The Flag in the Wind
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CAMPAIGNING FOR SCOTLAND
(Owned, Edited and Printed in Scotland since November 1926)
"Promoting all that is best in Scottish Nationalism and all that is best in Scotland."

Compiled by Jim Lynch
[Issue 68 - 21st September 2001]

This edition will be somewhat patchy, and personal, as I only arrived home on Monday, and am consequently out of touch with what has been happening in Scotland, although not in the rest of the world.

HOLIDAY THOUGHTS

One of my reasons for going abroad, apart from the sunshine, is the fact that for two weeks I do not look at a newspaper, apart from the Observer, which I try to get wherever I am. I read a couple of non fiction books, as I have time, and a few novels, and I do crosswords! All very boring, low key, and relaxing, very, very relaxing! This year I finished reading "Scottish Government & Politics" by Dr Peter Lynch of Stirling University, which I found very interesting and informative; I had started to read it when in hospital earlier this year, so now I have completed it. It is not my intention to review it, but strangely enough it was reviewed in Neue Zuercher Zuetung, the biggest daily newspaper in Switzerland, by Dr August Benz, who is currently working in Edinburgh. He says he thoroughly enjoyed the book, but I cannot quote from his review, although I have a copy, as it is written in German!

The other non fiction I read was Tom Nairn’s "After Britain", an examination of where we are heading and the constitutional upheaval involved. His main thrust was that Devolution is an attempt by the British establishment to halt the disintegration of the United Kingdom, and that the plan is "Let it settle down", as a means of delaying change to "This year, next year, sometime, never", a view with which many of us concur. Tom Nairn was the author of the sentence "There will no’ be freedom in Scotland, until the last minister ( of the Presbyterian Kirk) is strangled with the last copy of the Sunday Post!" He made that statement in 1968, and has somewhat mollified his view; certainly the Sunday Post has improved its political stance since then. Somewhere I have a copy of the poem about it, but I don’t know exactly where.

On the fiction side, I read two books by Bernard Cornwell, "The Winter King", a story about Arthur, "Harlequin", a tale about the Grail, and Louis de Berniere’s "Captain Corelli’s Mandolin"; the last was a savage indictment of the Second World War in Greece, and left me sad. The savagery in the first two books was from 800 to 900 years ago, but the Second World War was in my lifetime.

And then came Tuesday, 11 September, 2001.

THE AMERICAN NIGHTMARE

As I stated above, I do not read newspapers abroad, as I prefer the Scotsman and the Herald, and you do not get them in the Algarve. (You do not get them in England either!) In any event, a headline on a newspaper caught my eye as I walked past; "War in America", it said. We are so used to the hyperbole of the tabloid press, who equate football matches between England and Germany as "War", that I thought twice before I went and bought the paper.

I could not believe what I was reading, and even now, more than a week after the event, I still find it hard to come to terms with the atrocity, although I have now seen it on television as well. My friend and colleague, Peter Wright, who produced the Flag when I was on holiday, wrote eloquently about this last week, expressing our sympathy to all in America, and now we can see that the world has become a much more dangerous place.

Nobody could have predicted the chain of events; Frederick Forsyth, the author of "Day of the Jackal" and "The Odessa File", has said he had considered a similar plot for a novel but abandoned it as it would not have been a credible scenario. As it is, none of us can feel safe from a creed that has a venomous hatred of the West, and a total disregard for lives, their own included, and it involves us all in many different ways. We had minor travel problems on the way home, queueing up to get in to the airport, being sent from boarding gate to boarding gate, and then having to load your own luggage onto the plane, but our irritation was directed at the travel company representatives, who neglected to tell us anything; the main thing was that it was for our own safety.

What happens now is of more concern. While we believe that the perpetrators were evil, they saw themselves as a force for good; how killing and maiming thousands of innocent people can be construed as an act approved by God, or Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful, as they refer to him, is beyond our comprehension. The other point is that the extremists all have their roots in countries where democracy does not exist, and when we see mobs in Afghanistan, or Iraq, demonstrating and baying for the blood of the infidels (us) we should remember that failure to demonstrate could be an offence. When retaliation takes place, as it inevitably must and will, we can only hope that the right targets are chosen; the people of these countries have a generally miserable existence, and indiscriminate bombing of them will solve nothing.

The cowardly ones are those who orchestrated and planned the attacks, and who now deny responsibility; in particular, those states who helped in arming, training and financing terrorists. The plan should be "Follow the money"; the terrorists had money, to eat, to rent apartments, to pay hotel bills, to pay for flying lessons, to hire cars, to travel. It does not seem at this stage that any of them were employed, so the money had to come from someplace. 

