The Scots Independent Newspaper Online

SNP ANNOUNCE DUNFERMLINE CANDIDATE

There is to be a by-election in Dunfermline and West Fife. The vacancy comes about because of the sad death, earlier this month, of Rachel Squire. Douglas Chapman has been selected to fight the seat for the SNP. The date has not yet been set although some are tipping 9 February as a likely date.

Douglas Chapman Douglas was the candidate in the Last General Election. He said “I am delighted to be chosen by local party members as the SNP candidate for this by-election. This is an election that no one in the area wanted. It falls at a difficult time for all in the community here.”

Douglas is a local man, married with 2 children – who attend local schools – and is a former councillor for Rosyth West.

He knows the issues that concern people in Dunfermline and West Fife. The rising rate of crime is a worry as are the closure of Dunfermline’s Post Office and local hospital services. But there are positive changes that people want to see like getting rid of the unfair Council Tax and getting a fair deal on tolls on the Forth Road Bridge. A by-election gives people a chance to express their views on these and other issues.

SNP by-election victories make a huge impact on Scotland and Scottish politics.

Let’s hope for one here.

SALMOND DECLARES AN INTEREST IN GORDON

So now we know how Alex Salmond intends to re-enter the Scottish Parliament at the elections of 2007. He has accepted the invitation of local activists to put his name forward to become the candidate for the Gordon constituency. The final decision on the nomination will be made by all local members over the coming few weeks.

Alex Salmond Because of the differences between Westminster constituencies and Scottish constituencies there are overlaps. 10,000 of Mr Salmond’s Banff & Buchan constituents live in the Gordon Scottish constituency and 6,000 of them are in the SNP held Moray Westminster constituency. Alex has always said that he would stand for the Scottish Parliament in the north east. It’s not just his political base, it’s his home.

In order to win the Scottish Election and become Scotland’s leading party the SNP needs to win 20 new seats – not just to hold the ones already held. Gordon is number 18 on that list of potential gains so it won’t be easy. There are 4,500 votes to catch up and a 7.75 per cent swing needed. He expects a tough fight and takes nothing for granted. But he is looking forward to the challenge.

The seat is currently held by the Liberal Democrats who are in the middle of a leadership contest after the resignation of Charles Kennedy.

NUCLEAR MATTERS

“It’s absolutely proper that we don’t consider the establishment of a new nuclear power station generating in Scotland in advance of decisions being made that would resolve the issue of nuclear waste.”

Jack McConnell, October 2005

We have not resolved that issue. Are we going to store it on the surface, are we going to bury it deep – we don’t have a clue. In fact Rob Edwards in the Sunday Herald brought to our attention the “Fiasco” of secret nuclear waste tips on the north Ayrshire coast where thousands of cubic metres of contaminated rubbish from Hunterston nuclear power station were dumped years ago in five shoreline pits accessible to the public. And official records of what the pits contain have been destroyed.

Yet Jack McConnell has just launched an internal consultation on energy within the Scottish Labour party, with activists and affiliated bodies being asked to comment on whether nuclear power should have a future in Scotland. He claims that any decision to build nuclear power plants will be taken on Scottish terms without influence from Westminster. Nuclear power is seen as a reserved matter but planning application is a Scottish matter.

Tony Blair has been making enthusiastic noises about nuclear power for some time. It would be nice to think that Jack would take any planning decision on Scottish terms without influence from Westminster. But can you see him saying “No” to Tony? Perhaps one of the questions in the consultation should be about whether the Scottish party can see themselves blocking a planning application from Westminster.

We should be committed to making Scotland the renewables powerhouse of Europe. Nuclear power is dirty, dangerous, unneeded and unwanted in Scotland.

“BRITISH DAY”

In 1995 Blair launched the “One Britain” campaign. In 1997 Labour adopted the bulldog as the symbol for its election broadcast. In 1998 Labour launched the “Cool Britannia” campaign. In 2000 Brown and Blair led the British debate to “reclaim the flag”. In 2005 Brown launched the new definition of Britishness in a Newsnight profile and in 2006 Gordon Brown, in a speech to the Fabian Society, called on us all to adopt a new holiday - British Day - and to embrace the Union flag.

