Never Start with an Apology!

But I will!  Readers of my first effort four weeks ago must have wondered what kind of a new contributor Jim Lynch had dug up as they read the text - the number 1 appeared regularly instead of apostrophes, and lots of other suchlike nonsense.

Please accept my apologies.  It¹s just that this spiel is done on an iMac and it seems that Appleworks doesn¹t translate very easily into PC text.  Please bear with me - I hope the content is worth the wee bit extra effort!

We¹ve Bought Butter!

An extraordinary thing happened in our local Safeway in Edinburgh last week.  My wife bought a pound of Scottish butter.  For the first time in our living memories Safeway was selling butter made in Scotland at a competitive price with butter made in the rest of the world.  Was this a miracle, or what?

Passionate as we are about Scottish independence, we have always refused to be ripped off and buy Scottish products.  But it has annoyed us no end to see butter jumping off the supermarket shelves from Ireland, Denmark, Finland, even New Zealand and from heaven knows where else at prices far below the Scottish product.

Not only that, but the Scottish producers seemed far behind in innovation too.  Why has it been left to other countries to come up with delicious brands of spreadable butter?  Is it complacency, or what?

Any answers from practical economists?

Phone a Friend for St Andrew!

Out of the blue, last year at the end of November, I got a phone call from the excellent Diane McAllister of Seattle.

Happy Saint Andrews Day! came the message through the air from over six thousand miles away.

And I can tell you, though it was completely unexpected, it really gave me a thrill of delight.  And I for one will certainly be doing some phoning around next November 30th.

Why not help to raise awareness yourself and phone a friend for Saint Andrew next time round?

And Another Thing

Talking about raising awareness.  A dozen or more years ago my wife and I decided to have a motoring holiday in France.  Before we went I thought it would be a good idea to sell the idea of Scottish independence to the French - you never know what little things may help the cause along in the end!
So I sat down at the computer and created two little car stickers: Vive l¹Ecosse! and Vive l¹Ecosse libre!

One went on the top of the rear window and the other on the bottom, stuck with Sellotape.  I don¹t know how many people saw the message, but it went down England and up again, and spent four weeks on the roads of France.

And on one occasion near Avignon we were overtaken by a car full of young folks, smiling and waving and giving us thumbs up!

Every little bit helps.  As Winnie Ewing often said, one of her reasons for being in the European Parliament was to make sure that when the crunch comes, the hands go up for Scotland.

It Begins with an H and ends with a Y!

One of the most delightful moments in the first five years of the Scottish parliament was when former First Minister Henry McLeish was trying to be clever and was accusing his opponents - or was it his fellow Labour MSPs? - of the vice of laying claim to feelings that were in fact the opposite of what they really felt.

It begins with an H and ends with a Y, said the First Minister, almost mysteriously.  But before he could get his tongue round the dreaded word, the great Margaret Ewing beat him to it.

It¹s Henry, she exclaimed, to laughter from all sides.

I recount this story again now, for as I write Henry McLeish¹s account of his time as First Minister is being serialised in the Daily Record.

And what a sad tale it tells.  The background of the Labour Party in Scotland is laid bare for all to see: the cronyism, the back-stabbing, the factionalism, and maliciousness step out from every page.  And of course the H and Y word: hypocrisy.

McLeish lays into Labour Westminster MPs and according to the Record calls his successor Jack McConnell a devious political schemer who has failed as First Minister.

Now sadly, all political parties are run by imperfect human beings, and therefore have their problems and their fall-outs, but it¹s been generally accepted for years that Scottish Labour internal viciousness tops the lot.

So maybe this sad story will have a positive outcome and help to accelerate the decline of Labour in Scotland.  Certainly, in spite of the fact that most of us bemoan the lack of interest in politics in the general public, McLeish¹s story seems to have sent the Daily Record flying off newsagent shelves.  Folk are fascinated!

Big Spenders

It¹s fascinating to see how some stories catch the eye of the press, while others don¹t.

We seem never to hear the end of the Holyrood price rise saga, and yet other financial disasters over many years have cost the tax payer far more without the opprobrium that has hit our MSPs.

To name just a few that spring to mind:  The Suez disaster in the 50s, the Blue Streak wasted billions of the 60s, the poll tax fiasco of the 80s, the rail privatisation of the 90s, and even more recently the scandals of the British Library, the Westminster MPs¹ office block, the Dome - twice the price of Holyrood - culminating in the BSE tragedy.

