Just last week, I thought that I was reporting on the last System 3 poll of this election, but like corporation (sorry, deregulated) buses, along comes another at the back of it.

The end of war swing seems to be having an effect on the SSP, while the "Others" are showing an increase; with the plethora of single issue candidates, this is only to be expected.

SPREAD THE (INDEPENDENCE) WORD

The report in last week's Flag (issue 149) welcoming the Scottish National Party's runaway victory in a mock school election held at St Mungo's Academy in Glasgow acted as a timely reminder of the importance of the Scots Independent Schools Sponsorship campaign.

All polls have shown that support for Scottish Independence is highest amongst our young people but that they are least likely to use their vote. The Scots Independent has long realised the fact that they must be encouraged not only to believe in Independence but to vote to help achieve it at every opportunity. Towards this end the newspaper launched in 1998, in memory of Dr Robert D McIntyre, a Schools Sponsorship Campaign to ensure that a complimentary copy of the SI would be sent every month to every secondary school, both public and private, in Scotland.

Thanks to the generosity of our readers this has been achieved and maintained over the Scottish Parliament Elections (1999 and 2003), Local Government Elections (1999 and 2003), European Election (2000) and Westminster (Imperial) Election (2001). The next target is to continue the campaign up to next year's European Election. To achieve this end we would take this opportunity to ask visitors to The Flag to join our newspaper readers and Scottish National Party Branches in backing the Campaign. We suggest a modest donation of £10.00 but obviously would be delighted to accept donations of any size. These can be made via the SI Shopping Mall. We are, as always, grateful for all support in helping to Spread The (Independence) Word to young Scottish scholars. Thank you.

Visit the SI's Shopping Mall at http://www.electricscotland.com/acatalog/index.html

The situation seems not to be as bad in Basra, where the Black Watch and the Queen’s Own Dragoon Guards had established a better relationship with the people, or maybe that is just what we want to believe, but Baghdad is in a mess. Again, this should have been foreseen, but perhaps things moved a lot quicker that the armchair generals expected, if they gave any thought to the aftermath at all. What is puzzling is the "disappearance" of the Republican Guard, the Special Republican Guard, the Iraqi Army and the police, the Baath Party, and virtually everyone connected to the old regime. What has happened to them all, the minions, big and small, who dominated and persecuted the people, and who have now melted away?

And what kind of looting is happening? Is it the action of a people deprived of many of their freedoms and most of the good things of life, taking from their previous jailers, or could it also be the plainclothes Republican Guards, and their associates, getting into official building and removing any evidence which could be used against them. The country is awash with weapons, and it is too trite to imagine that organised bandits are just the "ordinary" Iraqis asserting their new found freedom; more likely is that it will be the servants of the old regime taking advantage of the chaos and confusion to cover their tracks and feather their nests.

It is also surprising to see that already armed forces are returning to Britain and America, when the troops could be used to help try and restore some of the basic utilities destroyed in the war; the message seems to be that now that the coalition has destroyed the infrastructure of their cities, it is time to go home and let them get on with it. "Now let that be a lesson to you." The parallels with Afghanistan are striking; the West completed the destruction of that country started by the Taliban, and then walked away; no wonder the Arab world regards the West with suspicion.

It now looks as if has been a non-event, and if there are any sneaky little nasties in there, no one has noticed them as yet; normally with the Chancellor’s sleight of hand his original speech and window dressing is greeted reasonably favourably, followed a few days later by "Hey, wait a minute..!" as the small print is scrutinised. A case in point was in his first budget when he quietly slipped in the withdrawal of a tax relief on pension funds, costing the funds around £5 billion per year; now nearly every pension fund is in trouble, people are being told that they will not get the pension they had been assured they would get, and companies are closing final salary schemes. A bright boy indeed. I think it was in the same budget that he increased the Old Age Pension by the princely sum of 75p per week.