I do not find it surprising that a majority of people in Britain approve of a military strike against the countries concerned, and I find it even less surprising that an even bigger majority of Scots approve; I have relatives in America, and because of the Scottish diaspora I would imagine practically every household in Scotland has a relation of some sort in the New World. The proportion will be higher than in England, they never had the equivalent of the Highland Clearances, but most of our emigrants are of more recent origin. Both my father and mother had sisters who emigrated to America, and I have cousins in New York and California, whom I have met, and I do not think this is uncommon. They are family.

SNP CONFERENCE DUNDEE 2001

One of the comments by Peter Wright in Issue 66 of the Flag raised my eyebrows. He wrote that I would be back "in plenty time to ensure that proper coverage of the Conference is given in the Flag." Not quite; I will be at Conference, talking to people, meeting old friends, and attending some debates, so all you will get is a flavour of the Conference, and the proper reporting will appear in next month’s Scots Independent. (That’s me off the hook, and able to go to the pub!)

Of course, the Conference Agenda has changed since Peter wrote these words, and there will not be a debate on Scotland’s membership of Nato; I was pleased to see the Nato issue raised, as this is a sign that the Party is coming back to practicalities, and that issues will be raised and democratically debated, instead of a completely stage managed public relations exercise, as has been the case in the last few years. However, the decision to take this debate out was a wise move under the circumstances, as any debate on Nato would automatically bring in criticism of the United States, and wouldn’t the Daily Discord have rejoiced at trying to show our delegates as some form of Islamic militants.

It will be a difficult Conference, as in time of upheaval, there is a tendency of sticking together, and as Tony Blair flies about the world being the international statesman, Britain will feel great again, and important on the world stage; with this scenario, Scotland will be sidelined again, and our debates trivialised by the press. However, this jingoism will pass, and Scotland would be a safer place without Trident, for a start, but as the events of last week show, the threat is not from military might ............

ON A LIGHTER NOTE

I mentioned at the beginning that there were nearly as many Internet Cafes as there were Irish pubs at the resort we were at in the Algarve. It was very strange; in one street alone, there were three Irish pubs next door to each other! There were Irish pubs in Alvor, the next small resort, in Lagos, further along the coast, and in Portimao, quite a large town, but it only had one, which advertised itself as "the only Irish pub in Portimao!"

Arriving in Faro there seemed to be two flights from Ireland to every one from the UK, and the resorts were crowded with the Irish; I came down in the lift at the apartment block with two Irishmen. In general conversation, I asked "Where are you from?", to be told "Ireland", which I had noticed. I asked whereabouts and was told "Dublin". In turn I was asked where I came from, and when I said "Edinburgh", they shook my hand. Very friendly.

At the next block, there was an Irish tour company representative, and the tour company book telling you all about the area; I copied the following from the book. It was a full page, entitled "The Tourist’s Prayer", but I only took the last two parts:

For Husbands; "Dear God, keep our wives from shopping sprees, and protect them from bargains they don’t need and cannot afford.

Lead them not into temptation, for they know not what they do."

For Wives; "Almighty Father, keep our husbands from looking at foreign women and comparing them to us.

Save them from making fools of themselves in cafes and nightclubs.

Do not forgive them their trespasses, for they know only too well what they do."

FOOT IN THE MOUTH NOTES

Tesco are making a big production of their expansion in Scotland telling us they are going to create 1500 new jobs.

I wonder why they have to feel so sanctimonious; they are not creating new jobs. At the very best they are moving jobs, but more likely they are creating unemployment. Because a new supermarket opens its customers are not created out of thin air; they switch their trade from other, usually smaller shops, employing more people.

Racism is a pernicious disease, mainly manifested as colour prejudice.

For the last two weeks, I have been looking at thousands of people, including those with shaven heads and tattoos, lying on beaches, because they want to look coloured. It’s a funny old world.

The Tories have now elected Iain Duncan Smith as their leader; Mr Duncan Smith is a Scotsman, in much the same way as Tony Blair is a Scotsman. Charles Kennedy is a Scotsman, and a Scottish MP. So the leaders of the three main English parties are Scots.

Strange how Scots are competent enough to run other people’s affairs, but are apparently not competent enough to run their own.

                              SYNOPSIS

SNP CALLS FOR LAW ON SALTIRE COLOURS

The SNP this week urged the Scottish Executive to introduce laws stipulating the shade of blue used in the Scottish national flag. Irene McGugan, SNP shadow deputy education minister, said the heraldic definitions of colours were problematic. She said: "It is entirely appropriate for the Scottish Parliament to take a view on the recognised and approved colour of our national flag to avoid the present uncertainty and confusion about shades of blue?"

