The Scots Independent Newspaper Online

TRIDENT REPLACEMENT

Tony Blair says Britain needs nuclear weapons. Why? The Cold War is over. We do not face a super-power rival. They are no use against the threat of terrorism. So why do we need them?

We are told that the lifespan of the Trident nuclear weapon system is coming to an end and that a decision on the future of Britain’s nuclear programme will be taken in this Westminster Parliament. A number of MPs have been arguing that there needs to be a debate about whether Britain needs nuclear weapons and indeed whether a replacement system will be legal.

Trident missile But what kind of debate? Surely one in which NOT to replace Trident is an option. There is now considerable opposition to replacing Trident across the political spectrum. More and more people are coming to the view that there is no purpose in having it. Trade Unions oppose it, the late Robin Cook opposed it, Michael Portillo opposes it and a recent opinion poll shows that 54% of those polled were against Trident replacement when they realised how expensive it would be!

John Reid argues that Britain faces a long-term more traditional type of nuclear threat and that we need to plan accordingly. If he has fears that another nuclear super-power will emerge then surely it would be better to start working now towards nuclear disarmament. Britain, together with the other nuclear weapons states, is a signatory to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. We should be playing a role in promoting disarmament not going down the road of more nuclear weapons.

An Early Day Motion calling for a public debate on Trident replacement and drawing attention to the huge cost has been put down by Michael Meacher MP.

Early Day Motion 1197 – REPLACEMENT FOR TRIDENT WEAPONS

That this House believes there should be the fullest possible debate on a decision to replace the Trident nuclear weapons system; notes that a successor to Trident could cost as much as £25 billion; therefore affecting significantly other public spending options; calls on the Government to produce a Green Paper on Trident replacement that considers all possible options, including non-replacement; and further calls on the Government not to conclude any agreements, or to engage in preparations to build a new generation of nuclear weapons, until after this debate and a deciding vote held in Parliament.

Tony Blair has refused to commit to a deciding vote in Parliament. I hope that enough MPs sign the Early Day Motion to get it debated.

GANG FIGHT

As I was driving home the other evening there was a hold-up. The lights were green and there seemed no reason why the cars in front of me shouldn’t be moving. Then I saw youths in the adjoining road and realised that there was a gang fight going on. The cars in front wanted to turn into the road in question but, quite rightly, were holding back. Then the Police arrived, the traffic moved on, and I did not see what transpired. Just in case you’re wondering if it’s commonplace in Glasgow, this is the first time I have witnessed such an occurrence

It is said that in Glasgow there are about 2,000 people involved in gangs. They are mostly involved in turf wars – with fights mainly about defending their “territory”. But mobile phones mean that they can ring each other up and arrange fights.

What makes them do it? I don’t know the answer. Should the policing be more severe? Should we offer more facilities, more interesting things to do? Should there be a curfew? Whatever the answer is I hope they find it soon.

IDENTITY CARDS

Well now we know. People who renew their passports or apply for residency from 2008 will be issued automatically with Identity Cards. But you will not be obliged to carry them and there will be no legal obligation to show them. It will require further primary legislation before they can be made compulsory.

ID card The Government says they will be used to counter terrorism and fraud, to fight illegal immigration organized crime and identity theft. ID cards will be linked to a new national database holding the personal information of all those issued with a card said by the Government to give a convenient way of proving identity. A new Agency incorporating the functions of the UK passport service will begin issuing cards from 2008.

I can’t see them being of value in countering terrorism and there is a danger of illegal immigrants just going into hiding. And what about the database? There must be thousands of people who will have access to the personal information contained in it without the card holders knowing. The Government does not have a trouble-free record on databases. Their computer projects have been subject to problems – and that’s putting it kindly. There’s a while yet till we talk about compulsion but it’s the thin end of the wedge.

