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CAMPAIGNING FOR SCOTLAND
(Owned, Edited and Printed in Scotland since November 1926)
Compiled by Peter Wright
[Issue 54 - 15th June 2001]

THE BEST LAID SCHEMES (Part II)

The good news is that regular Flag compiler Jim Lynch is out of hospital and on the mend.  Hopefully normal service will resume in the not too distant future … meantime The Flag continues to fly!

THAT WAS THE ELECTION, THAT WAS (PART II)

Before the stour was settled on the Imperial (Westminster) General Election results, the UK Leader of the Conservative Party, William Hague, had resigned and passed on the poisoned chalice to a successor.  The unedifying spectacle of a right-wing argi-bargi between, say Ann Widdecombe and Michael Portillo, should be a sight to behold.  In Scotland the Tory chairman Raymond Robertson is also to resign – an event which will hardly register with the general public as he goes quietly into the night!

Prime Minister Blair, rejoicing in his new mandate – and what a mandate, only 42% of the vote polled and only 25% of those eligible to vote – axed twenty odd ministers, moved Robin Cook from the Foreign Office (possibly creating a festering sore) and took a massive pay increase!  The Blair grip on the new cabinet etc, is there for all to see but he might still find problems in the future with his Chancellor Gordon Brown, particularly over the Euro.  But given the rejection of the Nice Treaty by the Irish electorate, perhaps even Tony Blair might put off having a Euro Referendum in the course of the present parliament.

On the home front, we had the fun and games of the First Minister, Henry McLeish, and the (really) redundant Secretary of State, Helen Liddell, being caught on tape expressing their real feelings about fellow New Labour colleagues.  No real surprise there, as it is a well-known fact that within parties there are often deep personal differences and antagonism.  But to broadcast it to the Nation - that is something else!

With a little more dignity the SNP has been adjusting to the new political situation with a meeting of the Parliamentary Group and a visit by SNP Leader, John Swinney MSP, to the Irish Taoiseach  (see below).

ALEX SALMOND ELECTED WESTMINSTER GROUP LEADER

Alex Salmond
Group Leader

The Scottish National Party’s new Westminster Parliamentary Group met in Perth on Monday and elected Alex Salmond MP as Group Leader – the first time he has held the post during his fourteen years as an MP.  Peter Wishart MP was elected as the Group Whip.

Speaking after the meeting, Alex Salmond said:

“In the past, the SNP created a stir with three MPs at Westminster.  With Five MPs we will be going down there mob-handed to stand up for Scotland. 

“The SNP’s famous five will run rings around New Labour’s feeble fifty-five.  Their only role is to be lobby fodder for Tony Blair – our job is to protect and promote the Scottish interest on all occasions.

“As is obvious from the bitterness over Henry McLeish’s ‘bastardgate’ tapes – with John Reid reportedly refusing to speak to McLeish - there are deep divisions between Labour in Scotland and Labour in London.

“The SNP, by contrast, speak with one voice at Westminster and in Holyrood.  While Labour MPs attack the Scots Parliament, the SNP will argue for its powers to be increased.  While Labour MPs support Scotland’s budget being squeezed, the SNP will fight for the Nation’s wealth to be kept in Scotland.  And while Labour MPs vote for higher fuel prices, the SNP will call for fuel tax to be cut.

“SNP MPs will be on Scotland’s side every time - giving our famous five a vital role at Westminster.”

SNP LEADER MEETS TAOISEACH IN DUBLIN

Following the Imperial Election, SNP Leader John Swinney MSP met with Irish Taoiseach Bertie Ahern to discuss the lessons that Scotland can learn from Ireland’s economic success as an independent nation in the European Union.  John Swinney also held discussions with Charlie McCreevy, Minister of Finance; Dan Flinter, Chief Executive of Enterprise Ireland; John Dully, Chief Executive of Bord Failte (Irish Tourist Board); and members of the Institute of European Affairs.

The Dublin visit is the first of a series of meetings that John Swinney plans to undertake with European political figures in the run up to the 2003 Scottish Parliament Election. 

Speaking from Dublin, John Swinney said:

“The Irish experience shows the benefits in Europe for small nations.  With far fewer resources than Scotland has, Ireland has delivered astonishing economic success by putting in place a strategy that is right for Irish conditions, based upon the kind of focused and flexible decision-making that small countries can achieve.  And Ireland has used her direct voice at European level to ensure that Irish interests are protected and promoted at all times.

“Scotland, by contrast, has had inappropriate policies foisted on us by London - and we have no voice at all in the European Union.

“The difference is that Irish economic growth – at nearly 10% - has been over four times that of Scotland.

“Ireland has made enormous progress in the areas of enterprise development and tourism - at a time when the rate of business start-ups in Scotland is falling, and our tourism industry faces substantial difficulties – and I will be interested to learn if aspects of Ireland’s experience can be applied in Scotland.

“In addition, the Nice Referendum in Ireland last week shows just how powerful a small nation in the new EU can be – killing the New Labour/Tory myth that only big countries count – and that is a vital lesson for Scotland.”

SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT BY-ELECTIONS

As promised in last week’s Flag, we give the full results of the two Scottish Parliament By-Elections held on the same day as the Imperial General Election.  The results were announced on Friday afternoon. 