And that¹s not to mention the £4000 million to decommission Dounreay.

1000 New Spies - You Know it Makes Sense!

You sometimes wonder if people just find thinking difficult!

According to the British and US governments, the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq were fought to make life safer for our citizens,

Since life became safer, we have had armed police around the Houses of Parliament, delays to planes because of terrorist threats, an unprecedented attack by David Blunkett on our civil liberties, and now the recruitment of 1000 extra MI5 agents - an increase of 50 per cent which takes us back to levels of spies not seen since World War 2!

It has become apparent over recent years that some areas of Britain give in very easily to hysteria.  It is tempting to think that the Labour government merely reflects this hysteria.  More likely however is it that the government wants to create a fearful and easily manipulated populace who will uncomplainingly stand by as their way of life and liberties are steadily eroded.

POLICY POSTCARDS

We continue our publication of the SNP Policy Postcards; we will publish a new one every week, each one dealing with a different aspect of SNP policy. The full list can be seen on the SNP website under "Vision" and "Policy".
 
Oil & Gas

The oil and gas industry is worth around £5billion a year to the UK Treasury; but, despite its importance, Westminster¹s recent oil industry tax hike, together with ill-thought-out licensing and decommissioning legislation, has cut much needed capital investment in the North Sea.  Scotland needs Independence to change regulations to allow the North Sea to prosper for future generations.

Since 1975, the UK Treasury has squandered £175bn of Scotland¹s oil money.

Labour¹s 10% oil-tax-hike was an indiscriminate money-spinning measure, implemented regardless of the fact that it has already cost jobs and is undermining long-term investment in the North Sea.

The SNP would make licensing, taxation and administrative changes to promote the long term future of the North Sea ­ and the extraction of the 34billion barrels of oil that remain.

The SNP would establish an Oil Fund for Future Generations to ensure that the financial benefits of oil are a long term national investment.

SYNOPSIS

HOLYROOD PROJECT FIGURE GIVEN TO MPS WAS BOGUS
Wed 18 Feb 04

Commenting on the evidence given to the Fraser Inquiry into the Scottish Parliament building project this morning by Hugh Fisher of cost consultants Davis Langdon Everest - which reveals that he told Muir Russell, then head of the Scottish civil service, that the 62 million pounds construction costs of Holyrood was wrong at the time MSPs approved the project by just 3 votes in June 1999 - the Scottish National Party's Westminster leader Mr Alex Salmond MP said:

"This is devastating evidence, which confirms that the Holyrood Project was already totally out of control when it was handed over to the Scottish Parliament in 1999, and that MSPs were kept in the dark about the real costs.

"In the debate on 17 June 1999, every single Labour MSP and most Lib Dems rejected the proposal to halt the Holyrood Project and examine alternatives, such as the magnificent Calton Hill site.

"In the debate - when we came within 3 votes of turning over the Holyrood Project - MSPs were told that the construction cost was 62 million pounds. We now know beyond all doubt that this figure was bogus - and that another 27 million pounds should have been added at that time. A culture of secrecy characterised the Holyrood Project, and there was a deliberate process underway to misinform MSPs.

"The decisions on the site, design, architect and contracts for the Holyrood Project were all taken by the old Scottish Office, acting under the authority of the Westminster Government, long before the Scots Parliament was even elected.

"It is clear that the Scottish Office strategy was to hide as much information as possible until the project was handed over to the Scottish Parliament - and then dump the whole Holyrood mess on the MSPs."

"CONSPIRACY AGAINST PARLIAMENT AND THE PEOPLE"
Thu 19 Feb 04

Following the revelations from the Holyrood Inquiry this week that senior civil servants responsible for the Scottish Parliament building project presented false cost estimates for "political reasons", the Scottish National Party's Westminster leader Mr Alex Salmond MP (who presented detailed evidence to the Inquiry last November) said:

"At key moments, MSPs and the people of Scotland were lied to about the cost of Holyrood - so that the project could survive, and those responsible could dump the blame on others.

"First, bogus figures were presented to enable Labour to get through the first Scottish election campaign.

"Then, a deliberately falsified cost of 109 million pounds was given to MSPs in the June 1999 debate - when it survived by a mere 3 votes - so that the Scottish Parliament would have to take responsibility for the mess.