DUNDEE’S COUNCIL TAX

Desperate Dan, Dundee city centre Dundee had a meeting due to be held on Thursday 9 February, the same day as all the other Councils, to set the Council Tax, rumoured to be a 4.7% increase. But just a minute, Glasgow had set a zero Council Tax increase and that would make Dundee overtake Glasgow as the highest Council Tax authority. Meeting adjourned.

They met again on Monday to have another go and miraculously found that it was possible to raise the Council Tax by only 2.6% giving a Band D home a bill of £1211 against Glasgow’s £1213. The Council said it had wanted to avoid overtaking Glasgow “to preserve its economy not because of any civic rivalry”.

Shona Robison, MSP for Dundee East wanted to know, “If the savings were there to be found, why were they not brought forward in the first place?” Could the fact that there are Council Elections in May 2007 have something to do with it? They would want to avoid giving ammunition to the SNP, who have 11 of the 29 seats.

THE LONG WAR

I saw this in the Guardian. It’s a review of the Quadriennal Defense Review Report of the US. I’ve given a pointer to it at the end. It’s long!

Last week US defence chiefs unveiled their plan for battling global Islamist extremism. They envisage a conflict fought in dozens of countries and for decades to come. The report sets out a plan for prosecuting what the Pentagon describes in the preface as "The Long War", which replaces the "war on terror". The long war represents more than just a linguistic shift: it reflects the ongoing development of US strategic thinking since the September 11 attacks.

The report identifies four priority areas

Defeating terrorist networks
Defending the homeland in depth
Shaping the choices of countries at strategic crossroads
Preventing hostile states and non-state actors from acquiring or using weapons of mass destruction

The Pentagon The cold war dominated the world from 1946 to 1991: the long war could determine the shape of the world for decades to come. The plan rests heavily on a much higher level of cooperation and integration with Britain and other Nato allies, and the increased recruitment of regional governments through the use of economic, political, military and security means. It calls on allies to build their capacity "to share the risks and responsibilities of today's complex challenges".

The report exposes the sheer ambition of the US attempt to mastermind global security. "The US will work to ensure that all major and emerging powers are integrated as constructive actors and stakeholders into the international system. It will also seek to ensure that no foreign power can dictate the terms of regional or global security.”

http://www.defenselink.mil/qdr/report/Report20060203.pdf

The Working Life of Linda Fabiani MSP

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

SYNOPSIS

Thursday, February 9th

SWINNEY ON COUNCIL TAX DECISIONS

Commenting on the Council Tax decisions being made by local authorities throughout Scotland, SNP Shadow Finance Minister, John Swinney MSP, said:

"Due to the short-changing of local authorities by the Scottish Executive, councils across Scotland are being forced to make a straight choice between increasing the Council Tax or cutting local services.

People throughout Scotland will today be facing either Council Tax bills that are rising higher than inflation or severe cuts in front-line services.

Through this financial settlement, this Scottish Executive has failed to protect Council Tax payers and failed to protect vital front-line services."

Thursday, February 9th

SNP OUTRAGE OVER SCOTTISH POWER PRICE RISES

Richard Lochhead Commenting on news that Scottish Power is to raise gas prices by 15 per cent and electricity prices by 8 per cent from March, SNP Shadow Energy and Environment Minister, Richard Lochhead MSP, said:

"These rises will be a huge blow to customers of Scottish Power throughout Scotland and threaten to plunge tens of thousands of people into fuel poverty. It is estimated that for every five per cent rise in bills, 30,000 more Scots are plunged into fuel poverty.

Questions must be asked as to why the government is unable to defend customers when Scotland produces eight times the amount of gas we consume.

The UK energy policy is failing energy-rich Scotland and government ministers must pull their heads out of the sand and deal with this escalating electricity and gas crisis. It is a scandal that in energy-rich Scotland, fuel poverty is escalating."

