The Scots Independent Newspaper Online

MARGARET EWING –NATIONALIST

I was saddened to hear of the death of Margaret Ewing, MSP for Moray. She was 60 years old and had been suffering ill health for some time, and was retirng from the Scottish Parliament at the next election.

I met her first at the SNP Economics and Information Committee in Stirling in 1967; Billy Wolfe was in the chair, and I was impressed by the bright young Margaret MacAdam. She was a rising star, but all the talk then was of the forthcoming Hamilton by election, where the candidate was the woman destined in later years to become her mother in law, Winnie Ewing.

In October 1974 she was elected to the Westminster Parliament as the MP for East Dunbartonshire with a majority of 22; at that time she was married to Donald Bain, head of the SNP Research Department. Unfortunately the stresses of Parliamentary life resulted in them splitting up.

The SNP had a Parliamentary Group of 11 MPs from 1974-79, but the rigged Referendum Campaign, followed by a vote of confidence in the House of Commons brought down the then Labour Government; in the resulting General Election, Margaret and 8 of her colleagues lost their seats. In 1983, Margaret married Fergus Ewing, and in 1987 she became the MP for Moray; she was re-elected in that seat 5 times, and her last majority was her biggest one.

She was a renowned local campaigner, especially for the retention of maternity services in Elgin, and she stood for the SNP leadership in 1990 against Alex Salmond

Her interests were in education and the developing world , and she was a member of the UK-Irish Parliamentary Assembly and Commonwealth Parliamentary Assembly.

Speaking after the announcement SNP leader Alex Salmond MP said:

“Margaret Ewing was an outstanding Member of Parliament in both Westminster and in Scotland and a hugely supportive friend and colleague. She will be missed across the political spectrum because Margaret was one of the few politicians without an enemy in the world.

“Her love for her beautiful constituency of Moray was well known and her constituents responded in full measure by electing her five times in succession and in 2003, by a record majority, despite a debilitating illness.

“She was elected first in the 1970s as the youngest MP with the smallest majority but it was when she returned to the House of Commons as MP for Moray that she really made her mark deploying great political skill.

“I got to know her well from 1987 when she led a group of only three of us in the Westminster Parliament, which she did with grace and style. In addition to her abiding concern for education she added a vital international dimension to the SNP and was hugely respected for her work with developing countries and the Baltic States, then gaining their independence from the Soviet Union.

“Margaret also possessed a wicked sense of humour and her running commentaries at Westminster on a variety of Government Ministers were a joy to listen to. She carried that mastery of the devastating debating one liners into the Scots Parliament as in 2001 when she reduced the entire Parliament to tears of laughter by offering the single word "Henry" to the then First Minister McLeish who was searching for an "unparliamentary expression beginning in h and ending in y".

“Above all she will be missed by the SNP members on whose behalf I have expressed our condolences to her husband Fergus, her mother-in-law Winnie, her sister-in-law Annabelle and the rest of the family.”

SNP Holyrood Leader Nicola Sturgeon MSP added:

“"Margaret was an outstanding parliamentarian and an inspiration to all who knew her, not least in the brave way she fought illness in recent times. She will be hugely missed by her constituents whose corner she fought tirelessly over many years. Margaret was, of course, a nationalist to her core; Scotland's cause was her cause and the national movement has today lost one of its finest ambassadors.

“I and all of my colleagues in Holyrood will miss her optimism, her dedication and her friendship. I, in particular, will miss her wise counsel. Our thoughts are with Fergus and the rest of the family at this sad time.”

Moray MP Angus Robertson spoke warmly about his Scottish Parliament colleague:

“This is a very sad day for the whole Ewing family. Margaret was held in the highest esteem in Moray and her loss will be felt throughout the community.

“She was well known as a hard-working local parliamentarian who battled for the interests of her constituents. Margaret was at the forefront of the campaign to save maternity services in Elgin.

“Over recent years she fought bravely against cancer, which never diminished her energy for the independence cause. Margaret even attended the AGM of Moray SNP Constituency Association two days ago, despite ill health.

“At this time my thoughts are with Fergus, Winnie, Annabelle and the rest of the Ewing family.”

MONEY MONEY MONEY

When New Labour came to power in 1997, the mantra quoted was: “Education, Education, Education”; this has somehow wandered about a bit, as the Tories helped to put through Labour’s education policy, but would appear to have metamorphised into “Money, Money, Money”.

