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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."
[Issue 161 -
4th July 2003]
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Compiled by Jim Lynch |
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 INDEPENDENCE CONGRATULATIONS
Today we congratulate our
American cousins on the Anniversary of their Independence, and lest we be
thought to be ignoring them, we also congratulate our Canadian friends whose
Independence Anniversary was on 1st July this week.
As stated previously, I
have a plethora of American cousins, but no longer any Canadian ones;
however I do have a Canadian daughter-in-law, two Canadian
step-grandchildren, and also Canadian friends, emigrants from Dundee, so
there are strong ties.
Although Scotland was never
officially a colony, we do regard ourselves as England’s last one, and for
some of us Independence cannot come soon enough, I think this quotation from
James Halliday’s column in the July Scots Independent, sums things up.
"We yearn for Independence,
but who else does? No other party does, which should be a discouraging
thought for the well-intentioned who dream of all-party, non-party,
multi-party coalitions and alliances to carry us to self-government.
"Our problem is that the
Scots are not yearning for independence, not really. They might quite like
it, or so they say, at least while the question is being put to them, but
that is an emotion rather less intense than is needed to move our cause
forward. We have not persuaded our people, as our leader has reminded us, to
join us fully in our purposes. That is true, but please remember that it is
all up to us because no one else has the slightest intention of trying."
VOTING TIME AGAIN
 I
was intrigued to see a report in the Sunday Post about Gordon Jackson, the
Labour MSP for Glasgow Govan, a constituency famous, among other things, for
being represented by millionaires both in Edinburgh and London (Mohammad
Sarwar MP).
During a debate last week
on reform of the legal services, everyone was surprised to see Mr
Jackson sitting in the chamber; he has a very lucrative career as an
advocate, and does not spend much time in Parliament. The SNP’s Nicola
Sturgeon commented "He obviously thinks that as we are about to do something
that might affect his day job, it is worth his while to be here."
Apparently, Mr Jackson is known in the Parliament as "Crackerjack" as he
appears every evening at five to five to vote.
Now what interests me is
this; Westminster MPs attendance is only recorded by the number of times
they appear in the division lobbies. That means that a Labour MP, or one
from any of the parties for that matter, could , in theory, never appear in
the chamber, speak, put a question or attend any committee, but if they
staggered out of the bar to vote, they could then register perfect
attendance. What I would like to know is if this system is also in place in
Edinburgh, because if that is the case, then Mr Jackson can not only spend
all day every day in court, as he is alleged so to do, but he can clock up
perfect attendance. I think we should be told.
WATER UNDER THE
BRIDGE - OR SPOTLIGHT?
 The
cost and drinkability of Scotland’s water has been filling acres of
newsprint lately, as has the comparison with England’s and the privatised
versus public asset argument. I came upon this little conundrum in the
Scotsman; "...in the last 15 years, £52 billion has been spent on
infrastructure south of the Border, bringing lower charges and a better
quality of water. Since 1996, only £2 billion has been spent in Scotland,
now boosted by the £1.8 billion Scottish Water is planning to spend in the
next four years."
A few wee points there;
1996 until the present is 6 and a bit years, not 15, so perhaps prior to
1996 a lot of money was spent, or not, but we are not comparing like for
like. In addition, it could be that the English system was in a much greater
state of disrepair, so required prodigious amounts of dosh; certainly, as
Scottish Water is only going to spend £1.8 billion over four years to put it
right this argument would hold water (pun intended). Also, all debt was
written off for the English water industry to give the privateers a clean
start, whereas Scottish Water started with £2 billion of public debt,
coincidentally the amount spent on infrastructure since 1996!
QUIS CUSTODIET?
 We can only
speculate as to what motives are driving the Scottish Parliament’s standards
committee; Tricia Marwick, SNP MSP, was nominated by the SNP as the
committee’s convener. At the the same time, Dorothy Grace Elder, a former
list SNP MSP, who left the SNP but continued to sit in Parliament, lodged a
complaint against Tricia Marwick and Kenny MacAskill.