REGISTER OF LOBBYISTS GOES AHEAD

MSPs insisted this week that they would press ahead with a compulsory registration scheme for lobbyists despite warnings it would prove illegal and unworkable. Members of the cross-party standards committee also accused lobbying firms of trying to undermine the registration plans, instead of making constructive responses to a consultation paper. The committee had invited comments from lobbying groups and others about its decision to introduce a legally enforceable scheme. But the Public Relations Consultants Association and the Institute of Public Relations claimed that the plans were unnecessary and unworkable. Tricia Marwick, SNP MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, told the committee that she was angry at the response from some commercial lobbyists. Ms Marwick said: "Some of the organisations responding to the consultation paper have rubbished the idea of statutory registration. But they did not take the opportunity in the initial 11-month period to make any representations."

SCOTLAND FREE OF FOOT-AND-MOUTH, EC VETS CONSIDER EXPORT BAN

Scotland has been declared officially free of foot-and-mouth disease, with the lifting of the last infection restrictions on Tuesday morning. The move has been welcomed by the beleaguered farming industry, and comes on the day that the European Standing Veterinary Committee meets in Brussels. Fergus Ewing, shadow rural development minister, reiterated his call for the export ban to be lifted in Scotland. He said: "The meeting of the Standing Veterinary Committee was a golden opportunity for Scotland to have the export ban lifted. Scotland has been disease free for more than three months and now that we have disease free status there is no impediment to having the ban lifted." Foot-and-mouth arrived north of the Border on 1 March, and since then there have been 187 confirmed cases. The last of them was at the end of May. After 90 disease-free days restrictions were lifted in most of the country - apart from an area adjacent to the Border near Gretna and Annan affected by restrictions on infected premises in Cumbria. Those restrictions have now been lifted. Mr Ewing expressed hope that the outcome of the Brussels meeting would be in Scotland's favour. "Scotland's farmers and the wider rural economy deserve no less," he added.

MSPs URGE COMPENSATION FOR FISHING CREWS

MSPs are to urge the Executive to find ways of ensuring that fishing boat owners pass on to their crews some of the decommissioning cash paid to take boats out of the industry, it emerged this week. The moves were agreed by the Parliament's European Committee, after a short discussion on the Executive's response to a committee report on the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). Lloyd Quinan, SNP MSP for West of Scotland region, spoke in favour of any decommissioning cash being made available to crews as well as vessels or licence-holders. "It is simply not acceptable for the government to say that traditionally, this has not been done. Where does tradition stop and sensible best practice come into the calculation?" he asked.

WE WILL ALL REMEMBER WHERE WE WERE.

"It seems extremist Muslims are the prime suspects for the outrage in New York - but that does not, and must not, mean all Muslims are to blame," says Andrew Wilson. Writing in his weekly column for the Sunday Mail from Sarajevo, the MSP continues: "The darkness we find in the depths of some men's minds is man-made. It has nothing to do with religion and their guilt must not be visited on others who share the same culture. If a Bosnian Muslim can say that 'not all Serbs are guilty men' then it is up to us who only watched the horror on our television to find that same sense of understanding. If Ramiz Subasic can rebuild the homes of Serbians with the scarred memories of massacre and concentration camps fresh in his mind, then the free and democratic nations of the West must do the same. That means we must ensure that the guilty - but only the guilty - are brought to justice and punished for the crimes of last week."

TREASURY TO PAY HOUSING DEBT, BUT ONLY IF TENANTS TRANSFER

The UK government will pay off billions of pounds in council housing debt - if local authorities transfer their housing stock to community ownership. The Scottish Executive confirmed today that the UK Treasury will pay off the housing debt accrued by councils if they transfer all their homes into locally controlled housing associations. Five Scottish councils, who are currently considering the move, stand to have billions of pounds of debt repaid if tenants vote for change. But the context of the offer has attracted widespread criticism from opposition parties. The Scottish National Party welcomed the cancellation of debt but was critical of the decision to make it conditional on tenants voting in favour of the housing stock transfer. Shadow social justice and housing minister Kenneth Gibson said: "The Government should not lay down preconditions for the debt transfer. I am extremely disappointed that Gordon Brown has decided to blackmail tenants by saying that the debt burden will only be lifted if the tenants vote for stock transfer. By linking stock transfer to debt relief the Government will discriminate against those local authorities and their tenants who have managed their housing stock effectively and have accumulated smaller and more manageable levels of debt. What is needed is a fresh start for all local authorities and tenants. That will only be achieved when all local authorities have their housing debt transferred to the UK taxpayer."

