The Scottish National Party held their Spring Conference in the Glasgow Science Centre on Saturday and Sunday 17^th and 18^th March 2007.  I myself was unable to be there due to family commitments, but my wife videoed the coverage, and remarked that I probably saw more of the Conference than I would if I had been there!

  On the Saturday there was a great deal of interference with the TV pictures, far more than I have ever seen with any programme, and the message about “Do not adjust your set, we are trying to fix the problem kept appearing”.  In an idle moment I wondered whether the same problems were being experienced with any of the Six Nations Rugby matches which were on that day, and certainly I heard of no problems with the Hibs v Kilmarnock CIS Cup Final broadcast from Glasgow at the same time as the Conference on the Sunday.  Perhaps it is just the usual SNP paranoia, and not the establishment hitting back.

  I was not there but enjoyed the other parties’ disarray when Alex Salmond followed up his Sir George Mathewson coup with a donation of £500,000 – half a million smackers from Brian Souter!   Alex also produced the First 100 Days document which I have not yet seen, apart from it being brandished by the Labour Party attack team;  yet again, their “positive” campaign has not got off the ground as all they can do is attack the SNP. 

If you want to read Alex’s speech, click on Alex Salmond  If you wish to read Nicola’s click on  Nicola Sturgeon How coincidental that some of Nicola’s thoughts coincide with what we have in the 4 Page Special Scots Independent we have made available to the Party at £10 per thousand.

In the debate in the House of Commons last week, a majority of Scottish MPs voted against the renewal and upgrade of the Trident Nuclear Weapon System; now when a majority of the MPs representing this country vote against anything it lacks any democratic legitimacy, so we now have a clear mandate by our elected representatives to get the damn thing out of here.

There were some interesting sidelights on this vote;  Gordon Banks, MP for Ochil, staunchly anti-nuclear, and a junior minister of some sort, ie the payroll vote, had his conscience salved.  The government sent him to have a meeting with the Speaker of the Egyptian Parliament, obviously this Flight into Egypt was very important.  The much praised, by some, Edinburgh MP, Nigel Griffiths, nobly resigned his position as Deputy Leader of the House, to vote against Trident;  an unkind press, not me guv, pointed out that he had a very slim majority, and the Deputy Leader post was not paid anyway.  However, a prize should surely go to Jim Murphy, Labour MP for Eastwood;  he is pictured in the Scottish Catholic Observer receiving a petition from 600 parishioners from St Joseph’s in Clarkston, , an initiative prompted by the Scottish Bishops slamming what they called an immoral and unjustifiable weapon.  Mr Murphy praised the Justice and Peace group, but for some strange reason his name was not listed among those who voted against Trident.  Shurely shome mistake?
 

 SNP and Plaid Cymru MEPs unveil a poster at the European Parliament in Strasbourg (14 March) as part of the campaign against renewing the UK's Trident nuclear weapons programme. Pictured from left to right are MEPs Ian Hudghton (SNP Group Leader), Jill Evans (Plaid) and Alyn Smith (SNP).

This demo in Strasbourg today was timed to coincide with the Westminster debate and vote today, and our own debate here on Nuclear Non-Proliferation.
 

  On Friday 16^th March this year, the Prime Minister’s wife, Cherie Blair, visited Dalry Primary School in Edinburgh, wearing a red nose as part of the Comic Relief campaign;  the children did not recognise her, and she informed them that she was Tony Blair’s wife.  It would seem that her visit was fairly well received, but it appears that she talked more about David Beckham than anyone else.

Elsewhere that day, also in Edinburgh, her husband, Tony Blair, finished up completely red faced, after launching a personal attack on Sir George Mathewson; Sir George had a letter in the Scotsman newspaper saying that he was voting SNP at the forthcoming Scottish election, and that he had every confidence in Alex Salmond and in Scotland’s ability to prosper with independence – I paraphrase that.  Mr Blair said; “With great respect to Sir George, I regard it as pure self-indulgence.  Talk to real businesses and look at the impact on real businesses and real families of separation……”

It would seem that only the views of Unionist minded businessmen have any value, and Blair’s patronising and dismissive comments on one of Britain’s most prominent and successful businessmen give a clue as to why Alex Salmond is always pleased to see Tony Blair visiting Scotland.