Stewart Stevenson

Banff and Buchan                        SNP Hold

Janet Law

Strathkelvin and Bearsden                        Labour Hold

Both by-elections went to the sitting parties but the shock to all political parties was in Strathkelvin and Bearsden where an independent candidate, Jean Turner, battling to save Stobhill Hospital in Glasgow reduced the Labour majority from 12,121 to 7,829.  This, added to the victory of retired hospital doctor Richard Taylor in the previously safe Labour seat of Wyre Forrest, Worcestershire, England, is a reminder to all parties of the importance to the electorate of the health service.

The SNP consolidated its hold on Banff and Buchan as Stewart Stevenson successfully contested the seat vacated by former SNP Leader Alex Salmond.  He secured a very comfortable victory with 50% of the vote in the farming and fishing community.  After the count Stewart Stevenson said:

“I am not Alex Salmond and I do not plan to be Alex Salmond but I look forward to helping the people of Banff and Buchan.  I certainly want to be as good an ambassador as Alex Salmond.

“Jobs remain the key issue.  The fishing and farming industries are going through an extremely difficult time and we must continue to fight for these traditional industries.”

GENETICALLY MODIFIED FISH CONCERN

On Tuesday SNP MEP Ian Hudghton addressed a plenary debate in Strasbourg on proposals to set up a European Food Agency.  He expressed his concerns about the development of genetically modified fish and called on the European Commission to ensure that GM fish products should not enter the EU food chain.  Ian Hudghton is the author of an Opinion on Food Safety which was unanimously endorsed by the European Parliament’s Fisheries Committee.

Speaking in the debate Ian Hudghton said:

“It is imperative that the specific characteristics of the fisheries and aquaculture sectors are taken into account in European Food Safety Law.  These sectors present quite different questions from the general food industry categories, and adequate consideration must be given to the special needs of the peripheral communities, such as those in Scotland and other fishing nations, which fisheries supports.

“The very nature of fisheries has implications on traceability; there are numerous potential difficulties which the Commission must ensure are fully catered for, taking into account different methods of catch, where fish are caught and where they are landed.

“In addition, it is essential that in designating the composition of the Management Board of the proposed European Food Authority, that there be a balanced representation of expertise covering all the relevant sectors involved in food production and distribution and animal feed, including in particular fisheries.

“The Fisheries Committee endorsed amendments which take into account the distinct needs of the aquaculture sector and, in particular those which address concerns that have been voiced about the development of Genetically Modified fish, and to prevent this entering the food chain through the back door via third country imports.  I would therefore urge the House to support these amendments.”

COME TO BANNOCKBURN

In the summer of 1787, Robert Burns visited the Field of Bannockburn and recorded in his journal “Came on to Bannockburn: the hole in the stone where glorious Bruce set his standard.”  So be like our national bard and come to Bannockburn on Saturday 23^rd June and attend the annual Bannockburn Day March and Rally organised by the Scottish National Party.  The traditional march will commence at 1.30pm from Lower Bridge Street, headed by a pipe band and the SNP Colour Party, and will march through Stirling to the Field of Bannockburn for speeches and entertainment.  Come and enjoy Bannockburn 2001 – Scotland’s Day for National Independence.

THEY SAID IT FOR US

Sometimes my world can seem very unreal indeed.
     - Tony Blair (just before awarding himself a massive pay increase)

I mean he’s a liability.
     - Henry McLeish (on fellow New Labour Minister Brian Wilson)

He’s such a patronising bastard.
     - Henry McLeish and Helen Liddell (on fellow New Labour Minister Dr. John Reid

Isn’t it telling that these two [Henry McLeish and Helen Liddell] were caught bad-mouthing Northern Ireland Secretary Dr. John Reid (‘a bastard’) and Foreign Minister Brian Wilson (‘a liability … never out of Dublin!’) when the whole country knows they couldn’t lace Reid or Wilson’s boots.  In fact that may be what their sotto voce slander was really about, insecurity.  Perhaps they’re feeling insecure.  One of them at least - the one with the Kevin Keegan perm - has every reason to be.
     - George Galloway MP (New Labour)

New Labour is ideologically more comfortable with the Tories.  They share the same untrammelled free-market philosophy.
     - Jimmy Reid

SCOTTISH FOOD, TRADITIONS AND CUSTOMS

"Nothing but heather! - How marvellously descriptive! And incomplete!" wrote the greatest Scottish poet of the Twentieth Century, Hugh MacDiarmid. Of course there is much more to Scotland than heather but it is abundant and much associated with Caledonia. Heather is a wide spread plant, occuring right across northern Europe, but heather-dominated heaths and bogs are nowhere more abundant than in the eastern and central Highlands of Scotland. Most of these heathlands are kept in open condition with young vigorously grown heather, by regular burning, as young heather shoots are the preferred food of the red grouse, an important game bird.

See our Scottish Food, Traditions and Customs in our Features section

DATES IN HISTORY

SING A SANG AT LEAST
(compiled by Peter D Wright)

"That I for poor auld Scotland's sake
Some useful plan or book could make
Or sing a sang at least ........"

- Robert Burns

See the SING A SANG AT LEAST 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)

Peter and Marilyn Wright after doing this weeks Kist O Ferlies at Electric Scotland.

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. 18
[Click here to bring up the crossword]