Here is a selection of comments on the latest Budget from various institutions, culled from "The Observer":

"One has to question a Government that gives funds to a child at birth but charges university tuition fees for 18 year olds." Sedgwick Independent Financial Consultants. (An English comment, but also applies in Scotland despite the Liberal claim that they "abolished" tuition fees, while merely deferring them.)

"It appears that the Government’s approach to financial security for pensioners is to cross its fingers." - Help the Aged.

"Each Budget seems more monumentally boring than the last." Ernst & Young.

"Unless a big increase in the child tax credit is made, the first target for ending child poverty will be missed." - Child Poverty Action Group.

And of course, nearly every commentator thought that the Chancellor’s estimate for growth was too optimistic, more Micawber than Prudence, one said.

A MASTERSTROKE

I liked the broadcast; I did not see it as particularly bad taste, or frightening for older people, but then I am 68 years old, dependent on the National Health Service, and dull, boring and moralistic, so I am not familiar with the moral high ground occupied by so many of our politicians and their journalistic spear-carriers. What the SNP did do was to set the agenda, and it got the chattering classes chattering about what it wanted them to chatter about.

To clarify, for those who did not see the broadcast, it consisted of an elderly man (68?) sitting in his chair, waiting for a letter to go into hospital; the clock ticked, and ticked, and ticked, the man wheezed, briefly remembered happy days, and finally, the chair was empty. The only words, not spoken, were:

"Labour said they’d reduce waiting lists."
"They haven’t."
"Labour said they’d deal with bed shortages."
"They haven’t."
"Labour said they’d tackle staff shortages."
"They haven’t."
"How long can you wait?"
"More pay for nurses will mean more nurses."
"More nurses would drive down waiting times."

Comments on this, before it was screened; the Tories (!!) said it crossed "the line of decency." Labour said it was "in poor taste", although they had also claimed that people on waiting lists were dying while waiting for treatment, but that was before they themselves were elected, and the Liberals, never ones to use three words when thirty will do , "At the outset of this campaign, Jim Wallace wrote to all the main parties, calling for a positive campaign based on the issues which face Scotland at this time. People tell us on the doorstep that they want a positive campaign. All politicians should heed that message." More a sound sandwich than a bite, but trying , as usual , to show the Liberals as political "goodie two- shoes." From my recollection, the most vicious, underhanded person I ever shared a platform with was a Liberal, away back in 1974; I can’t remember his name, but the Labour and Tory speakers were Councillor Robin Cook, and Councillor Malcolm Rifkind.

John Swinney’s comment; "They can say what they like, but what they can’t say is that it isn’t true." There have been no comments from the opposition since the broadcast was shown, and when John Swinney was quizzed by the audience on the Scottish 500 on Tuesday night, no mention of the broadcast either. Reckon the other parties lost that one.

The broadcast can be seen at rtsp://www.snp.org/wait.rm

THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL

So what’s new? Well, Labour have launched a poster campaign , following on their party political broadcast about DIVORCE, and the break-up of Britain if you vote for these nasty Nationalists; this is a re-run of what they did in 1999, and it worked then, but this time they are on the back foot. Mr McConnell is claiming the SNP is deceiving the voters over Independence; how this is happening is a mystery. Imagine, the SNP stands for Independence, now there’s news!! He must think the electorate is as stupid as his own party. Mr McConnell, like many Unionist politicians has selective amnesia; last April, at First Minister’s Questions, he inferred that he had read the SNP policy document "Talking Independence". Well, he was able to tell his sniggering cronies, who pass for a Cabinet, that there were 14308 words in the SNP document, so he must have counted them, a bit of a waste of public money on his salary. Or did he have a civil servant count them, another waste of public (our) money? Whatever, he cannot claim ignorance of the SNP policy; he has one answer to a lot of accusations. When he is asked by, usually, John Swinney, a question he doesn’t want to answer, he always says that John is trying to make "cheap political points."