Sunday 12th February 2006

SHIRLEY McKIE CASE: SNP DEMAND "THE TRUTH, THE WHOLE TRUTH & NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH"

SNP Holyrood Leader, Nicola Sturgeon MSP said:

Nicola Sturgeon "Demands for a full public inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the Shirley McKie case are growing significantly and cannot be resisted any longer. There is mounting evidence of a criminal cover-up and the First Minister must act immediately to ensure that the Scottish public gets the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

The First Minister also has an obligation to explain the glaring discrepancy between his assertion in Parliament last Thursday that the fingerprint misidentification was nothing more than an 'honest mistake' and the new evidence, including a report by the then Deputy Chief Constable of Tayside Police, suggesting deliberate acts of criminality and cover-up.

I am today writing to the First Minister requesting that he makes a statement to Parliament immediately on his return from recess."

SNP Leader, Alex Salmond MP added:

Alex Salmond "This case strikes at the very heart of the Scottish justice and political system. It is absolutely essential that the truth surrounding the Shirley McKie case is laid bare and that we get answers to the crucial question of who knew what and when. Otherwise, the standing and credibility of our justice system could be damaged forever.

We have, on the one hand, an Executive that insists on the 'honest mistake' defence and, on the other, mounting evidence of a systematic cover up by officials within the SCRO and Crown Office. All those who have had departmental responsibility for the handling of this case since 1999 must now come clean about what they knew and when they knew it.

That includes the current Justice Minister Cathy Jamieson and Lord Advocate, Colin Boyd. However, it also includes Jim Wallace who was Justice Minister and indeed acting First Minister at the time. We are now led to believe that evidence was emerging not of the 'honest mistake' but of a systematic cover up and allegedly a criminal conspiracy.

The dawn of devolution in 1999 was supposed to open up to the light the inner workings of Scottish government. Instead, it seems to have co-incided with one of the biggest criminal cover-ups of our time.

12th February 2006

SCOTTISH SOCIAL CARE STANDARDS THREATENED BY NEW EU LAW

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT MUST GIVE SUPPORT TO KEY SCOTTISH BODY

SNP President Ian Hudghton MEP and Shadow Minister for Health and Community Care Shona Robison MSP have called for a key Scottish body to be protected from a threat posed by a proposed new EU law. The Scottish Social Services Council - which was established by an Act of the Scottish Parliament in 2001 - risks having its role undermined by a proposed European directive which will be voted on in the European Parliament this week. The SSSC oversees standards of social care in Scotland. It also maintains registers of social workers and other front-line personnel involved in the care of children, older people and other vulnerable groups.

The European Parliament will this Thursday vote on the proposed "services directive" which seeks to open up Europe's markets in services – including those of a social care nature. Under the proposals, people working in a particular service sector will be regulated by their home country's authorities - not the authorities where the work is carried out. This could potentially lead to social carers from other countries working in Scotland but outwith the control of the SSSC.

Mr Hudghton stated:

"The Scottish Social Services Council plays a vital role in upholding social work and social care standards. It was set up by the Scottish Parliament in recognition of the fact that social service workers, who often work with the most vulnerable members of society, must adhere to key principles. The Council also helps minimise the risk of inappropriate people taking up positions of considerable responsibility.

Under the EU's services proposals, service providers will fall subject only to the national provisions of their home country. Whilst other countries will have their own provisions for monitoring social care workers, the practicalities of them supervising their nationals who decide to operate in Scotland are fraught with danger. The simplest solution therefore is to maintain the current position whereby the SSSC is the watchdog for all social carers in Scotland, regardless of nationality.

Shona Robison The European Parliament has the opportunity this week to exclude social services from the scope of the proposed directive. Numerous individuals and bodies have been in touch with me to express their concerns on this issue, and I in turn will be urging other MEPs to vote social services out of the text".

Ms Robison added:

"The SSSC was established with cross-party support in the Scottish Parliament at a time when there was too little supervision of many aspects of social services. As many services are increasingly provided by the independent sector, it is vital that high standards are maintained and that adequate monitoring systems are in place. People who receive social care services and, indeed, those who care about them need to be assured that the staff they deal with are suitable individuals.