Brittish bulldog It seems to me that in highlighting the flag he’s picked a loser. It’s a symbol that means different things to different people. And to mention Armistice Day as an example was insensitive. This is a day for remembrance and thanks not for flag waving.

It might be the company I keep but I know hardly anyone who regards themselves as British now. As Alex Salmond said, “Britishness went bust long ago in Scotland and for two generations and more it is the Scottish identity which has been on the rise.”

To make matters worse we have the refusal of the Scottish Labour Party to allow us, as Scots, to celebrate properly St Andrew’s Day. A recent poll showed 75% of Scots supported Dennis Canavan’s proposal for a St Andrew’s Day holiday but Scottish Labour did not support it.

Some might say that Gordon was desperately trying to make himself acceptable as a British Prime Minister by raising this matter in the way that he did.

The Working Life of Linda Fabiani MSP

Click here to read SNP MSP Linda Fabiani's working diary.

SYNOPSIS

Wednesday, January 11th

ROBISON WELCOMES PRESCRIPTION CHARGES REPORT

SNP Shadow Health Minister, Shona Robison MSP, has Welcomed the publication of the Scottish Parliament's Health Committee's report on prescription charges. Ms Robison also stated the SNP's position to give priority for free prescriptions to people with chronic health conditions, and for any future changes to charges to be introduced in a phased process.

Shona Robison Ms Robison said:

"We welcome the Committee's report. The SNP has supported the principle of ending prescription charges for some time, and we are glad to see MSPs from across the parties joining this growing consensus.

While we will support the principle of the Bill in Parliament, we will also seek to amend it during its progress to abolish all charges in a phased manner in order for pharmacists and GPs to be given time to prepare for these changes and give immediate relief from prescription charges for all those who have a chronic health condition. The current system, where people with long-term medical conditions must pay for vital medication, is inconsistent and unfair. A situation that sees diabetics receiving free medicine while asthmatics must continue to pay for their medication is wrong and must be changed."

Wednesday 11th January 2006

SNP LAUNCHES CAMPAIGN FOR COUNCIL TAX FREEZE

SNP Holyrood Leader, Nicola Sturgeon MSP, and Shadow Finance Minister, John Swinney

MSP, have launched a campaign for a real term freeze in council tax this year.

Ms Sturgeon and Mr Swinney called on the Executive to give back to local councils the £58.5m they retained through efficiency savings and allocate to them £34.7m of the Barnett consequentials from the Chancellor's Pre-Budget Report, on condition that councils agree to a real-term freeze in council tax.

This additional £93.2m would close the funding gap identified by the Parliament's Finance Committee in December and enable councils to avoid above-inflation tax increases.

Ms Sturgeon said:

Nicola Sturgeon "Council tax has gone up by 55 per cent since 1997 and, according to the Finance Committee, could go up again this year by another 6.6 per cent. Enough is enough. People are paying through the nose in council tax and it hits hardest those who can least afford to pay it.

It is time to give council tax payers some desperately needed respite.

We are calling on the Executive to make available the extra money that, according to the Finance Committee, councils need to plug their funding gap on the strict condition that they agree to use it to freeze council tax.

Firstly, councils should be allowed to keep the £58.5m they have saved through efficiency measures. Councils in England are allowed to keep their efficiency savings.

It is outrageous that, in Scotland, this money is being siphoned off by the Executive and, in all likelihood, stashed away in a fund for pre-election stunts.

Secondly, a proportion of the additional money coming into the Executive's coffers as a result of the pre-budget report should be allocated to keeping council tax prices down. It is no longer enough for the First Minister to indulge in empty rhetoric about keeping council tax down. He must now put his money where his mouth is and deliver for council taxpayers."

Mr Swinney added:

"No-one believes the Executive when they say council tax rises will be no more than 2.5 per cent because, without additional resources, everyone knows it is pie in the sky. What we are presenting today is a fully costed plan that would enable councils to freeze council tax in real terms this year and save council tax payers from yet another inflation-busting increase.