The complaint was that
they had illegally retained documents which belonged to Ms Elder; their
defence was that Ms Elder had got their researcher, Mary Spowart, to do work
for her in the time she was working for them. Ms Spowart was sacked after
she had been found leaking material to other parties, and working for Ms
Elder. The documents concerned were photocopies, which did not prevent Ms
Elder from carrying out her work on behalf of the public petitions
committee, and were retained by Mrs Marwick and Mr MacAskill as possible
evidence in any employment dispute. I can relate to that as it is something
I experienced during my working life.
The complaint was
investigated by Bill Spence, the acting standards commissioner, and he
concluded that neither Mrs Marwick nor Mr MacAskill had broken the rules,
and that there was no case to answer; this was the first investigation, by
the first parliamentary standards commissioner, and lasted three months. Mrs
Marwick , who had been elected as convener of the committee, should then
have been able to take the chair. However, the committee, under the
chairmanship of the deputy convener, Ken MacIntosh, decided they would not
accept the commissioner’s recommendation, but would investigate the matter
themselves! As the Parliament is now in recess, their investigation will not
start until September; Mr MacAskill has now lodged a complaint against Mr
MacIntosh, who had been seen talking with Ms Elder, now no longer an MSP, in
the Parliament the previous week.
Labour dominated committees
have a habit of ignoring standards commissioners; at Westminster, the
commissioner, Dame Elizabeth Filkin, upheld a complaint against Dr John Reid
that he had used his Westminster parliamentary allowance to pay for workers
at the Scottish parliamentary elections. After investigation, the committee
found him innocent, because they needed a greater burden of proof as he was
a Minister! John Maxton, a fellow Labour MP, similarly accused, escaped in
Dr Reid’s slipstream, as he was not a Minister. In the case of Nigel
Griffith MP, the commissioner found him guilty of claiming rent from
Westminster for a property he already owned, but his chums on the Standards
Committee let him off as well; so if you are a Labour Member of either
parliament you can do no wrong.
There is a little sting in
the tail for Labour; Mr MacIntosh was on the Parliament’s finance committee
from May 1999 to December 2000, and in April 2000 he was appointed the
reporter to establish the costs of the burgeoning Holyrood Project. Lord
Fraser of Carmyllie’s investigation might throw up some interesting
sidelights.
POTS AND KETTLES
 I suppose
it is somewhat ironic that the Auditor General is Robert Black, and the man
who wrote the book "All the First Minister’s Men" was David Black, because
now that an inquiry is being launched we have all the political pots calling
all the political kettles black.
Latest to step into the
row, Nigel Griffiths, junior trade minister, speaking to a building industry
magazine "As the speaker of the House, and as chairman of the essential
committee overseeing the project, David Steel has been naive in his handling
of the construction process - - as once you go to tender you are stuck with
it." Lord Steel of Aikwood responded "I am always happy to discuss the
Holyrood project with interested parties or well informed critics, but Mr
Griffiths falls into neither category." He was a bit unfair, as Mr Griffiths
was saying that once the tender was approved they were stuck with it, and
London Labour approved the tender; Mr Griffiths does know a bit about
property values in Edinburgh, after all he does own his constituency
offices, as noted above, even if he is a bit light in the principle
department. Come to think of it, a reasonable property developer.
One other MP who stepped into
the row was Brian Wilson, who had Mr Griffiths job until the recent
reshuffle, and is now a backbencher. He said that Donald Dewar should not be
blamed, and in some instances he should know; it has always been alleged,
and vehemently denied, that he was the man who called Calton Hill a
"Nationalist shibboleth." We do not know quite whether Mr Wilson jumped or
was pushed, but we’re glad he’s gone!
To assist the inquiry into
the Parliament’s costs, Pete Wishart, SNP’s Westminster Chief Whip, has
tabled a raft of Parliamentary Questions, the full details of which are in
the July issue of the Scots Independent newspaper. To give you a flavour ,
here are one or two:
"To ask the Prime Minister
which members of the cabinet were responsible for choosing the site of the
Scottish Parliament when this matter was considered prior to the transfer of
responsibilities to the Scottish Parliament Corporate Body."
"To ask the Secretary of
State for Scotland when the estimate of £50 million for the Scottish
Parliament was announced by her predecessor and what the process was by
which this estimate was reached." (This question was lodged before Helen
Liddell was sacked; however, it should pose no problems for the current
part-time Secretary, Alastair Darling, as the Scottish Parliament building
is in his constituency.)