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.

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17 February 1796
Death of James MacPherson, author of ‘Fragments of Ancient Poetry, collected in the Highlands of Scotland and translated from the Gaelic or Erse Language’ – the Ossianic poems – at Kingussie.

“Autumn is dark on the mountains; grey mist rests on the hills. The whirlwind is heard on the heath. Dark rolls the river through the narrow plain. A tree stands alone on the hill and marks the grave of Connal. The leaves whirl round with the wind, and strew the grave of the dead,”
From Fragment V, Connal and Crimora

17 February 1938
John Logie Baird’s first public experimental demonstration of colour television took place with a transmission from Chrystal Palace to the Dominion Theatre, London.

18 February 2005
Scottish Tory Leader David McLetchie MSP bowed to increasing pressure over his part-time legal work and resigned as a partner in the Edinburgh law firm Tods Murray. His part-time earnings were £30,000 per year.

19 February 1597
Janet Wishart was burnt as a witch in Aberdeen.

19 February 2005
A concert, attended by 10,000, held by top Scottish Rock Bands raised £300,000 in aid of the Asian Tsunami Disaster Relief Fund in the SECC, Glasgow. In total Scots donated some £30m to the donation appeal.

21 February 1914
Ethel Moorhead was the first suffragette to be forceably fed in a Scottish prison. She was imprisoned in Calton Jail, Edinburgh, for attempted fire-raising.

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!

Sir James Barrie (1860-1937)

You’ve forgotten the grandest moral attribute of a Scotsman, Maggie, that he’ll do nothing which might damage his career.

(What Every Woman Knows, Act 1, 1908)

Sir Patrick Geddes (1854-1932)

Town-planning… to be successful must be folk-planning.

Field Marshal The Right Honorable Sir Douglas Haig, 1^st Earl Haig, Viscount Dawick, Baron Haig of Bemersyde

Every position must be held to the last man; there must be no retirement. With our backs to the wall, and believing in the justice of our cause, each one of us must fight to the end.

(Order of the Day 12 April 1918)

Samuel Johnson (1709-1784)

Seeing Scotland, madam, is only seeing a worse England, It is seeing the flower fade away to the naked stalk. Seeing the Hebrides, indeed is seeing quite a different scene.

(Quoted in James Boswell’s Life of Samuel Johnson 1791)

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

I ONCE LOVED A LASS
Traditional

The Corries

I once loved a lass and I loved her sae weel,
I hated all others who spoke of her ill,
But now she’s rewarded me well for my love,
For she’s gaun tae be wed tae another.

I saw my love to the church go,
Wi’ bride groom and bride’s maidens, they made a fine show,
And I followed on wi’ my heart full of woe,
She was goin’ tae be wed tae another.

I saw my love sit doon tae dine,
As I sat doon beside her I poured oot the wine.
I drank tae the lassie that should have been mine,
Even though she’d been wed tae another.

The men o’ the forest they askit o’ me,
How many strawberries grow in the salt sea?
I answered them all wi’ a tear in my e’e
How many ships sail in the forest?

Dig me a grave and dig it sae deep,
And cover me over my head tae my feet,
And I will lie doon and I’ll tak a lang sleep,
And maybe in time I’ll forget her.

Footnote: Another sad traditional song of unrequited love as sung by Roy Williamson and Ronnie Browne, The Corries, who through their live performances and mant television programmes did much to ensure the popularity of Scottish song.

See the SING A SANG AT LEAST in our features section

SCOTTISH FOOD, TRADITIONS AND CUSTOMS

In by-gone days before the turnip was introduced as winter food for animals, Martinmas, 11 November, was the time of year for killing the animals which Scots could not afford to keep during the winter. It was a busy time of year as families strove to ensure that nothing was wasted. Meat was salted down and the innards made into black and white mealie puddings.