This would deliver short-term relief for people throughout Scotland – particularly those on fixed incomes like pensioners - who struggle to pay council tax and who will be dreading the kind of increases that are currently being predicted.

Of course, in the long term, what is needed is root-and-branch reform of the current system which is deeply unfair and penalises those who can least afford to pay.

That is why an SNP government will scrap the regressive, unfair council tax and replace it with a fair local income tax based clearly on ability to pay."

Friday 13th January 2006

BLOATED EXEC MUST IMPROVE ON EFFICIENCY

SNP Shadow Finance Minister John Swinney MSP today (Friday) called on the Executive to improve its efficiency programme after an Executive report revealed that public sector jobs and Executive jobs have significantly increased since 1999.

John Swinney The report, Public Sector Employment in Scotland: Statistics for 3rd Quarter 2005, stated:

-There has been a 17.9 per cent rise in Scottish Executive Core Departments alone (which excludes Agencies)from 1999

-There has been a 9.8 per cent rise in the number of public sector jobs since 1999.

Mr Swinney said:

"The Scottish Executive is growing bigger and bigger by the day. This is blatant hypocrisy considering the Executive is forcing local authorities to make efficiencies but is not making the same level of efficiency itself.

In some cases, local authorities are making ten times the efficiencies of government departments. This is completely unfair and clearly shows the Executive is feather bedding its own departments whilst punishing local authorities.

The Executive must improve its efficiency programme and start delivering in the way it is forcing local authorities to deliver."

Monday 16th January 2006

EXEC MUST INVEST MORE IN PHYSICAL EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS

SNP Shadow Education Minister Fiona Hyslop MSP and Shadow Sport and Culture Minister

Michael Matheson MSP slammed the Executive's failure to improve the level of physical education in Scottish schools, after Executive figures revealed that only 5 per cent of primary schools, 7 per cent of S1-S4, 2 per cent of S5 and 1 per cent of S6 in Scotland are receiving the minimum requirement of two hours of PE each week.

Fiona Hyslop Ms Hyslop said:

"The SNP warned about this situation some time ago when we pointed out that our school pupils spend longer in school than the rest of Europe, but have less PE time. Two years on from when the Executive launched their action plan for PE, it's still not being taken seriously.

The Executive's efforts have been abysmal. Their recruitment of PE teachers has been slow - they started late and proceeded slowly in initial teacher recruitment. On top of this, instead of recruiting specialist PE teachers, the Executive is asking existing non-PE teachers to teach PE in addition to their other duties.

Remembering that 149 PE teachers are set to retire in the next four years, the Executive will only meet 30 per cent of its target to produce an additional 400 PE teachers by 2008/9.

Not only are children not getting adequate PE lessons each week but they are also being denied access to school sporting facilities out of school hours. As we have seen from the proposed bids for the PPP school in Aberdeen, opportunities for sport are being curtailed - all three bidders for that project confirmed there would be no access for children out of school hours.

There is a generation of pupils who will have started and left school under Labour without proper opportunities to have PE at school. The cost of the Executive's failure to ensure that we have enough PE teachers will store up a whole range of health and social problems for the future - recent figures have shown that this is taking effect already with one in five children in Scotland classified as obese.

If we are to help Scots children become healthier and fitter there must be significantly more investment in physical education in our schools."

Gordon & Carmen Wright

Second-hand, Fine & Rare Scottish Books.

Regular catalogues issued by email. To subscribe, email us at: Gordon.Wright11@btopenworld.com

Gordon Wright’s Scottish Photo Library

Spanning forty-five years and featuring a wide variety of illustrations in colour and black and white covering all aspects of Scottish life from Orkney to the Border country. Thousands of personality portraits.

Images for reproduction. Prints for collectors.

Gordon.Wright11@btopenworld.com

20 January 2005
Scottish Socialist MSP Carolyn Leckie was jailed for 7 days following non-payment of £100 for her part in a demonstration at the Royal Navy’s nuclear submarine base on the Clyde in February 2002. She was freed next day (entitled to 50 per cent remission and prisoners not being released at weekends).