The facts about Sir George Mathewson are as follows:

Professional

Royal Bank of Scotland 1987-2006

Chairman 2001-2006

Executive Deputy Chairman 2000-2001

Group Chief Executive 1992-2000

Deputy Group Chief Executive 1990-1992

Director of Strategic Planning and Development 1987-1990

Scottish Development Agency (Chief Executive) 1981-1987

ICFC (3i) 1972-1981

Bell Aerospace 1967-1972

According to the RBS website, under Sir George's leadership RBS income grew from £1.4bn in 1992 to £25.6bn in 2005, with profits increasing over that period from £32m to £8.3bn and market capitalisation increasing from less than £2bn in 1992 to more than £60bn in 2005.

Today RBS is one of the largest global banks, generating more than 40% of its profits from overseas and employing more people in the US than Nike worldwide.

Additionally, Sir George is a Director of Scottish Investment Trust, on the Board of Directors of the Institute of International Finance and the President of the International Monetary Conference.

Honours

• Transatlantic Business Award (awarded by the American Chamber of Commerce to the European Union – the first Scot to receive this award – 2002)

• UK National Business Lifetime Achievement Award (2003)

• Chief Executive of the Year (awarded by Scottish Business Insider 1999)

• Knighthood – services to economic development in Scotland & to banking (1999)

• Fellowship of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (1998)

• Fellowship of the Chartered Institute of Bankers in Scotland (1985)

• Honorary degrees: City University of London (2005), University of Edinburgh (2002), University of Glasgow (2001), University of St Andrews (2000), Dundee University (1983)

Quotations

"It would be impossible to overstate the contribution that he has made to the Scottish economy. His quick financial brain has produced solutions to many of the major restructurings that have been required among ailing companies and his analytical scientific background has ensured that we have constantly enhanced and refined our methods of operations."

Robert Duthie CBE, Chairman of the SDA, Spring 1986 Annual Report
 

"Sir George Mathewson's impending victory in the battle for NatWest will put him at the helm of a Royal Bank of Scotland that has pulled off a once-in-a-generation deal."

Scotsman February 2000
 

"He's the banking answer to Bruce Springsteen. Dr. George Mathewson is the Boss."

The Sunday Herald October 1999

Consider the case against Tony Blair well and truly rested.
 

     David McCann, from Ochil Constituency, wrote to Gannet, The Herald’s American parent company complaining about the bias shown by that newspaper against the SNP.  He received a response from Timothy Blott, Managing Director, Newsquest (Herald and Times) Ltd.  Mr Blott stated : “The Herald is politically neutral and will not support any individual political party in the forthcoming Scottish elections.”

  It was interesting that Mr Blott defended the impartiality of  the Herald’s editor, Charles McGhee, who had been previously the editor of the Evening Times as follows: “When Mr McGhee took over the editorship of the Evening Times in late 1999, he ended the paper’s previously open support for the Labour Party, making it politically neutral.”  One might wonder if before 1999, the aforesaid paper claimed to be “politically neutral”, hoping that this would be lost in the mists of antiquity – but as I never read it, I wouldn’t know.

Mr Blott responded to claims that the Herald supported Labour because it was dependent on the Scottish Executive advertising as follows : “In a Parliamentary answer in May last year, it was revealed that the Scottish Executive had in the past year spent nearly £50,000 advertising in the Herald, a little over that sum in the Scotsman, £40,000 with the Scottish Sun and £900,000 with the Daily Record.”   One might also wonder if now that the Scottish Sun is outselling the Daily Record whether the advertising revenue imbalance is now reversed?

The letter covers two A4 pages of justification of their “political neutrality”, and a dig at Mediawatch,2007 – a website “from which the official SNP leadership has distanced itself” – meant to be a condemnation – but it could equally apply to The Flag in the Wind!

Nothing in this particular episode conflicts with the comment made many years ago by the late Oliver Brown: “All a man needs in life is a good cause and the enmity of the Glasgow Herald, and he can be sure that if he has the first, the second will automatically follow.”
 

Wonder why he forgot about the Scilly Isles?  Not because they are off the coast of England surely?

