a poke of salt. He will
travel fast and far.'
See our Scottish
Food, Traditions and Customs in our Features section
DATES IN
HISTORY
17 March 1328
Treaty of Edinburgh by which England acknowledged the independence of Scotland under Robert
I was concluded at Edinburgh and ratified at Northampton on 4 May 1328.
19 March 1286
Alexander III, King of Scots, killed accidentally at Kinghorn, Fife. The last of the MacAlpine dynasty and the Celtic line of Scottish Kings, his reign was known as "The Golden Age".
22 March 1421
Scottish and French troops under the Earl of Buchan defeated English forces at Bauge in Anjou, France.
THE
REBELS CEILIDH SONG BOOK
MY BONNIE
LADDIE'S LANG A-GROWING
The trees are a' ivied, the
leaves they are green,
The times are past that hae seen;
It's I maun lie my lane in the cauld winter nichts,
For my bonnie laddie's lang, lang a-growing.
O faither, dear faither, ye
hae dune me muckle wrang,
For ye hae wedded me to a lad that's ower young;
He is but twelve and I am thirteen;
And my bonnie laddie's lang, lang a-growing.
O dochter, dear dochter, I
hae dune ye nae wrang,
For I has weded you tae a noble lord's son;
He shall be the lord and you will wait on,
And a' the time your lad'll be a-growing.
O faither, dear faither, if
ye think that it will fit,
We'll send him tae the scule for a year or twa yet;
And we'll tie a green ribbon aroond his blue bonnet
And that'll be a token that he's married.
A year had gone by when I
passed the scule hoose wa'
And I saw the young scholars a playing at the ba',
I spied him in amang them the fairest o' them a'
Ma boony lad wis young and still growin'.
In his twelfth year he was a
married man,
And in his thirteenth he had gotten her a son,
And in his fourteenth the grass it grew green,
And that put an end tae his growin'.
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)
Quhen Alessandre oure King wes deid
That Scotland lede in luf and le'
Awa wes sonse of aill and breid,
Off wyne and walx, of gamyn and gle;
Oure gold wes chngeit into leid,
The frute wes falyeit fra everie tree'
Christ, born into virgynyte'
Succour Scotland and remeid,
That stad is in perplexitie !
Featured
Story
Through
the Flood
by Ian MacLaren
Read by Marilyn Wright
Featured
Poem
Coronach
by Andrew D Lowe
See
Scots Language in our Features Section
for other poems, stories, sayings and words in the Scots language
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.
15
[Clicking on the picture will bring
up a life size version which you can copy to your desktop or print out]
AND
AS WE CONTINUE...
If you read our first issue of The Flag
in the Wind you will know that this is a weekly Internet commentary on
the Scottish political scene; if you desire further erudition click on
Archives.
SOME
OF OUR FEATURE SECTIONS....
About Us
Our mission is to fight for an
Independent Scotland and to promote its history, heritage and culture.
Learn all about us here.
Events
A running event guide to what's on in Scotland.
The Scots Language
A great introduction to the Scots Language, produced by Peter and
Marilyn Wright, and added to each week both in text and RealAudio. Enjoy
listening to words, poems and stories told in a real Scots accent!
The Rebels Ceilidh Songbook
An excellent introduction to traditional songs from Scotland. A new song
is added to the collection each week.
The Prize Crossword
Each month the newspaper edition produces the Prize Crossword and you can
now try it for yourself with this online edition. We carry previous copies
here as well.
Notable Dates in History
Each week we add three new notable dates in history building this into an
historic timeline for Scottish history.
Features
Lots more stories, recipes, historical articles and even whole books are added here
on a regular basis.
The Oliver
Brown Award
An annual award given to an outstanding Scot(s) each year.
THE
SCOTTISH NATIONAL PARTY
The Scots Independent Newspaper is
independent of the Scottish National Party, but we support the Party
in its drive for Independence; while space precludes us commenting on
all the issues raised by the 35 MSPs, 6 MPS and 2 MEPs, also the Party
Office Bearers, we have provided a link to the SNP Website.
THE FLAG
IN THE WIND
The above was the title of a book written
in the early Fifties by John MacDonald MacCormick, one of the founder
members of the Scottish National Party in 1934. The sub-title was
"The Story of the National Movement in Scotland". His comment in
the book said "It is perhaps in the symbols which men use that their
deepest sentiments are most readily expressed. Flags as well as straws
show which way the wind is blowing". A
fuller account appears under Features.
WE WOULD
WELCOME YOUR FEEDBACK
The Flag in the Wind would
welcome your feedback on what you think of this weekly service. Happy to
receive any comments or suggestions. Simply email webmaster@scotsindependent.org
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