"But at that time, the cost of Holyrood was already over 200 million pounds - and the project was totally out of control.

"This amounts to a conspiracy by those involved, which has done immense damage to the concept of self-government and the reputation of the Scots Parliament. Thanks to the Holyrood Inquiry, at least it is now their reputations and record which are being examined.

"And it was a conspiracy not just against the elected MSPs - but against the public whose parliament it is supposed to be.

"This whole affair dramatically illustrates the dangers of civil servants becoming engaged in the political process.

"The Holyrood Project has been characterised by a culture of secrecy and cover-up that was borne in the Westminster system - and which must be exorcised from the Scottish body politic."

TORY ELECTION LAUNCH "LAUGHABLE"
Fri 20 Feb 04

Commenting today on the launch of the Tories' European Election Campaign in Arbroath, Ian Hudghton MEP, who tops the SNP¹s list going into this year¹s election in June said:

"The Tories' invoking of the Declaration of Arbroath would be offensive if it wasn't so laughable. This is the party which fought tooth and nail against a Scottish Parliament, imposed the poll tax on the people of Scotland and brought us into the CFP.

"When the Tory government sold Scotland's fishermen down the river, Ted Heath said that they were "expendable". However, it's the Scottish Tories themselves who are utterly expendable".

LABOUR'S HOME TRUTHS:
Mon 23 Feb 04

Commenting today (Monday) on Henry McLeish's devastating critique of Jack McConnell, Shadow First Minister Mr John Swinney MSP said:

"The picture Henry McLeish paints of Jack McConnell is one most people will find instantly recognisable. It will be of no surprise to any observer of the Scottish political scene that he effectively sabotaged our Euro 2008 bid along with a whole host of other misjudgements.

"What I think will be of greater concern, however, is the most important of Henry McLeish's long list of accusations - that the current First Minster has 'no big idea and no coherent thinking' in what he wants to do with Scotland's Parliament.

"It is his lack of vision for Scotland's place in the world that will be most keenly felt. The current First Minister seems oblivious to the challenges the New Europe will create, has no strategy for Scotland in an increasingly globalised world economy, and no plan to ensure our future prosperity.

"It's that lack of vision across the board which is the most damning indictment Henry McLeish makes.

"The home truth which Labour has to face is that even compared to Henry Jack just doesn't cut it."

MOMENTUM BUILDING TOWARDS ABOLITION OF COUNCIL TAX
Mon 23 Feb 04

Shadow Finance Minister Mr Fergus Ewing MSP today (Monday) backed the launch of a petition calling for the Council Tax to be fundamentally reviewed. Speaking after leading pensioners groups joined forces to launch the petition, Mr Ewing said:

"The council tax hits pensioners the hardest. Stuck on fixed incomes, the massive rises in tax we have seen under Labour have left pensioners struggling to make ends meet. They are being penalised by a system that takes no account of ability to pay - that is simply untenable.

"A momentum is now building towards abolition. We cannot go on picking the pockets of pensioners to pay for Labour's tax rises. It's time to scrap the council tax and I have no doubt that this petition will demonstrate the vast majority of Scots agree."

EU ENLARGEMENT AND FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT
Mon 23 Feb 04

Commenting on the Home Secretary's announcement today of a new workers' registration scheme to replace work permits for EU accession nationals, the Scottish National Party's Westminster Home Affairs Spokesperson Ms Annabelle Ewing MP said:

"Rather than being the outcome of a rational and coherent decision-making process, a huge amount of confusion and delay has characterised the Government's new policy.

"The Scottish interest over immigration is different and distinctive, because we are one of the few nations in the whole of Europe which is experiencing population decline.

"Scotland is not full up - far from it - and it is essential that we are open and welcoming to newcomers who can bring their skills and dynamism to help boost our economy, and indeed we must stop the brain drain of Scots-born people.

"On the detail of David Blunkett's statement, many questions remain - no doubt because the policy was hashed together last-minute, even though the Government have known about EU eastern accession for years.

"For example, if someone from a post-Communist EU nation is in low paid employment in this country, will they be excluded from benefits that other low paid workers are entitled to? If they have children, will they be denied the universal child benefit?

"Scotland has a real problem of population decline - we cannot afford for the Home Office to erect barriers against willing workers who want to come to our country to make a contribution and build their lives."