Anyway, this week he called on his big brother, the Blessed Tony to give him a hand; he obliged, and spent the time attacking the SNP, which is a refreshing change, involving himself in such mundane things as a Scottish Election. Mr Blair is good at saying one thing and doing another, after all he agreed to attack Iraq, even although he had said he would not do it without a second UN resolution. He survived the biggest back bench Labour rebellion of all time, alienated our European partners and stopped off in Scotland on his way to mend fences in Germany before going to Athens. To avoid his visit to bolster New Labour being added to the election expenses, he went into Leuchars to welcome home some of the aircrew from Iraq; no flies on our Tony when it comes to spending public money to Labour’s benefit. The Chancellor, Gordon Brown, is also up here, again speaking up for New Labour, but we don’t yet know what official peg he is hanging his visit on.

The sum total is that New Labour are running scared; the SNP are very, very professional in their attitudes and presentations, and while I don’t like the comparison, they have out-New Laboured New Labour. John Swinney was on the Scottish 500 on Tuesday, where a studio audience of 100 questions every party leader, and he was very relaxed and confident. The SNP is setting the agenda, as in its party political broadcast, and the others have to react; noticeable that Labour’s broadcast attacked the SNP, only, the Blessed Tony attacked the SNP, only, and you would not imagine that there were any other parties; well, the Tories’ mantle has been taken over by New Labour, and the Liberals are the New Labour second team. New Labour know that it is between them and the SNP, and they are worried.

There was also a System Three poll which asked "Should the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh or the Westminster Parliament in London be responsible for powers that influence growth in the Scottish economy?"

70% said the Scottish Parliament , 24% said the Westminster Parliament, and 6% didn’t know.

To the further question "Should the Scottish Parliament or the Westminster Parliament in London be responsible for setting and collecting all taxes in Scotland?"

67% said the Scottish Parliament, 26% the Westminster Parliament, 7% didn’t know.

So, it is so far, so good, and as long as the SNP retains the high ground, and doesn’t let any Labour attack deflect them, we will do very well indeed.

FOOT IN THE MOUTH NOTES

Or perhaps just politically naive, to be kind about it.

Iain Gray, currently Enterprise Minister, on Labour’s manifesto "It is a serious mistake to believe there is no reference to Scottish Enterprise simply because the words are not there."

Definitely a serious mistake somewhere.

Highland Spring employs about 130 people in Blackford; it is owned by His Excellency Mohammed Mardi al-Tajir, of Dubai, who bought himself a Scottish Estate when he was the ambassador at the Court of St James.

We await with interest the situation when Glasgow Central disappears after boundary changes and is subsumed into Glasgow Govan; the MP for Glasgow Govan is Mohammad Sarwar, Britain’s only Muslim MP.

A pledge a day keeps the SNP away.

SNP leader John Swinney has pledged to freeze at present levels the money spent on the new Scottish Parliament building if his party gains power in May. He would order "not a penny more" to be spent than the total cost so far - about £338 million - he said. Mr Swinney also claimed he would order an inquiry into how the original cost of a Scottish Parliament came to be given as £40 million. The SNP leader made the pledge in an audience question-and-answer session on Scottish TV's "Scottish 500" programme, screened last night. He was seeking to exploit the discomfiture of First Minister Jack McConnell, who on the same programme last week was forced into conceding the cost of the ill-starred project could hit £400 million. The latest cost for the plans, given in January, is £324 million for the complex or £338 million if the cost of landscaping is included - almost nine times the original estimate at the time of the 1999 devolution referendum. Mr Swinney said of that original £40 million figure: "We know that was a lie. What I will do if I am First Minister is institute a no-holds-barred inquiry into how that figure was calculated, and how the people were lied to. On the day I become First Minister I will ask how much it is estimated that building is going to cost - the current estimate is about £340 million. And I will say to those responsible for the project: 'Not a penny more of public money will be spent'."

