Getting Back to Basics

Halfway through writing this edition of the Flag I had to take a break to post some letters and got to thinking about what I had written.  Yes, pretty well bang up to date.  Yes, giving an SNP perspective.  Yes, giving a well-deserved criticism of various attitudes and aspects of life in present-day Britain.

But was that enough?  I did not seem to be making the case for an independent Scotland.  Hence the reason for the next few paragraphs.

A country is in some ways like a person.  Most people recognise that it is a good thing for a mature and fit adult individual to make his own way in the world, to stand on his own two feet.  It is normal, it is natural, and it brings responsibility and dignity.

Similarly for a country - and by a country I mean a group of people who see themselves as constituting a nation.  Looking around the world, and more especially the developed European world, we see the same things for countries as we see for individuals.

Those people who see themselves as constituting a country or nation have generally speaking taken the decision to run their own affairs.  And the vast majority of them have been very successful - far more successful than countries that have had their affairs run for them - such as Scotland and Wales.

And I believe that a country that is independent and stands on its own two feet will generate a spirit of independence in its own individual citizens.

So no more whingeing and no more moaning and blaming other people and other countries.

So let¹s take responsibility for our own affairs and win the dignity that goes with that decision.

If others can do it, so can we!

Nice One, Alex

The Methodist Church is launching a competition to find an eleventh commandment, according to the Herald.  The newspaper asked various luminaries for their suggestions, the only Scottish politician to be approached being the SNP¹s Alex Salmond.

Alex¹s commandment:  Thou shalt not lie to the people about the reasons for war.

Short and to the point.  As Alex commented:  War or peace, life or death - these are the most important decisions any government can take  .... and must be based on truth and international law, based on the authority of the UN.

... Tony Blair is the only prime minister in modern times to go to war on the basis of lies and deception.  Lies about weapons of mass destruction. Lies about uranium imports from Niger.  Lies about links with al-Qaeda ... If the world is to be made a safer place, no prime minister or president must ever again think they can lie to people about war.

What Kind of a Country are we, Mr Blair

Labour rebel ³Gorgeous¹ George Galloway was on his way to an anti-war rally in Belfast last month when he was stopped and questioned by police under the Terrorism Act 2000 at Heathrow airport.

According to the MP: They claimed they had the right to demand the text of what I was going to say in Belfast under the Act.

Mr Galloway, rightly, got a fulsome apology from the head of Special Branch (Ports) who wrote:  The examination ... was in my view not within the spirit of the Act.

Under Tony Blair and David Blunkett Britain has more and more come to resemble a police state.  What a contrast to the small independent democracies of northern Europe!

Two Cheers for PR

I¹m delighted at the passing of PR by Single Transferable Vote for Scottish Council elections.

But I can¹t help reflecting that politics is a funny business.  At the (I think) 1989 conference I tried to introduce STV as SNP policy and was roundly defeated.  The only member of the executive who voted for it was the late Allan MacCartney.

The change in the SNP¹s attitude came about gradually and owes a great deal to the political skill and tenacity of Kenny Gibson, who guided the Party to its momentous decision some three years ago to adopt STV.

At long last the Scottish people will be able to break Labour¹s hegemony in so many councils and by being able to elect more councillors of intelligence from other parties we shall bit by bit see far better decisions being taken.

The only fly in the ointment is the apparent limitation of constituencies to three or four members - an obvious carve-up.  There is no reason why, especially in the towns and more densely populated authorities, constituencies should not have five or even six members.

Just a pity we get the implementation slightly wrong the first time round.

St Andrews Screaming Jets

I see that at last the good folks of St Andrews are up in arms at the constant noise of military jets that pervades the medieval university town.

And not before time.  I visit St Andrews almost every week and the most striking fact about the town nowadays is not the old delightful atmosphere, or the students, or the fine townscape, or the magnificent ruin of the ancient cathedral dedicated around 1318.

No, it¹s the noise of low-flying military jets.  And many residents feel that it¹s been getting much worse in recent months, according to the local St Andrews Citizen.  But according to RAF station commander Air Commodore Simon Bryant:

It¹s  not so much the noise level, more the frequency of flights that people are noticing, and that¹s a small price to pay for the greater national good.

Air Commodore Bryant is wrong.  To have your town and countryside constantly polluted by such noise is not a small price to pay, it is an awful and unacceptable price to pay.