21 January 1290
Death of Devorguilla, daughter of Alan, Lord of Galloway, mother of King John Balliol, foundress of Sweetheart Abbey and Balliol College, Oxford

21 January 1941
Resignation of Sir Robert Boothby, Unionist MP for East Aberdeenshire & Kincardineshire, as Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Food after a Select Committee investigation into his financial dealings.

22 January 1882
Glasgow’s St Andrew Halls was packed to hear American evangelists Moody and Sankey.

23 January 1941
A sea-mine exploded near Lady’s Rock at West Wemyss, Fife, killing 15-year-old Peter Graham and four miners. They had been dragging a loose mine ashore with ropes when it exploded.

26 January 1908
The 1^st Glasgow Boy Scout troop was registered, the first to be officially formed, only ten days after Robert Baden-Powell’s Scouting For Boys began publication in fortnightly instalments. Originally formed in 1907 as a band of schoolboy cadets from the Officer Training Corps, the adult in charge Robert Young was persuaded by Baden-Powell to rename the group as a Scout Troop.

See Dates in History in our Features Section

SCOTTISH QUOTATIONS

I like to have quotations ready for every occasions - they give one's ideas so pat and save one the trouble of finding expression adequate to one's feeling.

Robert Burns

We continue our new Feature in this section of the Flag - Scottish Quotations - statements in prose and verse which reflect all aspects of Scottish life and outlook from the 14^th century to the present day. New quotes added every week. The quotations are not restricted to native Scots but include observations from abroad which help us, in the words of our National Bard, Robert Burns, "To see oursels as others see us!

Robert Burns (1759-1796)

O wad some `Power the giftie gie us
To see oursels as ithers see us!
It wad frae monie a blunder free us,
An’ foolish notion:
What airs in dress an’ gait wad lea’e us,
An’ ev’n devotion!

(To A Louse 1786)

Thomas Carlyle (1795-1881)

No great man lives in vain. The history of the world is but the biography of great men.

(Heroes and Hero-Worship, i. The Hero as Divinity 1840)

Tobias George Smollett (1721-1771)

The Scots have a slight tincture of letters, with which they make a parade among people who are more illiterate than themselves; but they may be said to float on the surface of science, and they have made every small advances in the useful arts.

(Humphrey Clinker 1771)

Robert Louis Balfour Stevenson (1850-1894)

Politics is perhaps the only profession for which no preparation is thought necessary

See Scottish Quotations in our Features Section

SING A SANG AT LEAST
(compiled by Peter D Wright)

"That I for poor auld Scotland's sake
Some useful plan or book could make
Or sing a sang at least ........"

- Robert Burns

JAMIE, COME TRY ME
Robert Burns

Jean Redpath

chorus:
     Jamie, come try me,
       Jamie, come try me!
     If thou would win my love,
       Jamie, come try me!

If thou should ask my love,
Could I deny thee ?
If thou would win my love,
Jamie, come try me!

chorus

If thou should kiss me, love,
Wha could espy thee ?
If thou wad be my love,
Jamie, come try me!

chorus

Footnote: Words to an old air written by Robert Burns for Johnson’s Museum in 1789. Do try and hear Jean Redpath’s haunting version of this song.

See the SING A SANG AT LEAST in our features section

SCOTTISH FOOD, TRADITIONS AND CUSTOMS

haggis, neeps an tatties

This week on Wednesday, 25 January, Scots the world over will raise their glasses to The Immortal Memory of Scotland’s National bard, Robert Burns. Although Haggis forms a part of the Scottish diet throughout the year, there is no doubt that the Burns’ season sees a dramatic increase in the consumption of Haggis, Neeps an Tatties, which is absolutely delicious whether in the comfort of your own home or at a Burns Supper.