Once again, we are also hearing the fine old ditty: “We have not done anything illegal”, as if strict adherence to the law is the only measure by which our politicians should be judged. However, what is legal is not always moral, and by a strange twist it would appear that what is moral will soon be illegal, if that is not already the case. It depends on who is making the law, and why. One has also to ask, if the acceptance of loans was perfectly proper, why was it necessary to hide that fact? Was it because the bulk of the population would, and did, find the practice morally repugnant?

Well, that’s the preaching of morality over, so back to good old political invective; the high moral tone adopted in the “Cash for Honours” issue is a bit misplaced. Membership of the House of Lords was hereditary, and this was because in the dim and distant past the granting of lands and titles was because of people who had supported the reigning monarch, either in battles or by finance or diplomacy, so the principle is acceptable. The Prime Minister is the de facto monarch, so gives his patronage to his pals; this has been the rule, not the exception, and the Tories were even more guilty in the past. I found the performance of Liam Fox, Tory spokesman on the BBC Politics Show on Sunday disingenuous, to say the least; he avoided much debate about loans given to the Tories by saying that their party treasurer knew all about them! I do not know who is their treasurer at present, but I well remember when it was Michael (now Lord) Ashcroft, tax exile in Belize, who bankrolled the Tories for years, and then had to take up residence in England so that he could become a peer. I was always puzzled as to how tax exiles could donate money to the Tory, Labour and Liberal parties, but then it was ever thus; there must have been some falling out with the noble lord, as the Tories were asked to repay a £2.5 million loan to him in September 2005. I don’t know if that happened, or if his dosh was declared.

Of relevance to Scotland, Alex Salmond MP, leader of the SNP, has now asked Jack McConnell, First Minister, if any of the tainted loans were used to support “Scottish” Labour during the 2005 General Election; I do not expect that he will get an answer, but the point is to ask the question.

It also seems that the Chancellor, Gordon Brown, has somehow managed to avoid being tarred with this particular brush, but then perhaps the exposure of the scandal is a further step in portraying him as a latter day Jesus, ready to scourge the moneylenders from the Temple.

WATER UNDER THE BRIDGE

And now that we are on the subject of the Chancellor….. There was an item in the press this week denying that the Chancellor had any plans to privatise Scottish Water. This may seem magnanimous, or just bolstering his credentials as a socialist agin privatisation, but alas, the truth is much simpler – it is not his to sell; this has not stopped him interfering in the past, as earlier this year he hijacked the campaign on Forth Bridge tolls and helped Labour lose a by election.

What is of interest is that the issue of water privatisation is rearing its ugly head again; this was comprehensively rejected a few years back, in 1994, to be precise, in a Referendum carried out by Strathclyde Region as a warning to the nasty Tories. That Referendum had a 71.5 turnout , and 97% voted against privatisation; my only fault with that was that it was confined to Strathclyde, and I would have also liked to vote against it. The idea is that somehow the handing over of water to private companies would have a magical effect, and this is nonsense; I cannot understand how a private company, which has to make a profit, should be able do a cheaper, and a better job, than a public utility, which should be able to borrow money at more advantageous rates. It is not so long ago that I heard that the Royal Mail lost a contract to deliver commercial mail; the private company which won the contract undercut Royal Mail, then subcontracted the delivery to the Royal Mail, so the same postman/woman (very politically correct) then delivered the mail, and the Royal Mail lost out on the deal, while the private company trousered a fat profit.

The business with Scottish Water is to do with finance, as the government doesn’t want to borrow the money to fix the system; the claim is that the English and Welsh water companies are a lot cheaper than Scottish Water, but then our systems were neglected longer as they were being prepared for privatisation, so we have a bit further to go. Anyway, if privatisation and all this Private Finance Initiative is wonderful, how come water is being rationed in England and the Scottish taxpayer had to fork out £30 million to buy back the Skye Bridge, which we had already paid for, and £20 million for Inverness Airport, which we had also paid for; it looks as if the Tory crooks are cleverer than the Labour ones. (For informed comment on the water issue, read the April issue of the Scots Independent newspaper.)

COMMONWEALTH GAMES SUCCESS

At the time of writing, the Scottish team at the Commonwealth Games in Australia has won 27 medals: 10 Gold, 7 Silver and 10 Bronze; the target for the team was 15 medals, so already we have surpassed that by almost 100%. A brilliant performance by our athletes, and still 3 days to go! This is our biggest haul yet.