In 1976, the Research Officer of the Scottish Labour Party, Alf Young, sent an SNP leaflet about Oil to the Minister of State for Energy  and said : “I wonder if you could get an analysis of this done in your department…some return ammunition would be of use to me.”  Now they’ve lost the argument they shift the ground.

Imagine though, the headlines if Labour started to promote Socialism!

Not only does this mean that the Labour “rebels” were elected on false credentials, but it also shows that Labour only approves of the word “independent” when it means nothing of the sort.

Equivocation, equivocation, equivocation.

 SYNOPSIS

A bumper bundle this week, but a lot has been happening.

• Income tax change conceals real tax rises
• Innovation fund for Northern Ireland, supermarket jobs for Scotland
• Oil Revenues forecast to rise from £8.1 billion next year to £10.1 billion in 2011/12

SNP leader Alex Salmond has slammed Gordon Brown for dressing up real tax rises as a tax cut.

Mr Salmond said:  “As is usual with Brown the devil is in the detail. He has brandished a 2p tax cut, which conceals the elimination of the 10p low rate and the changes to national insurance.

“In addition if money was available for reducing direct tax then it should have gone as the SNP propose - to abolish Council Tax which is unfair and hurting lots of people.

“Indeed the change to basic and starting rate of income tax is a cut of just £85 million compared to the SNP plan to scrap Council Tax, which would see tax bills for Scottish families lowered by £450 million. It is election panic, which has forced the Brown tax con trick.

“However people will be rightly angry when they realise that the brandished basic rate cut is concealing tax rises elsewhere.

“Our industry alarm bells should be ringing.

“Brown has moved onto SNP ground in the reduction of corporation tax. However, this gives no competitive advantage to Scotland.

“Northern Ireland is to get an industrial renovation fund to revitalise the economy. Scotland was only mentioned in terms of supermarket jobs. That is why SNP proposals to Let Scotland Flourish are so badly needed to boost Scottish growth rate.

“Brown claims oil revenues are falling. In fact they are on a rising trend increasing from £8.1 next year to £10.1 billion in 2011/12. Over the last six years they have totalled £34 billion compared to £55 billion forecast over the next six years. They are only falling compared with Brown’s incompetent forecasting at the last Budget!

“This budget is another desperate move from a desperate Chancellor determined to try anything to hold onto power in Scotland.”

Tuesday 20th March 2007

SNP MEP Alyn Smith MEP today (Tuesday) said that it's time for Scotland's voice to be heard in Europe. The SNP MEP said that the SNP will give Scotland a stronger and more effective voice by ensuring that there is better Scottish scrutiny of EU legislation and an effective voice for Scottish interests in Brussels to get the best deal for Scotland in Europe.

The SNP MEP made the call following a report published by the Scottish Parliament's European and External Relations Committee stated that the Scottish parliament should play a stronger role in the development of European law.

Speaking from Brussels, Mr Smith said:

"I welcome this report and agree whole heartedly that the Scottish Parliament must play a greater role in scrutinising EU legislation.

"On giving evidence to the Committee I called for regular discussions between the Parliament and MEPs and a joint debate in Holyrood to ensure all sides are working to shape the best possible laws for Scotland.

"It is clear from the leaked report from Michael Aron on the Executive's performance in Europe that Scotland is losing out. Scotland needs a government that is genuinely committed to getting the best deal for Scotland in Europe, not doing as they are told by London.

"It seems ridiculous that Mr McConnell is in Brussels today to promote Scotland as an example of strong communication when back home his Executive's own reports show that they have repeatedly failed to ensure there are sufficient channels of communication between Scotland and Europe.

"An SNP government at Holyrood with a dedicated Minister for European and External Relations will work with the Parliament to build Scottish scrutiny of EU legislation and ensure Scotland's voice is heard loud and clear in the EU."

Notes to editors:

The Scottish Executive's own papers have shown that Scotland has been let down by the Scottish Executive in Europe. A paper written in October 2006 by the Scottish Executive's top civil servant in Brussels claims Scotland has been ignored by Whitehall officials in key European negotiations. Michael Aron, director of the Executive's EU office who drew up the report, believes the consequences for Scotland could be "disastrous".