Or three "To ask the
Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish minutes of Scotland
Office meetings relating to the new Scottish Parliament building prior to
the transfer of responsibilities to the Scottish Parliament Corporate Body."
 Pete
has asked four questions to the Prime Minister, three to the Chancellor of
the Exchequer and ten to the Secretary of State for Scotland, whomsoever he,
or she, may be; we now wonder how many of them will come back saying that
the answer cannot be provided, "except at disproportionate cost."
Other calamities are
befalling the project; the latest one is that some of the contractors are
apparently using immigrant labour, and paying them sweeties, as the saying
goes. UCATT, the construction workers’ union had received a complaint that
British workers had been paid off as they were not needed and their place
taken by Romanian workers flown in to do the work, and that the cost of
accommodation and flights were being deducted from their wages, taking them
below the minimum wage. This was a week or two back, and the threat of a
strike by the building workers was being taken seriously; it seems to have
gone quiet, so perhaps that problem has been resolved. Last year a raid on
the site by the Department of Social Security revealed a large number of
workers both working and claiming benefit, not unknown in the building
trade; as far as I recall the expression used to be "on the grip", but maybe
I’m getting mixed up.
I had a quiet smile to myself
when I read the reaction of the lead architect on the project; it was in an
interview with the magazine Building Design, and the architect, Brian
Stewart, said that the "the agreement with Mr Reid to cap the fees had not
been as amicable and uncontroversial as the Presiding Officer made it appear
when he made his much-publicised announcement on 10 June." A spokesman for
the parliament said that the meeting had been "robust". He said "The
Presiding Officer knew that hard negotiations would follow, but his
commitment is to the public purse. That stance remains unchanged. His
priority is to deliver a building of quality as quickly as possible." Now
why does the expression "kick ass" come to mind?
SHONA’S BABY ARRIVES
 Shona
Robison MSP and Stewart Hosie are delighted to announce the birth of their
daughter, Morag Louise.
Morag Louise was born in
Ninewells Hospital on Saturday evening weighing 6lb 13ozs. Both Shona and
Morag are well, and the family have paid tribute to the staff at Ninewells.
FOOT IN THE MOUTH NOTES
 The Scots have always been
stereotyped as a dour, laconic, and mean race; as such I am always astounded
at the vast numbers of people I see spending their time on mobile phones, in
cars, in pubs (yes) on the streets and in supermarkets, talking,
gesticulating, even, and all at very expensive rates.
Who are these people?
An independent think
tank, the Social Market Foundation, has proposed a capital gains tax on
profits made from house sales; it says that this would ease the volatility
of the housing market. Economists have condemned the proposal, as they say
it would make it harder for people to move and find jobs.
One would assume that
economists also own houses.
 The campaign
against the tolls on the Skye Bridge goes on; now the police have agreed to
investigate allegations that a key document at the heart of the controversy
is legally flawed. It all hinges on the assignation to collect tolls, and
the document is seven pages of typewritten script, no date, no signature, no
seal of the secretary of state; Robbie the Pict (long time campaigner) said
"After seven and a half years of complaining to the police, I have just
received written confirmation from Northern Constabulary that they will
interview me about this issue."
It is perhaps a tad
unusual for someone to want to be interviewed by the polis, but then Robbie
the Pict is Robbie the Pict!
Most adults over 40
will remember Milton Friedman; he was the Professor of Economics at Chicago
University whose theory that the difficulties of running the British economy
could be overcome by controlling the money supply (known as monetarism) was
wholeheartedly adopted by Mrs Thatcher, and heralded a rise in unemployment
from 1.25 million to over 3 million, untold misery for millions of others
and the emergence of the greed is good culture still prevalent.
Emeritus Professor
Friedman, now 91, said just a few weeks ago "The use of quantity of money as
a target has not been a success. I am not sure I would as of today push it
as hard as I once did." In short "I got it wrong."
 The Rosyth Ferry is trying to
encourage more businesses and local authorities to use it; local authorities
running school trips to the continent are still mainly using English east
coast ports.
One business which is using the service is the
Michelin Tyre factory in Dundee.
Now if a tyre factory
finds it more economic to have its vehicles run less miles....?