Caitlin McClatchey Most of the Golds came from swimming, and it is worth noting that all the Gold Medallists, bar one, did their training outwith Scotland; the training facilities are just not there. Their success follows the star performances of Andy Murray in tennis, and the Scottish Rugby team, who beat England, the World Champions, and France, who were favourites to win the Six Nations, so we’re not doing badly there.

We are not doing so well at football; a lot of this has been attributed to the influx of foreign players, and the big names from other countries filling the top teams. As to whether we can be good enough, a lot of coverage has been given over the past few days to the life of Jimmy Johnstone, the Celtic footballer; he was a world class player, and we saw clips of the European Cup Final in 1967, when Celtic beat Inter Milan 2-1 to become the first British team to win the European Cup. The point of this is that all of the Celtic players were born within a 30 mile radius of Parkhead.

Much of the above success is attributed to the training the young athletes had, but as noted (and Andy Murray also comes into this) they had to go outwith Scotland for training. I do not know if there are facilities for football training elsewhere in Britain, but I do know that when my eldest grandson went to Sweden last year, the kids were astounded at the training facilities they found; Scotland is far, far behind. As to how my grandson fared, in a tournament containing 168 teams from all over the world, Hutcheson Vale made it to the last 8, and went out on penalties to the Brazilian team who walked the final! (Well, grandfathers can boast.) The talent is here, but we need to catch it and nurture it; there were only two teams from Scotland at that tournament and the lads got a tremendous thrill leading out with the Saltire. The sight of our Commonwealth Games team marching with the Saltire made me burst with pride.

And when we look at what we can achieve, why should Scotland not have her own team at the Olympics?

FOOT IN THE MOUTH NOTES

Scottish Media Group, which owns Scottish and Grampian TV, and is based in Glasgow is trying to reduce its pension deficit by claiming that its members will not live as long as people in other parts of Britain.

I wonder how they square the circle of trying to attract people to come and work in Glasgow?

The Scot who invested £4,000 in Body Shop and has now picked up £137 million from its sale spends his time cruising in the Mediterranean in his yacht; when he come to Britain he often uses a false name, ostensibly to avoid publicity.

Methinks it is to dodge being tapped for a loan by New Labour.

Lord Hardie has ordered Reliance Custodial Services and their operations director for Scotland to appear before him in Edinburgh with counsel to explain the absence of Reliance officers for dock escort which resulted in a murder trial being delayed.

No guarantee they will turn up.

Apparently there is an organisation called the Roads Authorities and Utilities Committee Scotland, and it has issued a report that more than 80% of the road repairs carried out after Scottish Gas Network (formerly Transco) had torn the roads up was sub standard. That particular survey was done in Glasgow; repairs were also done after BT, NTL, Scottish Water, Thus, Scottish Power and Cable and Wireless.

Without being in any way prejudiced, I would suggest that Edinburgh would be nearer 100%.

The Ministry of Defence could award the contract for supplying the kilts for the new Royal Regiment of Scotland to a foreign company, based on price alone; they claim that under UK an EU law and public procurement rules they have to put the contract out to tender. This could mean that India or Pakistan, or even China could supply them, while Scottish tartan makers go bust.

As the recruitment to the regiment is running at a record low, maybe these countries will also be supplying the soldiers.

The Working Life of Linda Fabiani MSP

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

SYNOPSIS

Not a vast amount in the Synopsis this week, but everyone a cracker.

Tuesday 21st March 2006

SNP Leader, Alex Salmond MP, has published a Bill to repatriate oil and gas, and the revenues from the Scottish offshore sector, to the Scottish Parliament.

The move follows the publication of a series of proposed incentives to extend the life of the North Sea and protect investment and jobs in the sector. These measures would become the responsibility of the Scottish parliament under the proposals contained in the legislation.

Alex Salmond Commenting Mr Salmond said:

"It is now over thirty years since the first oil was pumped from the Scottish sector of the North Sea. In that time more than 34 billion barrels of black gold have come ashore, bringing a revenue windfall for the United Kingdom of £203 billion.

"It was the prospect of Scottish oil that enabled Britain to secure the IMF loan in the 1970's that saved the United Kingdom from bankruptcy.

"It was revenues from Scotland's oil and gas that paid for the millions thrown into unemployment by the Tory government's recessions.

"And today, with oil revenues once again at the record high levels of the 1980's, Scotland's wealth is now filling the black hole in the British budget. Gordon Brown is cynically using Scotland's oil to save his own
Prime Ministerial ambition - avoiding the embarrassment of spending cuts and tax rises.