WATER SPRINKLERS FOR HOMES BILL LAUNCHED

A Bill calling for water sprinklers to be installed in Scottish homes in a bid to cut fire deaths was launched today. The private member's Bill, tabled by SNP MSP Michael Matheson, was brought about as a result of Scotland's terrible fire death record. The Bill is targeted towards protecting more vulnerable people, such as those living in residential homes or sheltered accommodation, and also considers the installation of such systems in hospitals. Mr Matheson is also consulting on whether to amend housing regulations so that any new properties being constructed would be equipped with sprinkler systems. According to the most recent figures, the risk of dying in a house fire in Scotland is almost double the same risk in England and Wales. Scotland's fire service also believes that sprinklers in Scottish homes could cut the number of fire deaths by a third. Mr Matheson, a regional MSP for Central Scotland, said he hoped the Residential Sprinklers (Scotland) Bill would particularly benefit the most vulnerable people in the country. He said: "Scotland has one of the highest levels of domestic fire deaths in the world and many of these deaths could have been prevented. Our elderly and disabled are at particular risk from fire and Scotland has certain types of housing, such as tenements, which make tackling fires much more difficult. This Bill proposes to introduce residential fire sprinklers in order to assist in ending Scotland's unnecessary fire deaths. A number of countries now install these sprinklers as a matter of course and the result is that lives have been saved."

MSPs SPEND TOO MUCH TIME ON GOVERNMENT BUSINESS

The Scottish Parliament spends too much time dealing with the Executive's legislative programme and not enough time debating other matters, MSPs were told today. Members of the Procedures Committee heard that concerns have been raised about the way the Parliament is meeting the principles drawn up by the Consultative Steering Group (CSG) two years ago. A consultation exercise also revealed that many members of the public do not understand the difference between the Scottish Parliament and the Scottish Executive. Committee member Gil Paterson, SNP MSP for Central Scotland, said re-naming the Scottish Executive the Scottish Government could solve the confusion. He said: "Surely if it's a continuing problem in terms of the public, it's a big problem that we need to overcome."

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SCOTTISH FOOD, TRADITIONS AND CUSTOMS
(if you have any suggestions on what you'd like us to include email peter@scotsindependent.org)

The climax of the farming year is the harvest - hairst in Scots. The bringing in of the harvest, especially if it was a good one, was a time of great celebration and ritual. Unlike today, the harvest needed a large workforce of both men and women in the "good" old days. As the reapers gathered they drank a toast and the farmer would lay his bonnet on the ground, lift his stickle, face the sun and cut a small handful of corn. This was moved sunwise three timesoo around his head and a chant set up as a blessing on the harvest. Obviously a ceremony stretching back into more Pagen times. The harvesters worked as a team and a kiss could be claimed from the girl bandster, who made the bands to tie the sheaves, if the band broke.

 

It was working at the hairst which moved our National Bard, Robert Burns, to pen his first lyric. At the age of fifteen he worked in tandem with Nelly Kilpatrick at the hairst and wrote "My Handsome Nell" in tribute to the bonnie lass -

 

"But Nelly's looks are blythe and sweet,

    And what is best of a',

 Her reputation is complete,

    And fair without a flaw.

 

 She dresses aye sae clean and neat,

    Both decent and genteel;

 And then there's something in her gait

    Gars ony dress look weel."

 

But not only farmers are busy with the hairst, now is the season to pick one of Autumn's most delightful hedgerow fruits - brambles. This week's recipe - Bramble Wine - requires patience, six months to a year, but is well worth the wait.

 

Bramble Wine

 

Ingredients: 1 gallon brambleberries; 1 gallon water; 2 lb sugar to each gallon of fruit; a little brandy ( optional ).

 

The berries should be gathered on a fine day and must be ripe and dry. Pick them over carefully and place in an earthware crock. Bruise the fruit with a wooden spoon and pour the boiling water over it. Cover and allow to stand for six days, stirring every day. Skim, and strain through linen or fine muslin. Measure the juice and the proportionate amount of sugar. Return the juice to the rinsed crock, add the sugar, and stir until it has disolved. Cover the crock lightly and leave until fermentation ceases ( a week or longer ). Add the brandy if desired. Pour into bottles, corking them loosely at first; then tightn up and leave for not less than six months, and preferably for twelve to mature.

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

DATES IN HISTORY

21 September 1756
Birth of John McAdam, Ayr born surveyor who introduced the 'macadam' system of road surfacing.

 

23 September 2000
John Swinney MP, MSP elected as National Convener of the Scottish National Party at the 66th SNP Annual National Conference in Inverness. He defeated fellow MSP Alex Neil by 547 votes to 268.

 

25 September 1915
The Battle of Loos began, in which Piper Daniel Laidlaw, The King's Own Scottish Borderers, won the Victoria Cross for mounting the parapet during heavy bombardment and playing his regiment "over the top".

See Dates in History in our Features Section

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

SI Prize Crossword No. 21 SEPTEMBER  2001
[Click here to bring up the crosswords]