MPS AND MSPS AND MEPS
A few of the things that
warranted a press release; there are plenty, but space precludes using every
one. The Scottish Parliament is now in recess until September, but SNP MSPs
are still active; Westminster is still sitting, as they are geared to the
English school holidays.
SNP LAUNCH CAMPAIGN FOR RAIL LINK TO
ROSYTH
Thu 3 Jul 03
 EXEC MUST GO THE EXTRA MILE SAYS
MACASKILL
Speaking today (Thursday) at the SNP
campaign launch to extend the Stirling Alloa Kincardine rail link to the
port of Rosyth, Shadow Transport Minister Mr Kenny MacAskill MSP and SNP MSP
for Mid Scotland and Fife Mr Bruce Crawford have criticised the Scottish
Executive for their lack of support for Scotland's transport industry by
refusing to go the extra mile to link the port with rail.
Mr MacAskill was told via a
written answer that although current plans for the new rail link will stop
only two miles from Scotland's direct ferry link with the continent it would
have to be treated as a separate project. Mr MacAskill said:
"Rolling out the railway into
Rosyth is a small outlay for a big opportunity and a rail link to the port
would provide great prospects for expansion by linking rail, road and
passenger services.
"When it's so close it would
be criminal to cut costs. The Scottish Executive must ensure the port has a
rail link and go that extra mile to make Rosyth the major port it can and
must be.
"It would benefit not just
the operators and exporters but the Port and all of Scotland. We must link
all the transport modes of road, rail and sea and this cannot be missed by
Executive. They must deliver what would be a huge boost for outbound
manufacturing and inbound tourism."
Speaking later Mr Crawford
said
"The Ferry service to Rosyth
has been a huge benefit to the area and to Scotland. It could be hugely
improved and other routes gained by boosting the freight traffic, and what
better way to do it than to link it with rail.
"The possibility of direct
rail services is also a benefit for foot passengers and would allow the Port
to offer a better service to the existing operator and the opportunity for
more services and new routes to the continent.
"The lack of direct services
for an island Nation is an absurdity when a small step like the extension of
the railway would be a major stride in creating new links."
Notes to editors:
(S2W-00998) Mr Kenny
MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it
has made of extending the planned Stirling to Kincardine rail line to the
port of Rosyth; what the additional technical and cost requirements would be
of doing so; what advice, or guidance, has been given to the promoters of
the project about any possible extension, and what information is available
on these matters in the event of such an extension being constructed at a
date later than the completion of the line to Kincardine.
Nicol Stephen: The Stirling -
Alloa - Kincardine project is an essential precursor to a rail link to the
port of Rosyth and nothing in that project will preclude the development of
a link to the port. However, any link to the port would need to be
separately justified and promoted as a project in its own right.
‘IGC last chance to cut out fisheries’ –MacCormick
Wed 2 Jul 03
 SNP MEP demands fisheries be
withdrawn from Euro Constitution
SNP Euro MP, Neil MacCormick
today called for the Inter-Governmental Conference considering the draft
European Constitution to reject the detrimental clause entrenching fisheries
policy in the new Constitution.
Speaking from Strasbourg,
Prof. MacCormick said:
" The Inter Governmental
Conference gives a last chance to rectify a serious deficiency in the
existing text of the draft constitution.
" The fisheries policy got
barely a mention in the old treaty and is still handled very much outside
it. Yet the clause concerning marine biological resources conservation is
suddenly turned into an exclusive competence in the new constitution. This
amounts to entrenching in a constitution, provisions which should be subject
to the ordinary process of legal amendment from time to time.
" Maybe some people like the
existing structure of the Common Fisheries Policy. From Scotland's point of
view it has been a disaster. We do not want to use the occasion of the
constitution itself to write a different policy, but we insist that the
possibility of writing a different policy shouldn't be precluded by the
constitution."
NO MODERN FACILITIES AT SCOTLAND'S
RAIL STATIONS
Wed 2 Jul 03
 EXEC WON'T SPEND A PENNY SO
NEITHER CAN WE
SNP Shadow Transport Minister Mr Kenny MacAskill MSP has today
criticised the Scottish Executive for not spending a penny on the Modern
Facilities at Stations Scheme which provides vital facilities such as modern
toilets, CCTV, shelters and customer information at Scotland's railway
stations.