"After all these years of British benefit, it is now Scotland's turn.

"We are now at the half-way point for Scotland's oil and gas production. Scotland will remain a net export of oil and gas for many years to come.

"We will have the opportunity to deliver a stable tax regime, exploration incentives and a Scottish Oil Fund - measures that to ensure the benefit of our win on the natural lottery is felt for longer and delivers a secure financial future for our country.

"As we have seen from the UK's decision to penalise investment in the North Sea, Britain cannot be trusted with the future of our precious oil and gas resource. This Bill would give the Scottish parliament the immediate opportunity to reverse the damage caused by Gordon Brown.

"Independence will bring home control of Scotland's oil and gas - but the Scottish Parliament needs the power now.

"We must make sure that the second half of our oil windfall brings benefits to everyone living in Scotland so we can tackle the inequality that blights our society. The last thirty years of oil are gone and largely wasted. Lets make sure the next thirty see the transformation that Scotland deserves."

Tuesday 21st March 2006

Responding to reports that the number of households living in fuel poverty could reach 500,000 (1 in 4) by the end of the year SNP Social Justice Spokeswoman Christine Grahame MSP said:

Christine Grahame “It is clear that the coalition governments’ strategy on tackling fuel poverty is going to become seriously derailed if Energy Action Scotland’s predictions are correct.

“The truth is that Scottish Ministers simply do not have the powers they need to eradicate fuel poverty and only independence would give Scots control of energy and fuel costs, like the Scandinavian countries have successfully achieved.

“The best we can hope for is that the London Parliament increase winter fuel payments and extend the scheme to families on low incomes. There may also be a strong case for having a specific scheme in Scotland which would take account of our generally colder winters and poorer housing stock.”

Monday 20th March 06

Central Scotland SNP MSP Alex Neil has received information that £5million of public money was spent on the installation of new toll booths on the Forth Road Bridge before the Scottish Executive had made their announcement over the future of tolls on the bridge.

Alex Neil The Scottish Executive recently announced that they plan to retain tolls on the Forth Road Bridge after the completion of a study they commissioned reviewing the Tolled Bridges in operation across Scotland. However, in response to a written question lodged by Mr Neil, Tavish Scott, the Transport Minister admitted that the Forth Estuary Transport Authority (FETA) had taken the decision to install new toll booths to the tune of £5million prior to his announcement that tolls would remain on the bridge.

What Mr Neil now wants to know is, does this indicate that FETA was aware of the decision of the Minister before he announced it to MSPs and the public; or did the fact that the installation of these booths had been decided upon influence the Minister to maintain tolls on the bridge. At the very least Mr Neil is concerned at the possibility that FETA took this decision without knowledge of the Scottish Executive decision and potentially could have wasted £5million of public money had the booths become immediately redundant if the Executive had in fact made a different decision and scrapped Forth Bridge tolls.

Mr Neil said:

“Something stinks about the answer I received to my written question from Tavish Scott. Why did the Forth Estuary Transport Authority take the decision to commit £5million of public money on new toll booths before the announcement of a decision on the future of tolls on the Forth Road Bridge by the Scottish Executive?”

“It begs the question; did they know something that the rest of us did not? Were they aware of the Scottish Executive’s decision to maintain tolls on the bridge way before the completion of the Executive’s own Tolled Bridges Review? If so does this not in fact indicate that the Executive never had any intention of scrapping tolls on that bridge? Also, if it is the case that FETA had prior knowledge, why were they informed before the MSPs and the general public?”

“The other question the answer I have received lends itself to is; did the decision of the Forth Estuary Transport Authority to commit this public money to new toll booths sway the decision making process of the Executive? Did they feel that they had no choice but to retain tolls lest this was £5million worth of public money down the drain?”

“At the very least it raises questions over the competence of FETA. If there was no collusion between them and the Executive and there was no Forth Road Bridge tolls fix, then were they not gambling an awful lot of public money on the necessity of these new toll booths?”

“After all £5million is a lot to spend on them if in fact they had been unnecessary if the Executive had in fact scrapped the tolls. Wouldn’t it have made more sense to wait on the outcome of the Tolled Bridges Review? It seems to me that despite the people of Fife getting unlucky with the announcement that tolls will stay in place, FETA got a bit lucky. They would have been left with a lot of egg on their face if tolls had been scrapped.”