One morning last September I was driving past Leuchars station on my way from St Andrews to Aberdeen.  Suddenly, over about ten or fifteen seconds, I began to think that my car was about to fall apart and disintegrate.  Then there was the most horrendous noise around me.  I looked up and saw not one but two military jets flying side by side at between about 300 to 500 feet.

I recovered, but was shaken.  What terror that noise must have caused to a baby or young child, or to animals in fields nearby.  No, Air Commodore, not a small price to pay.

Those who live in the Highlands are well aware of this problem.  At least as long ago as 1974, when I took a holiday in Glen Cannich and first became aware of the problem, low-flying military jets have been making life almost intolerable for those who live in the glens.

Is it not about time that the RAF was challenged on its low-flying policy. And if they are unable to stop it or curtail it dramatically, is it not time that people who are subjected to such noise should be compensated by raising a levy on every flight?

After all, if people in Iceland used to be compensated for the inconvenience of having an American military base there, and if French villagers who agree to the siting of a nuclear power station near their villages receive a handsome pay-off, and if even in Britain Shetlanders got a good deal for the inconvenience of the oil industry - now why was that, I wonder?! - surely those who suffer from the intolerable noise of low-flying military jets should receive compensation as well?

Congrats, Iain and Betsy!

You don¹t have to be a Tory to be pleased that Iain Duncan-Smith and his wife have been cleared of alleged corruption.

It¹s a sad fact of political life in Britain (and not only political life -remember Matthew Kelly), that any allegation against politicians can be written up on the front page of the tabloids in the most lurid detail, and irrelevant observations on their private lives be dragged in as well.

Generally speaking some of the mud will stick, and even if a story is completely untrue and turns out to be seven-day-wonder, in the long run all politicians are tarred.

But at least in the case of Duncan-Smith the fact that he and his wife were cleared of any wrong-doing was given a good deal of publicity in most of the media - not normally the case.

And it¹s not just the tabloids. I am a great fan of the Herald, and find its letters page one of the most stimulating around.

But on Wednesday 31 March the Herald gave over its headline and main feature on the front page to allegations against Labour¹s Euro-MP David Martin about his financial arrangements.

But these are still only allegations, and if they are proved to be without foundation then I believe that the Herald should give equal prominence to a finding of innocence - but I won¹t be holding my breath.

Politicians are human beings too, and they are not impervious to slander and libel, whatever journalists may think.

What was particularly despicable about political editor Catherine MacLeod¹s piece was the way she quite gratuitously dragged in details of Mr Martin¹s private life.  Not very nice at all, especially considering that he has two children who are still probably at a very vulnerable stage of their lives.

You Scratch my Back

I was always a bit concerned about the appointment of Lord Fraser to head the inquiry into the Holyrood fiasco.  It seemed strange that the one judge who was chosen was the one who was probably closest to the Scottish political elite, and had indeed been part of it.

Other astute friends were also worried by the appointment, but their main concern was about sheer competence.

Be that as it may, there is no doubt that his findings will make very interesting reading.

Now of course we hear that Jack McConnell is not to appear in person to answer questions.  This apparently is with the agreement of both Lord Fraser and John Campbell counsel to the enquiry, who has carefully considered the first minister¹s response and has concluded that all relevant points he wishes to ask Mr McConnell are answered in his letter. (!!)  he does not therefore propose to ask him to attend as a witness.

So how about that then for transparency and responsibility.  No wonder some members of the inquiry team believe the decision not to call Mr McConnell could undermine the credibility of the whole process.

Apparently, during negotiations, Mr McConnell was invited to volunteer to give evidence but when he declined Lord Fraser and inquiry QC John Campbell felt unable to compel him to attend!!

This seems to be a Hutton moment for the inquiry.  Not hard to understand why people are so cynical about our judges and politicians.

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".

Better off British? Health

Scotland¹s reputation as the Osick man of Europe¹ should come as a no surprise considering our dreadful record for investment in health. Compared with our EU neighbours, we invest less in healthcare, resulting in fewer hospital beds, and the lowest number of doctors and dentists per head of population in the EU.

There are only 1.8 doctors per 1000 people in the UK, compared to 2.5 in Ireland or 3.1 in Finland.

We also have the lowest number of dentists < fewer than half the number of dentists in Finland.

And if that¹s not bad enough, the UK has the second lowest level of hospital beds per head of population in Europe with just 4.1 beds per 1000 patients, compared to the EU average of 6.3.

(Source: Eurostat 2003).