In a letter from the
Strategic Rail Authority Mr MacAskill was told that apart from a pilot
scheme at Singer Station 'no ScotRail stations are currently included in the
MFAS programme'. Mr MacAskill said:
"If the Scottish Executive
won't spend a penny on the simplest facilities like toilets, then neither
can we.
"It is unbelievable that
modern facilities such as toilets, CCTV cameras, shelters and customer
information are not available at all of Scotland's railway stations.
"It is vital that Scotland
has modern facilities for people travelling from station to station across
the country and it is clear that the Scottish Executive has done very little
to provide this.
"How can the Executive expect
people to use public transport, such as rail if they will not make sure that
the stations are up to scratch.
"Our stations must be
improved so that rail passengers can have facilities they can rely on and
it's time that the powers over rail were given to the Scottish Executive and
Scottish Parliament, not an unelected body in London."
EWING RAISES POINT OF ORDER ON SUPREME COURT
Tue 1 Jul 03
 "NO CONSULTATION BROKE
GOVERNMENT'S OWN CONCORDAT"
In the House of Commons today
the Scottish National Party's Westminster Home Affairs Spokesperson Ms
Annabelle Ewing MP raised a Point of Order about BBC Scotland reports that
the Government failed to consult the Scottish Executive before announcing
plans to set up a UK Supreme Court, despite its implications for Scotland.
Ms Ewing made the point that
this failure to consult broke the Government's own Concordat about the need
to exchange information and give "prior notification" of such matters to the
Scottish Government: "The Memorandum of Understanding and Concordats are
intended to promote exchanges of information and prior notification, so as
to minimise the scope for surprises both north and south of the Border"
(Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, 2002).
In her Point of Order, Ms
Ewing said:
"On a point of order, Mr Speaker, may I draw your
attention to the astonishing reports that are emerging that the Scottish
Executive was not consulted on plans for a new UK Supreme Court prior to the
announcement of these plans by the Prime Minister in his reshuffle statement
last month. Given that these proposals will have a direct and significant
bearing on the administration of justice in Scotland, which is of course
devolved, does this not reflect a breathtaking contempt on the part of the
Prime Minister toward the Scottish Parliament and toward democracy in
Scotland? And does this not also amount to a breach of the UK Government's
own internal guidelines, including the Devolution Guidance Note issued by
the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister in 2002, which states inter alia
that:
'The Memorandum of
Understanding and Concordats are intended to promote exchanges of
information and prior notification, so as to minimise the scope for
surprises both north and south of the border.'
"In view of the gravity of
the situation, Mr Speaker, would it not be in order for the Minister at the
new Department for Constitutional Affairs to come before this house and give
an urgent statement?"
Speaking afterwards, Ms Ewing
said:
"There are huge implications
for Scotland in establishing a UK Supreme Court. Not only is it
extraordinary and outrageous that the UK Government didn't consult the
Scottish Executive, this failure also breaks Westminster's own Concordat on
the need for prior notification of such matters to be given to the
government in Scotland.
"This development simply
underlines the chaos and confusion that characterised the Government's
disastrous reshuffle."
Note: Ms Ewing made her Point
of Order at 12.33 pm.
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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
View from the house where Alastair will be staying in Kentucky
"Hae a braw Independence day" is this column's wish for our many visitors
from the USA. Independence Day is a reminder that our skeilie webmaster is
shortly off to the States and will be masterminding The Flag from only an
email away! Scots heading for the Americas is nothing new. If tradition is
to be believed Earl Henry Sinclair voyaged from Orkney to Nova Scotia as
early as 1398. Many, however, went unwillingly - The Highland Clearances,
really The Scottish Clearances, saw countless thousands forced to travel
westwards from the land of their birth. The story of The Highland
Clearances is well known but the clearance of the Lowlands less so.
However the clearance of the cottars, the Lowland equivalent of the
crofters, was totally successful. As a renowned Scottish historian said
recently on Radio Scotland "There are still crofts in the Highlands but
there are no cottars."