“All in all Tavish Scott’s answer to my written question actually raises a lot more questions than it offers answers. It is beholden upon him to now answer these questions.”

Tuesday 21st March 2006

SNP MP Angus MacNeil has welcomed the decision by the Metropolitan Police to investigate possible criminality following on from Labour's cash for peerages scandal.

Mr MacNeil wrote to Sir Ian Blair on Friday (copy of letter below) asking him to look into the possibility that there has been a breach of the Honours (Prevention of Abuses) Act 1925. The complaint is now being investigated by the Specialist Crime Directorate.

Angus MacNeil Commenting Mr MacNeil said:

"The sale of peerages is an illegal act and I welcome the fact that the Metropolitan Police is to investigate these allegations. If Labour has been receiving dirty money, then we have a right to know, and ultimately action must be taken.

"The law is the law and it applies to all of us, even the Prime Minister.

"Tony Blair must now release all relevant papers and information to the police investigation. We need a guarantee of full co-operation by Downing Street in this matter.

"With 80p in every £1 received by Labour from individual donors coming from people who have received an honour and every Labour donor of over £1 million in receipt of a peerage or a knighthood there are big questions to answer."

Note - Section 1 (1) of the Act states that:

"If any person accepts, obtains or agrees to accept or obtain from any person, for himself or for any other person, or for any purpose, any gift, money or valuable consideration as an inducement or reward for procuring or assisting or endeavouring to procure the grant of a dignity or title of honour to any person or otherwise in connection with such a grant, he shall be guilty of a misdemeanour."

Mr MacNeil's letter read:

Sir Ian Blair
Commissioner
Metropolitian Police
New Scotland Yard
London
SW1H 0BG

Thursday 15th March 2006

Dear Sir Ian,

I am writing to you regarding the growing circumstantial evidence surrounding the alleged selling of peerages. I am sure you will be aware of the Honours (Prevention of Abuses) Act 1925. Section 1 (1) states that:

The body of evidence in the Sunday Times dossier is incredibly damning. With 80 pence in every £1 going donated to the Labour party by individuals comes from people who have been honoured. Every donor who has given the party more than £1 million has been given a knighthood or a peerage.

There is also the refusal of the House of Lords Appointments Commission to accept recent nominations from the Labour Party to consider. This would appear to be a case for investigation under this Act to see if any criminality has taken place.

Three quarters of those individuals who have given more than £50 000 to the Labour Party since 2001 have received an honour.

I urge you to open an investigation into this very serious matter.

I look forward to hearing from you,

Angus MacNeil MP

Na h-Eileanan an Iar

Thursday 23rd March 2006

Ian Hudghton, SNP Member of the European Parliament says he is “astonished” by the UK Government’s failure to implement an EU Directive brought in to minimise heat loss from buildings. The MEP has received a letter from Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs in which the Commission confirms that the UK has “failed to fulfil its obligation to implement the Directive” (on the Energy Performance of Buildings 2002/91/EC) and that infringement proceedings have been started.

Ian Hudghton Speaking from Parliament in Brussels, Mr Hudghton said:

“I wrote to the Commissioner in February after a constituent contacted me to complain about the poor quality of construction materials used in Spanish buildings. I was aware that the EU had adopted the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive back in 2002 and that Member States were required to implement this by January 2006. It was with this in mind that I wrote to Commissioner Piebalgs to enquire what was going on in Spain, only to discover the UK’s shortcomings.

“At a time when we’re all being told, quite rightly, to conserve energy, you would have thought that Governments would be making it a priority to enact any legislation designed to help. The Directive recognises that the built environment accounts for about one third of the EU’s energy consumption and places responsibility on the Member States to set minimum standards for the energy performance of buildings. It sets out to reduce energy consumption by improving energy efficiency in respect of insulation, lighting, heating, air conditioning, orientation of the building, and heat recovery.

“I am astonished that the UK Government has failed to act as quickly as possible to get this Directive in place and have asked my colleagues at Westminster and Holyrood to raise the matter with the Ministers responsible.”