"LEVY TO DEAL WITH CHEWING GUM MESS"
Tue 24 Feb 04

North Tayside MP Mr Pete Wishart today [Tuesday] presented a Motion in the House of Commons asking the Chancellor of the Exchequer to support a levy on chewing gum manufacturers in order to address the problem of discarded chewing gum. He is asking Chancellor Gordon Brown to look at the suggestion made by several Scottish Councils to pass on revenue raised by a levy to local authorities in order to help tackle this problem.

Mr Wishart said:

"I am asking Gordon Brown to get his teeth into the sticky problem of discarded chewing gum. This is an issue that needs to be properly chewed over by the Chancellor. Several Scottish Councils have quite sensibly asked Gordon Brown to introduce a levy on the chewing gum manufacturers, so that for every packet of chewing gum bought a couple of pence is taken in the form of a levy. This strikes me a practical measure that would help Councils deal with the disgusting mess of discarded chewing gum.

"My SNP Council colleague, Councillor Ken Lyall, recently presented a motion to Perth and Kinross Council asking them to join with other councils in an attempt to have this problem addressed."

HOLYROOD PRICE TAG UP TO 431 MILLION POUNDS
Tue 24 Feb 04

Shadow First Minister Mr John Swinney MSP has today (Tuesday) demanded that "not a penny more" is spent on the Holyrood project after it was confirmed that the price tag for the building has now reached 431 million pounds. Mr Swinney said:

"This is the second time in the last week that we have been told that the price tag for Holyrood has shot up.Last week I said not a penny more should be spent on Holyrood and today I am renewing that call.

"We have seen huge cost hikes since the start of the project and even now, we have no guarantees that the price will not rise again. That is not good enough.

"It's no good relying on a VAT rebate to cover these rising costs, because there is every possibility that we won't get one, and questions must now be raised about how much more the taxpayer will be expected to fork out before the building is complete.

"We cannot expect the public to continue paying through the nose and it's time for those in charge of the project to put their foot down and say enough is enough."

NEW LABOUR'S UNETHICAL ARMS SALES POLICY
Wed 25 Feb 04

Commenting on the report "Lock, Stock & Barrel" published by Oxfam and Amnesty International today [Wednesday] - which finds that the UK is selling arms components to some of the most dangerous and repressive regimes in the world - the Scottish National Party's Defence and Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Mr Angus Robertson MP said:

"The UK has an appalling record on arms sales - perhaps most graphically illustrated by the arms trade fair that took place in London on 11 September 2001, at which both sides in the Congo civil war were represented.

"And it has become even worse since the Government relaxed controls on UK arms exports some 18 months ago, which enables military goods to be sold on via third countries to places such as Israel, Indonesia, and Zimbabwe.

"The UK continued to sell arms to India and Pakistan as they confronted each other in a nuclear stand-off, during the crisis over Kashmir.

"And military aircraft equipment has been sold to Israel via the United States, in the full knowledge that it is used against Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip and West Bank.

"Under New Labour, the UK is operating an unethical foreign policy. No arms should be sold for internal repression or external aggression - that is the SNP's policy, and that would be the stance of an independent Scotland."

25 PERCENT OF NHS USES OUT OF DATE MEDICAL EQUIPMENT
Wed 25 Feb 04

The Audit Scotland Report 'Better equipped to care?' released today (Wednesday) shows that only half of Scottish NHS Trusts could demonstrate that staff had a proper understanding of medical equipment and that 25 per cent of the equipment was out of date. Shadow Health Minister Ms Shona Robison MSP has called on the Scottish Executive to step in to ensure that enough resources are available to combat the problem.  Commenting Ms Robison said:

"It is vital for the safety of patients that medical equipment is up to the correct standard and that it is used in the correct way by members of staff.

"Patient safety should be the top priority throughout the NHS in Scotland and it is very worrying to hear that in 25 percent of cases medical equipment was past its best.

"The Scottish Executive must step in and ensure that the NHS has enough funding to replace ageing equipment and have the resources to train staff how to use it properly.

"Patients must have every confidence in the NHS but the fear is that if both standards and employee training do not improve, the reputation of the Health Service will get worse.

"The NHS in Scotland is already overstretched which is why problems could occur and the Executive must guarantee that assistance will be given to hospitals across Scotland so that standards will improve."