But many also went willingly such as the 'Selkirk Settlers' who left Skye
200 years ago to settle in Prince Edward Island; Canada's smallest
province. Last week saw descendants of the 600 people who left Skye
returning to the land of their forebears and planting an oak tree in
commemoration near the ruins of Leitirfura, a deserted village on a hill
above the Sound of Sleat. The visit by the Canadian party of 18 proved
that the blood has remained strong.
Alastair McIntyre is looking forward to meeting friends, both old and new,
as he tours the circuit of Scottish events in the States and to mark
American Independence Day, we are supplying a Kentucky feast for him to
try before departure. Kentucky Raisin Pie is appropriate for Alastair as
he will be residing on his arrival in Kentucky.
Kentucky Raisin Pie
Ingredients : 6 oz (175 g) sweet shortcut pastry (see below); 5 oz (150 g)
seedless raisins; 1/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda; 4 tablespoons hot
water; 2 oz (50 g ) soft brown sugar
For the topping : 4 oz (100 g) plain flour; 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon;
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg; 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger; 2 oz (50 g )
butter; 2 oz (50 g ) soft brown sugar
Roll out the pastry thinly and line a 8 inch ( 20 cm) greased pie plate.
Pinch the edge of the pastry with finger and thumb into a decorative
border. Prick the pastry base all through to the plate and cover with
raisins. Mix the bicarbonate of soda with the water and the brown sugar
and pour it over with the raisins.
Sieve the flour and spices together. Cut in the butter and rub it in with
the tips of the fingers until the consistency of breadcrumbs. Mix in the
sugar over the raisin filling.
Bake in a pre-heated hot oven (220 deg C, 425 deg F, Gas Mark 7) for 10
minutes until the pie begins to brown. Reduce the heat ( 160 deg C, 325
deg F, Gas Mark 3) and continue cooking for 20 minutes until the filling
is set.
Serve hot or cold, with whipped cream if wished.
Sweet Shortcrust Pastry - Ingredients : 6 oz (175 g) plain flour; pinch of
salt; 2 oz (50 g) butter or margarine ; 2 oz ( 50 g) lard or shortening; 2
teapoons caster sugar; 1 egg yolk, beaten; cold water to mix
This quantity is sufficient to line a flan case measuring 8-9 inches (20 -
22 cm) across. Sieve the flour and salt into a mixing bowl. Cut in the fat
and toss until covered with flour. Rub in the fat with the tips of your
fingers, lifting your hands well above the bowl to incorporate as much air
as possible. Add the sugar and mix thoroughly. Stir a tablespoon of water
into the egg yolk and mix into the pastry. Stir in sufficent cold water,
using a palette knife, to make a fairly stiff dough. turn on to a floured
board and knead lightly to remove cracks. Cover and put into a cool larder
or refrigerator to relax for at least 30 minutes before rolling out.
See our
Scottish Food, Traditions and Customs in our Features section
DATES IN
HISTORY
4 July 1195
Jocelin, Bishop of Glasgow, gifted a dozen churches within his diocese
to Kelso Abbey, the deal being confirmed at Jedburgh.
5 July 1993
Christine Witcutt, of Edinburgh, an aid worker in Bosnia, was shot dead
by a sniper while driving in a relief convoy near Sarajevo.
10 July 1579
The first Bible to be printed in Scotland was published.
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 Burn
HOUSE OF THE RISING SUN
Traditional
There is a house in New
Orleans,
They call the Rising Sun,
It has been the ruin of
many a poor girl,
And me, oh Lord was one.
If I had listened to what
mama said,
I'd be at home today.
But being so young and
foolish, poor girl,
Let a gambler lead me
astray.
My mother is a tailor,
She sews those new blue
jeans.
My sweetheart is a
drunkard, Lord,
Drinks down in New
Orleans.
The only thing a drunkard
needs
Is a suitcase and a trunk.
The only time he's
satisfied
Is when he's on a drunk.
He'll fill his glasses to
the brim,
He passes them around.
And the only pleasure that
he gets out of life
Is bumming from town to
town.
Go tell my baby sister,
Never do like I have done.
To shun that house in New
Orleans
They call the Rising Sun.
It's one foot on the
platform,
And the other one on the
train.
I'm going back to New
Orleans
To wear the ball and
chain.
I'm going back to New
Orleans,
My race is almost run.