Trioblaidean Dibhe

Chan eil eòlas sam bith agam air Teàrlach Ceanadach no beachd agam an robh e math na dona mar cheannard a’ Phàrtaidh LibDem, ach tha mi cinnteach gu bheil an deoch air milleadh a dhèanamh air a bheatha phearsanta, a bharrachd air a bheatha phoblaich. ‘S e droch rud do dhuine sam bith a th’ ann agus ‘s e sgeulachd a tha fada tuilleadh ‘s cumanta ann an Alba air fad. Carson a tha sinn cho dèidheil air deoch, nuair a bhios fhios againn uile gun cuir i às dhuinn ma gheibh i grèim oirnn? Bha deagh theòiridh againn ann an Ìle nuair a bha mise nam chaileag. Le ochd taighean-staile san eilean bha an t-adhar làn deoch làidir agus bha sinn uile a’ toirt uisge-beatha a-staigh nar n-anail. B’ ann mar sin a bha àireamh muinntir an àite le trioblaidean dibhe cho àrd, agus cha b’ ann idir gun robh sinn ag òl tuilleadh ‘s a chòir. Cha robh sinn a’ coimhead air ospadal Ceann Loch Gilb, far am bitheadh daoine a’ tiormachadh a-mach, mar àite son daoine le duilgheadasan; ach mar seòrsa Health Spa.

San là an-diugh tha fada a bharrachd tuigse ann den chron a nì deoch, gu h-àraidh a chionn ‘s gu bheil i cho saor, ach an àite sin a bhith cur stad oirnn tha sinn ag òl barrachd agus aig aois nas òige na bha sinn roimhe. Tha rannsachadh a’ sealltainn gu bheil duilgheadasan le deoch agus drugaichean fiadhaich cumanta am measg shlògh dhùthchasach -“ indigenous peoples” - far am bi iad an riaghladh le sluagh eile agus far am bi an dualchas is cainnt aca gun inbhe no urram. Chì sinn sin gu math soilleir anns Na Stàitean Aonaichte, Astràilia, Canada (bidh e toirt oirbh a bhith bròdail gun e Breatannaich a th’ annaibh, eh?), agus iomadh dùthaich eile far an do chaill muinntir an àite smachd.

An e freagairt a th’ ann a bhith neo-eisimealachd, agus inbhe a thoirt do ar n-eachdraidh agus dualchas fhèin? Uill cha chuir sin ceart e, ach feumaidh gun cuideachadh e. Le sin agus cuideigin ann an Dùn Èideann comasach air plana a chruthachadh do ar eaconomaidh agus deònach air Alba a chur an toiseach bhitheadh e na bu shoirbhe dèiligeadh ris na trioblaidean a dh’adhbharaicheas òl, agus leis na trioblaidean a dh’adhbharaicheas na daoine a bhios an grèim na dibhe. Dìreach smuain.

Alcohol Problems

I don’t know Charles Kennedy and have no opinion as to whether he was good or bad as a leader of the LiBDems, but I’m sure that drink has destroyed his private life, in addition to his public life. It’s a dreadful thing for anyone and it’s a story which is all too common in the whole of Scotland. Why are we so fond of drink when we all know that it will kill us if it gets a hold over us? We had a great theory in Islay when I was a girl. With eight distilleries in the island the air was full of alcohol and we were breathing in whisky. That was why the number of people with drink problems was so high, and it wasn’t at all that we were drinking too much. We didn’t look on the hospital in Lochgilphead, where people dried out, as a place for people with problems; but more as a sort of Health Spa.

Today there is far more understanding of the harm that alcohol does, especially because it’s so cheap, but instead of stopping us we are drinking more and at a younger age than we were previously. Research shows that drink and drug problems are extremely common amongst “indigenous peoples” where they are being ruled by other people and where their culture and language has no status or respect. We can see that clearly in the United States, Australia, Canada (it makes you proud to be British, eh?), and many other countries where its people have lost control.

Is the answer to be independent, and to give status to our own history and language? Well that won’t correct it, but it has to help. With that and someone in Edinburgh capable of constructing a plan for our economy and prepared to put Scotland first it would be easier to deal with the problems that cause drinking, and with the problems that those addicted to drink cause. Just a thought.

Gordon & Carmen Wright

Second-hand, Fine & Rare Scottish Books.

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24 March 1595
Peace of Boulogne ended England’s war with France and Scotland.

24 March 2005
A breakaway group which claimed to be the true Free Church of Scotland lost a court action over millions of pounds in church assets. The body had been established in the wake of a high-profile prosecution of a senior theologian, Professor Donald Macleod, who was later acquitted of charges of molesting women in 1996.

25 March 1897
The Scottish Trades Union Congress was founded.

“The Congress was not, as some imagined, got up in opposition to the British Trades Union Congress, but because they believed that they wanted anything well done they had to do it themselves, and in doing their own work they were in some degree lightening the work of the British Congress. Then there were many questions which affected Scotland particularly, to which their English fellow unionists could not be expected to devote the amount of time and attention they deserved.”