SNP Leader John Swinney today pledged to go further than the current Scottish Executive plans for rebuilding and refurbishing schools by replacing the expensive PFI-privatisation with the SNP's Not-For-Profit Trusts. "Crumbling schools do not provide our children with the right environment for learning. We will match, brick for brick, the current plans for new and refurbished schools but we will go further. The simplified means of funding which is available through Not-for-Profit Trusts will give us even greater resources". Visiting the PFI built Larbert High School, Mr Swinney pledged to use Not-For-Profit Trusts to deliver an expanded rebuilding programme that, unlike PFI, maintains public ownership saying, "With Not-for-Profit Trusts, communities retain ownership of their schools, instead of handing them over to private contractors. Too often, the private PFI owners have demanded such high fees from community groups, children's clubs and local organisations that they have been forced out of their own schools. With Not-for-Profit Trusts, communities retain ownership of their schools, instead of handing them over to private contractors". Mr Swinney said the SNP's new and refurbished schools would not only be better value for the public purse, more new schools could be built, and better facilities provided than with PFI-privatisation and added, "It is time to move on from Labour's obsession with privatisation. We can't wait any longer to put pupils before profit."

Nurses back SNP pay plans
Wed 16 Apr 03

Nurses today backed SNP plans to allow different pay levels and backed SNP plans for increasing pay over and above the UK rate by 11%, by a margin of almost nine to one. Commenting, SNP Shadow Health Minister Ms Nicola Sturgeon said, "Nurses have voted overwhelmingly in favour of Scotland taking a competitive advantage in the market for staff. They know what every patient knows – more nurses means more beds; more beds means lower waiting times. We can't wait any longer for Labour to understand this. We will release our potential by delivering an eleven percent pay rise to nurses, not simply because they deserve it, but also because it gives Scotland a competitive edge in the market for staff. This is the path down which hospitals across England will now go. We cannot stand still with Labour and see more and more nurses attracted south by higher pay rates. We cannot wait any longer for the competitive edge we need to attract more staff."

The economic storm clouds are gathering as Chancellor Gordon Brown visits Scotland, SNP Leader John Swinney said today after three major reports revealed the cost of London control. Reports from the Office of National Statistics, Bank of Scotland and the Fraser of Allander Institute all paint a gloomy picture for our economy with jobs down 24,000, the economic downturn accelerating and the budget achieving next to nothing to help. Commenting Mr Swinney said, "The Chancellor has come north to tell Scotland we don’t need to take control of our own economy on the very same day, the Fraser of Allander Institute has said his budget did nothing to turn around our faltering economy; the Office of National Statistics has said the number of jobs in Scotland has dropped a massive 24,000 in a single year; and a report from the Bank of Scotland has predicted even lower growth than the miniscule amount we expected. This is all Gordon Brown has offer – low growth and low employment. We can't wait any longer for the competitive tools we need to turn our economy around. The choice at this election is between standing still with Gordon Brown's appalling economic record or releasing our potential by moving on to take control of our own economy."

SNP politicians in Dundee have attacked the Labour Party over misleading claims about the Council's budget in a Labour leaflet being delivered in the City. Cllr Willie Sawers, SNP Finance Spokesperson said, "At the Budget meeting the SNP proposed that the Council should approach the Scottish Executive seeking adequate funding for the City Council. If the Labour Party choose to describe calls for additional funding as incompetent, that shows their total lack of interest in representing Dundee". Cllrr Dave Beattie, in whose ward the leaflet is being delivered said, "The Labour Party in Dundee are more interested in spinning a web of half truths and deceit than in representing and promoting the City. To fill a leaflet with such nonsense shows it is time for them to go. Dundonians have waited too long."