I'm going back to spend my
life
Beneath that Rising Sun.
Footnote: To celebrate American
Independence Day, an American song which was very popular
during the Scottish Folk Revival. The great Josh MacRae, in
particular, was outstanding in performing the 'Rising
Sun'. No one appears to know the exact origin of this famous
Negro folk blues. The well-known folk collector, the late
Alan Lomax, stated that many jazz musicians were familiar
with the song before World War I. Rising Sun, as the name
for a bawdy house, occurs in many folk songs.
See the
SING A SANG AT LEAST in our
features section
A KIST O
FERLIES
A Keek at the Guid Scots
Tung
By Peter & Marilyn Wright
(Note: All words underlined in
this section are RealAudio links)
1. "For
the Kingdom o' Heeven is like till a man, a laird, wha
gaed oot i' the dawin, to hire workers intil his vine-yaird.
2. "And
whan he had 'gree't wi' the laborers for a hauf-merk a
day, he sent them intil his vine-yaird.
3. "And
he gaed oot aboot the chap o' nine, and saw ither anes
staunin idle i' the merkit.
4. "And
quo' he to them, ' Gang ye as weel intil the vine-yaird,
and whate'er is richt, ye sall hae !' And they gaed
their ways.
5. "And
again he gaed oot aboot twal, and thrie o'clock, and did
the same.
6. "And
at fyve he gaed oot, and faund mair staunin ; and quo'
he, ' Hoo is't ye staun here, idle a' the day ?'
7. "They
say, ' For that nae man fee'd us !' He says to them, '
Gang ye as weel intil the vine-yaird ; and whate'er is
richt, that sal ye hae !'
8. "Sae
whan gloamin was come, the laird o' the vine-yaird says
till his grieve, ' Ca the workers; and gie them their
fee ; beginnin frae the hinmaist doon to the first.'
9. "And
whan they o' fyve o'clock cam, they gat ilk man a
hauf-merk.
10. "And
whan the first cam, they trow'd to hae gotten mair ; and
they, as well, gat ilka man a hauf-merk.
11. "And
whan they gat it, they yammer't again the gude-man.
12.
"Saying, ' Thir last anes hae putten-in ae 'oor, and ye
hae made them even wi' us, wha hae dreed the weary cark
and scouther o' the day !'
13. But
he answert't ane o' them. and quo' he, 'Freend, I do ye
nae wrang. Did-ye-na tak-on wi' mi for a hauf-merk !'
14. "Tak
what belangs t'ye, and gang yere gate ! It is my wull to
gie to this e'en as to you.
15. "Is't
no richt to hae my ain wull in my ain things ? Is yere
ee skellied because I am upricht ?'
16. "Sae
the hinmaist sal be first, and the first hinmaist. For
mony are biddin, but no a' acceptit."
Matthew Chaiptir XX, verses 1 - 16, frae 'The
Four Gospels in Braid Scots' - Rev William W Smith
COMPLETE POEMS
O For Friday Nicht!
by John C Milne
See Scots Language in
our Features Section
for other poems, stories, songs, sayings, jokes and words in the Scots language
SCOT WIT
Enjoy a Scottish Joke every week and
listen to it as well
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.
43 JULY 2003
[Click here to bring up the crosswords]
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.
Sing A Sang At Least
Our collection of Scottish songs. A new song is added to the collection each week.
Scottish Food, Traditions and Customs
Enjoy our collections of recipes and our comments on them.
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. Also included picture
galleries from the annual lunch.
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, 5 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.
ADVERTISING IN THE
FLAG IN THE WIND
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resource so all issues are archived by Aberdeen University and Edinburgh University for
future generations to read and study. This means when you advertise with us you become
part of Scotland's history and heritage! Of course free issues of the newspaper are
sent to 400 Scottish secondary schools so that our youth can also learn from our excellent
range of topics on Scottish politics, heritage and history. This means that your advert,
while publicising your company, product, service, events, etc., is also helping to educate
our children and helping us to extend the reach of our newspaper to promote all that is
best in Scottish Nationalism and all that is best in Scotland. We have a powerful voice
not only in Scotland but all over the world wherever Scots and Scots descendants are
settled.
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only £995.00 and at the same time get a FREE 2 column classified advert in
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