From the speech of a delegate

26 March 1296
Hostilities between Scotland and England broke out with an attack on Carlisle led by John Comyn, Earl of Buchan, six other Scottish earls and John Comyn, the younger. Carlisle Castle was held for King Edward I of England by Robert Bruce, father of the Future King of Scots.

26 March 1996
Mel Gibson’s film about Sir William Wallace ‘Braveheart’, won five Academy Awards, including best Picture, at the Oscars in Hollywood.

29 March 1286
Alexander III, King of Scots, was buried at Dunfermline Abbey.

29 March 1783
The Royal Society of Edinburgh was incorporated by charter.

“About the end of the year 1782 in a meeting of the Professors of the University of Edinburgh, many of whom were likewise members of the Philosophical Society, and warmly attached to its interests, a scheme was proposed by the Reverend Dr Robertson, Principal of the University, for the Establishment of a New Society on a more restricted plan, and after the model of some foreign Academies, which have for their object the cultivation of every branch of science, erudition, and taste.”

From the Society’s petition for a royal charter

29 March 2005
The 250,000 visitor, in six months, was welcomed to the Scottish Parliament, making it one of Scotland’s most popular attractions.

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 13^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!

Andrew Carnegie (1835-1919)

I well remember that the stern doctrines of Calvinism lay as a terrible nightmare upon me… I grew up treasuring within me the fact that my father had risen and left the Presbyterian Church [in Dunfermline] one day when the minister preached the doctrine of infant damnation. This was shortly after I had made my first appearance.

(Autobiography)

James (Jimmy ‘Jinky’) Connolly Johnstone (1944-2006)

You’ve got to entertain and to that you’ve got to practise at it. And that’s what’s missing.

Hugh MacDiarmid (Christopher Murray Grieve) (1892-1978)

Scotland small? Our multiform, our infinite Scotland small?
Only as a patch of hillside may be a cliché corner
To a fool who cries ‘Nothing but heather!’…

(Scotland Small, Direadh1)

Oscar Fingal O’Flahertie Wills Wilde (1854-1900)

I wish you were in Edinboro’ with me – it is quite lovely – bits of it.

(Letter to E W Godwin 17 December 1884)

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

THE BANKS OF NEWFOUNDLAND
Traditional

Newfoundland

On St. Patrick's Day, the seventeenth
From New York we set sail
Kind fortune did favour us
Wi' a sweet and a pleasant gale
We bore away from Americay
The wind bein' off the land
And wi' courage brave we ploughed the wave
Bound down for Newfoundland

Our Captain's name was Nelson
Just twenty years of age
As true and brave a sailor lad
As ever ploughed the wave
The Eveline our brig was called
Belonging to McLean
And wi' courage brave we ploughed the wave
Bound down for Newfoundland

When three days out to our surprise
Our Captain he fell sick
He shortly was not able
To take his turn on deck
The fever raged which made us think
That death was near at hand
So we bore away from Halifax
Bound down for Newfoundland

At three o'clock we sighted a light
That we were glad to see
The small-pox bein' ragin'
That's what it proved to be
At four o'clock in the afternoon
As sure as God's command
He passed away in Arichat
Bound down for Newfoundland

All that night long we did lament
For our departed friend
And we were prayin' unto God
For what had been his end
We prayed that God would guide us
And keep us by his hand
And send us fair wind while at sea
Bound down for Newfoundland

Footnote: There is some six different folksongs with this title. This is the one that I know best, probably due to the outstanding folk duo The Corries.

See the SING A SANG AT LEAST in our features section

ALEXANDER III AND THE GOLDEN AGE REMEMBERED

Caitlin Wallace laying the wreath
The 720^th anniversary of the Death of Alexander III, King of Scots (1249-1286) and The Golden Age of Scottish history was marked last Sunday (19 March 2006) with a short meeting and wreath-laying at the Alexander III Memorial, Pettycur, Kinghorn. The wreath was laid by 9-year-old Caitlin Wallace, East Wemyss, and a lament played by Piper Robert Todd, Boness. The event will revert to its usual format next year and should take place on 18 March 2007 at 3pm.