Robert Burns (1759-1796) tops the poll, time after time, as the greatest Scot of all time – and rightly so. It is due to Burns that Scotland is still Scottish. In the dark days following the incorporating Union of 1707 he reminded Scots that they are Scots. Inspired by fellow poet Robert Fergusson he wrote in Scots, and thereby sved the leid for generations to come. The Alloway-born poet and songwriter was a Scot through and through, as he showed in a letter to Mistress Dunlop on 10 April 1790 –

“Alas,” have I often said to myself, “what are all the boasted advantages which my country reaps from the Union that can counter-balance the annihilation of her independence, and even her very name.”

Just as Robert Burns was to inspire, through his poetry, songs and letters, generations to come, he himself was inspired by one of Scotland’s greatest heroes from the past – Sir William Wallace, Guardian of Scotland. He wrote to Dr John Moore on 2 August 1787 –

While the story of Wallace poured a Scottish prejudice into my viens which will boil along there till the flood-gates of life shut in eternal rest.

As regular visitors to The Flag will well know, Robert Burns plays a major part in the cultural section of our weekly offering, as we regularly feature his poems and songs. As a songwriter he gave Scotland her National Anthem – Scots Wha Hae; to the world he gave the universal song of parting – Auld Lang Syne; and the international song of Brotherhood – A Man’s A Man. As a poet even he had just written that great cantraip of a poem Tam O’ Shanter, it would have appeared in every Scottish poetry anthology from that day to this, but of course he gave us much, much more.

Robert Burns, like haggis, is not just for one day every year, He is there to be enjoyed every day. He is there to inspire as every day of the year and to remind us that we are Scots.

This week’s recipe is for a cocktail which appropriately carries the name of our National Bard – Robert Burns.

Robert Burns

Ingredients: ½ ounce whisky; ½ ounce sweet vermouth; 1 dash orange bitters; 1 dash pernod

Method: Stir with ice. Strain into a cocktail glass – then toast the Bard!

See our Scottish Food, Traditions and Customs 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)

breeks: trousers
kirk: church
messages: shop purchases
haar: sea fog
philabeg: kilt
tyauve: struggle

Short o the Greek: Stuck for words

"Some hae meat and canna eat,

And some wad eat that want it ;

But we hae meat, and we can eat,

And sae the Lord be thanket."

"The Selkirk Grace" - Robert Burns

COMPLETE POEMS

ADDRESS TO THE TOOTHACHE
By Robert Burns

Click here to listen to this in Real Audio read by Marilyn P Wright

My curse upon your venom'd stang,
That shoots my tortur'd gums alang,
An' thro' my lug gies mony a twang,
Wi' gnawing vengeance,
Tearing my nerves wi' bitter pang,
Like racking engines!

When fevers burn, or argues freezes,
Rheumatics gnaw, or colics squeezes,
Our neibor's sympathy can ease us,
Wi' pitying moan;
But thee-thou hell o' a' diseases-
Aye mocks our groan.

Adown my beard the slavers trickle
I throw the wee stools o'er the mickle,
While round the fire the giglets keckle,
To see me loup,
While, raving mad, I wish a heckle
Were in their doup!

In a' the numerous human dools,
Ill hairsts, daft bargains, cutty stools,
Or worthy frien's rak'd i' the mools, -
Sad sight to see!
The tricks o' knaves, or fash o'fools,
Thou bear'st the gree!

Where'er that place be priests ca' hell,
Where a' the tones o' misery yell,
An' ranked plagues their numbers tell,
In dreadfu' raw,
Thou, Toothache, surely bear'st the bell,
Amang them a'!

O thou grim, mischief-making chiel,
That gars the notes o' discord squeel,
Till daft mankind aft dance a reel
In gore, a shoe-thick,
Gie a' the faes o' Scotland's weal
A townmond's toothache!

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

Premature Congratulations

It was Burns' Nicht. John had celebrated not too wisely and got home in the wee sma oors. At all costs his wife must not know.

Steadying himself, he got safely upstairs to find that his wife was apparently fast asleep. He undressed - very quietly as he thought - and at last found himself happily in bed. But his smile of satisfaction vanished when his better half suddenly turned to make the severely practical remark :

"Man John, when ye hae dune sae weill, it's a peetie ye didna tak aff yir bunnet!"

Click here to listen to this joke