SNP Leader John Swinney today accused Tony Blair of offering Scotland nothing but the stand still policies that have failed us for decades, after a new report revealed Scotland is at risk of entering its second recession under Labour. "On the same day that Tony Blair has chosen to hand out a lecture to run our country, the huge cost of Labour and London control of the Scottish economy has been revealed," said Mr Swinney. "A new report published by the Royal Bank warns that Scotland could plunge into yet another recession – the second under Labour. And the government itself has revealed that since 1998, 42,600 businesses have been closed with the loss of 336,000 jobs. The vast majority of the people of Scotland want economic powers to be transferred from Westminster to the Scottish Parliament. And no wonder. All Tony Blair has to offer is more of the same failed, stand-still policies that have already caused one recession and threaten a second. We can't wait any longer for Labour. It's time to move on."

SNP hound Blair during flying visit
Tue 15 Apr 03

The SNP today highlighted London Labour's influence over Jack McConnell and Scottish Labour when it unveiled a new campaign poster during the PM's visit north of the border. The SNP campaign poster shows the face of Jack McConnell set on the body of a Jack Russell Terrier listening attentively to Tony Blair, "His Master's Voice", on a gramophone. The poster, on a mobile advertising trailer, will follow Mr Blair throughout his visit to Scotland. The SNP poster started the day in Pollock Country Park, where Labour unveiled its own billboard poster attacking Independence, and then followed the PM until he flew out of the country. 

CONSTITUTION - Referendum on independence to be held within the four-year term of an SNP administration.

ECONOMY - Cut business rates to below UK rates "within the first term". - No increase in income tax. - On independence, SNP would "cut the taxes on growth and increase competitiveness".

HEALTH - Increase pay of nurses and midwives by 11% on top of any UK settlement - SNP "aim" for everyone to receive hospital treatment within six months of diagnosis by 2005 - "Work towards" delivering, by the end of the first term, maximum wait of six months for first outpatient appointment. - Halt reduction in acute beds - Make local health councils independent of NHS. - New independent national patient body. - Early legislation to abolish health trusts, review number of health boards and devolve some of their powers. - Abolish charges for dental checkups. - Extending the fruit in schools scheme to ensure every child gets at least one piece of fruit per day.

LAW & ORDER - Put 1,000 more police officers on streets - Cut time spent by police in court. - Parental compensation orders to ensure parents take responsibility. - Improve the efficiency of the Crown Office and the Fiscal service to improve the number of cases prosecuted. - More secure units. - Weekend courts, Family courts and Weekend sentences.

EDUCATION - Starting with deprived areas, cut Primary 1, 2 and 3 class sizes to 18 or less "within five years". - Pilot a national system of supported childcare. - Improve behaviour through temporary exclusion to special centres. - Match "brick for brick" any new or modernised school plans on offer from Labour or Lib Dems but using not-for-profit trusts. - Review 5-14 curriculum. - Allow S3 and S4 youngsters to use colleges for vocational education. - Abolish the graduate endowment.

ENVIRONMENT - Aim for 25% of generation from renewable sources by 2010. - Use Holyrood powers to prevent building of any new nuclear stations. - On independence, decommission existing facilities at end of their economic or technical life.

FARMING, FISHING, FORESTRY - Ensure new regulations only introduced in Scotland after implementation by majority of EU nations. - Immediate moratorium on GM crop trials. - Recovery plan for fishing and aid for onshore businesses including rates relief. RURAL - Review of local enterprise network will include needs of rural and remote businesses. - Promote Highlands & Islands airports. - Secure future of post offices.

Keeping in touch with constituents around Scotland is important. Ian Hudghton SNP MEP
visits Peterhead Harbour with local SNP Councillors and MSP

TRANSPORT - Public control of the Scotrail franchise through a Not for Profit trust. - On independence, re-integrate control of track and trains in a single Scottish National Rail Authority - We will introduce legislation to re-regulate buses.

GOVERNANCE - Cut the size of government, with a smaller cabinet and fewer ministers - Devolve control from government to communities - Introduce fair voting with STV for council elections - Overhaul local government finance, replacing council tax with a system which takes account of ability to pay.