SCOTTISH FOOD, TRADITIONS AND CUSTOMS

Cullen Skink

April Fools Day, 1 April, Hunt-the-Gowk in Scots, falls next week when bairns of all ages try all kinds of japes in order to be able to shout "April Fool" at their victim ! In this more sophisticated ( ! ) age the practice seems to be dying out but it does remind us that in the past Kings and Nobles all had their Jester or Fool. One of the most famous in Scotland was Aberdeenshire's Jamie Fleeman, the Laird of Udny's Fool. He lived in the eighteenth century and was well known for his pithy wit. One of his most quoted sayings was "A'm the Laird o Udny's Feel. Faw's feel ar ye ?"

Now Jamie Fleeman might have been a Fool but he wasn't daft and would well know that you can sup fish with a spoon ! For Haddock is the basis of the winter soup Cullen Skink - we might be into Spring but a plate of Cullen Skink is a treat in the continuing cold weather.

Cullen Skink

Ingredients: 1 smoked haddock, 6 oz chappit tatties, 1 onion, sliced, 1 oz butter, 1 pint milk, chopped parsley, salt and pepper

Method: Place haddock and onion in pan with sufficient water to boil ( no more ). Bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Lift out the cooked fish and remove skin and bones. Flake the haddock and return skin and bones to pan and simmer stock with onions for 30 minutes. Strain the stock and return to rinsed pan and again bring to the boil. Boil milk in separate pan and add to fish stock with the flaked fish and salt to taste. Boil for a few minutes. Add enough mashed potatoes to give a smooth consistency, with the pepper and a little more salt if necessary. Sprinkle over chopped parsley and serve very hot with triangles of dry toast. Delicious !

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)

cauf kintra: birth-place; native district
fyle: befoul; deface; make dirty
hert: heart
oo: wool
oo-mull: tweed mill
stirup-dram: parting drink

Steik ane's hert: Harden one's heart

He played the pipes in Aiberdeen
Fin I wis a bit loon,
An pipes an temper, weel-a-wat,
War aften oot o tune.

His favourite springs war "Monymus",
"The Braes o Tullimet",
He'd mairch to "Aden's Barren Rock"
Till reamin owre wi sweat.

frae 'The Piper o Aiberdeen' - George Abel

COMPLETE POEMS

The Dominie's Happy Lot
by Walter Wingate

Click here to listen to this in RealAudio read by Marilyn P Wright

Born at Dairy in Ayrshire, Wingate worked as a mathematics teacher in Hamilton and published his verse in numerous newspapers.

The Dominie is growin’ grey,
And, feth, he’s keepit thrang
Wi’ counts and spellin’ a’ the day,
And liffies when they’re wrang.
He dauners out at nine o’clock,
He dauners hame at four
Frae twal to ane to eat and smoke —
And sae his day is owre!

Oh! Leezie, Leezie, fine and easy
Is a job like yon-
A’ Saturday at gowf to play,
And aye the pay gaun on!

And when the burn comes doun in spate.
And troots are taken weel,
To tak’ a day he isna blate,
Syne marches aff wi’s creel.
His garden, it has ne’er a weed.
His tatties are a’ soun’,
The laddies needna fash to read
As lang’s they delve his grun’.

Oh! Leezie, Leezie, fine and easy
Is a job like yon—
Weel or ill he’s maister still.
And aye the pay gaun on!

When winter days are cauld and dark,
And dykes are deep wi’ snaw,
And bairns are shiverin’ owre their wark,
He shuts the shop at twa;
And when it comes to Hogmanay,
And fun comes roarin’ ben,
And ilka dog maun tak’ a day,
The Dominic tak’s ten!

Oh! Leezie, Leezie, fine and easy
Is a job like yon-
To stop the mill whene’er you will,
And aye the pay gaun on!

And when Inspectors gi’e a ca’,
He tak’s them roun’ to dine,
And aye the upshot o’ it a’-
‘The bairns are daein’ fine!’
And sae the ‘Board’ come smirkin’ roun’,
Wi’ prizes in their haun’;
And sync it’s frae the end o’ June
Until the Lord kens whan!

Oh! Leezie, Leezie, fine and easy
Is a job like yon —
Sax weeks to jaunt and gallivant,
And aye the pay gaun on!

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

Playground Humour

A joke currently doing the rounds at East Wemyss Primary School, as told by Caitlin Wallace (9) to her Granda (slightly older!) -

Caitlin: Granda, dae ye ken why the boy ate his homework?

Granda: Na quean, A dinna ken.

Caitlin: Because he thocht it wis a piece o cake!

Click here to listen to this joke

Read and listen to Jokes in our Scot Wit section