SYNOPSIS

The Government plans to let the Scottish white fish fleet go to the wall with thousands of job losses, Shadow First Minister Mr John Swinney MSP said after a Downing Street Strategy Unit Report revealed massive cuts and Ministers ruled out any decommissioning scheme.

Mr Swinney called on Jack McConnell to reject the reports findings as he challenged him to "fight tooth and nail" for our fishing communities. He said:

"Haddock stocks are at a thirty year high, cod stocks are recovering, and foreign fleets are expanding. This report reflects none of that and can't even get the size of the Scottish white fish fleet right. Yet Ministers still cravenly bow to Downing Street's agenda and refuse to stand up for Scotland.

"Far from welcoming it, Scottish Ministers, led by Jack McConnell, should be fighting tooth and nail against it. They should be fighting to save our fishing industry not signing its death warrant."

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Fergus Ewing MSP SNP has severely criticised the decision by Lord Fraser not to call First Minister Jack McConnell before the Holyrood Parliament Inquiry. Commenting, Mr Ewing said:

"Jack McConnell knew that there were 'risk allowances'. He knew that landscaping may cost up to 10 million pounds. He knew there were 'contingencies'. He knew there were specific risks - he even discussed them with Donald Dewar and the civil service on several occasions. But Parliament was not told about any of these things. The question he has not answered, is why?

"Only two men can answer this question fully - one is sadly no longer with us. The other is Jack McConnell. At the start of this inquiry he pledged that 'no questions must remain unanswered'. Why has he therefore declined to insist on giving his evidence orally to the inquiry like other witnesses?"

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The government's handling of the fishing industry was dealt another shattering blow today when the Prime Minister's Strategy Unit published its report. The final document, a year in the making, was full of inaccuracies.

· It miscalculated fisheries dependent jobs by a factor of three.
· Miscalculated the number of white fish boats wildly.
· Got the facts wrong on fish stocks.

Alex Salmond, MP for Banff and Buchan said:

"These extraordinary blunders by the policy wonks in Downing Street totally destroys the credibility of this report. They have miscounted jobs, boats, and fish."

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Shadow Economy and Enterprise Minister Mr Jim Mather MSP has welcomed a vote supporting Financial Independence at the Scottish Liberal Democrat Spring Conference.

However he said it was disappointing that it was a policy which still did not have the support of their parliamentarians. "Over recent weeks we have seen Lib Dem MSPs vote against their own policies time and time again" he commented "and it is becoming clear that faced with a straight choice between what is best for Scotland and Scottish families and continuing to enjoy the trappings of Ministerial Office, the current Lib-Dem leadership always chooses the latter".

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Scottish National Party Foreign Affairs spokesman Mr Angus Robertson MP has called for a referendum on the planned EU Constitution during a House of Commons debate on the subject. . He made the case in an intervention on Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw MP, where he highlighted the need to end the gap in trust between the public and politicians saying "would not a referendum be a good way of closing and ending that disconnection".

Mr Robertson also drew the Foreign Secretary's attention to the draft bill before the Scottish Parliament, proposed by Nicola Sturgeon MSP, which seeks to legislate for a consultative referendum on the Constitution.

Speaking after participating in the debate Mr Robertson said:

"Luckily in Scotland we have the real prospect of a referendum north of the Border, pending the passage of the Bill in the Scottish Parliament to enact such a consultative vote. The majority of parties at Holyrood are committed to a referendum and Scotland could lead the way.

"It would be profoundly ironic, however, if voters in England and Wales were to be denied a say by the UK government. I'm sure they would not understand why Tony Blair doesn't extend the same democratic rights that the Scottish Parliament could extend north of the Border."

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Muslims are now twice as likely to vote SNP as other Scots. This was the main finding in research by Glasgow University published this week. Muslim voters are believed to be deserting the Labour Party and moving toward the SNP mainly because of the SNP's anti war stance.

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SNP MSP for Central Scotland Mr Alex Neil has released figures which show that Scotland will lose out on 70 million pounds in order for the London Olympics bid to be fully subsidised. The figures show that Scotland could lose over 30 million pounds which would usually have been earmarked for sport and another 40 million pounds of lottery funding which would have been used for other good causes. Mr Neil said:

"While it is clear that there are some potential benefits to Scotland if London is to win their Olympics bid, there is also concern that we will lose out on money which would usually have been earmarked for Scottish sport and other good causes.

"In total it will rob Scotland of over 70 million pounds which will now be used to subsidise the London bid, which is not acceptable."