Most people now-a-days buy puddings at the butcher but Skirlie is still made at home. Skirl-i-the-pan is made with the same ingredients as mealie puddings but is fried in a pan rather than boiled in a skin. Also known as Poor Man's Haggis, Skirlie is splendid with neeps an tatties and also be used as stuffing for any kind of poultry or game. Here is the Aberdeenshire and North-East Scotland method of cooking:-

Skirlie
Take oatmeal, suet, onion, salt and pepper. Chop two ounces of suet finely. Heat a pan very hot and put in the suet. When it is melted add one or two finely chopped onions and brown them well. Now add enough oatmeal ( about four ounces ) to absorb the fat - a fairly thick mixture. Season to taste. Stir well till thoroughly cooked ( a few minutes ). Serve with potatoes.

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)

len: loan
mask: brew ; infuse
maskin-pat: teapot
peenie: pinafore
syne: rinse ; wash superficially
syne doun: wash down food with drink

Tak a len o: Make a fool of

The Minister said it wald dee,
the cypress buss I plantit
But the buss grew til a tree,
naething dauntit.

It's grown, stark and heich,
derk and straucht and sinister,
kirkyairdie-like and dreich.
But whaur's the Minister ?

"Last Lauch" - Douglas Young

COMPLETE POEMS

RAVINES
For Marilyn Wright
by David C Purdie

Gin ye reenge the ravines o Auld Reekie,
Up the West Bow, or lang Royal Mile,
Doun yon caivernous canyon o Coogait;
Whiles ye staun there an think a wee while.
An ye think on the kings an the princes,
The heroes in breist-plate an mail,
That lowp oot frae history's pages,
An leeve yet in ballant an tale.

Kin ye seen them on chairger or chairiot,
Hear the rackle o steel on pullane,
See the wavel o pennant an banner,
Hear the trattle o war-drums again?
Kin ye picter the bluid an the booty,
The lordlins an leddies sae braw,
The joy o the warrior's hame-gaun,
Lichtit baistle an banquetin haa?

Yet here in the veins o Auld Reekie,
That are cobbilt an wormed thro wi wynds,
There taigles the ghaists o the guffs still,
Frae the stawsome auld gardyloo synds.
Ye can hear yet the echoes o lauchter,
Smell the yill frae the chynge-hoose an howff
Whaur the gangrels an halflins an hooers,
Drank ti mak life a mention less dowf

An think then on Reekie's richt heroes,
Nae airmour, nae flichterin flags,
Nae flagons o mead nor o clairet,
Juist cauld kail an 'row-yer-ain' fags.
Juist byler suits, bib an braced denim,
Wirk-buits an the piece in the pootch;
On the tram or the bike afore day-daw;
Takkin sair banes ilk nicht til their cootch.

An think on the wifles o Embro,
Tyauvin lang owre the range or the sink,
Fennin aff aa the stour o Auld Reekie,
Fechtin fulyie an puirtith an stink.
Nae screivers nor menstrals wull mind them,
For they haed naither caistle nor croun,
Yet the win sings their glore throu the vennels,
An ravines o wir scaurie Auld Toun.

David C Purdie (right) receiving the Clement Wilson trophy from Sam Gilliland

Ravines was placed first in the Scots section of the Scottish International Open competition. The photograph shows David C Purdie (right) receiving the Clement Wilson trophy from Sam Gilliland at Irvine Burns club March 2000.

David C Purdie is the chairman of the well known performing group Merchants o Renoun. He is a regular contributer to magazines such as Lallans.

Click here to listen to this in Real Audio

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 Grass is Greener

The old shepherd was being reproached by the minister about his absence from his usual place in the Kirk.

"A wis at Mr Doig's Kirk" was the defence. But the minister was not to be be easily placated.

"Well" the minister went on "I don't care much for this running away to strange Kirks - even to hear Mr Doig. How would you like to see your sheep straying into strange pastures?"

"Dod, Sir" came the caustic reply. "A wadna gie a docken gin it wis better girse."

Click here to listen to this joke

Read and listen to Jokes in our Scot Wit section