Mr Aron said:

"The most common complaint raised is that Whitehall tends to forget about consulting the Executive"

"There have also been occasions where Whitehall departments have deliberately excluded from policy formulation"

"The Executive is kept out of the loop on an EU issue of importance to Scotland's interests"

The report also states that Scottish Ministers have been sent to the salle d'écoute (listening room) when there is no seat for them at Council meetings so they can just listen into discussions.

The number of staffed beds in NHS Borders hospitals has dropped by over 14 percent from 727 to 624 since the Liberal and Labour coalition Government came to power in 1999, figures obtained by SNP MSP Christine Grahame have shown. Ms Grahame has warned that the region could be facing a crisis as the general population grows older. Speaking from her Galashiels office she has called for greater investment and the “surgical removal” of both Ministers and the unelected NHS Borders Board.

Ms Grahame said:

“Since 1999 we have seen a steady downward trend in the number of available staffed beds in hospitals throughout the NHS Borders area. This has been a result of continued pressure on the unelected NHS Borders Board, under direction from Liberal and Labour Ministers, to run down rural services by closing vital community hospitals and make increasing cuts which has substantially reduced staffed beds over the 8 year period the Lib/Lab coalition have been in power.

“Little wonder that tensions are running high amongst staff who, as I revealed in a nationwide report last week, suffer bullying and harassment at unacceptable levels, feel demotivated, with a majority unable to recommend the NHS as a good place to work.

“There is a chronic sickness affecting the NHS at present and the downward trend in staffed beds is but one symptom.

“Very shortly the people of the Borders will have an opportunity to surgically remove the cause of our ailing health service which is failing on many levels. The work needs to start at the very top with those Ministers who have systematically undermined the NHS. Then we will act to remove the unelected and unaccountable NHS Boards who as we have seen recently in Coldstream and Jedburgh are making decisions which are diametrically opposed the views of local people and local communities.”

The Scottish National Party welcomed the remarks of Alasdair Locke, Executive Chairman of oil services company Abbot Group, in which he said: “Of course Scotland can stand on its own, and it’s very insulting to say it can’t. . . I have been noted as being a Conservative supporter, but if you were rating Labour and the Liberal Democrats and the SNP, Alex Salmond is clearly a better performer than either of these two” (The Herald, 20 March).

SNP Deputy Leader Ms Nicola Sturgeon MSP said:

“This is yet another indication that the trend within the business community is moving strongly in our direction.

“That is backed up by the fact that the SNP are ahead among all sections of Scottish society – including voters in the AB category.

“It’s clear that Alex Salmond is the popular choice for First Minister – with a detailed understanding of the Scottish economy, and the ambition and ideas to boost our low growth rate.

“Mr Locke’s remarks also underline how foolish the Prime Minister’s personal attack on Sir George Mathewson was, when he declared his support for the SNP. 

Note: The latest ICM poll puts the SNP in the lead among all social and economic groups in Scotland. Among AB voters, the figures are:

SNP:                  35%

Labour:              21%

Con:                   21%

Lib Dem:           18%

On the 4^th anniversary of the war in Iraq, the Scottish National Party publicised YouGov poll figures showing that the vast majority of people in Scotland do not trust Labour on other issues because of the Government’s false claims about weapons of mass destruction.

SNP Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Mr Angus Robertson MP said:

“Four years on from this illegal and unnecessary war, it is very clear that the quagmire in Iraq will be Tony Blair’s legacy.

“Opinion in Scotland is overwhelming – the vast majority believe that Tony Blair did not tell the truth about the case for war.

“And two-thirds do not believe Labour on other issues because of their false claims about weapons of mass destruction.

“Labour have lost the trust of people in Scotland, and these figures show that their credibility is in tatters.”

Note: The poll figures are:

Agree:                 64%

Disagree:            23%

Don’t know:       13%
 

Agree:              69%

Disagree:         16%

Don’t know:    15%
 

Yes, he made a mistake:                73%

No, he did not make a mistake:     19%

Don’t know:                                    8%
 

Tuesday 20th March

SNP Shadow Sport, Culture and Media Minister Stewart Maxwell MSP today (Tuesday) welcomed the Deputy First Minister's belated recognition that grass roots sports will suffer as Lottery funds are diverted to pay for the London Olympic Games infrastructure and London regeneration.

Mr Maxwell said:  "We welcome Mr Stephen's recognition at long last that Scottish good causes and grass roots sports will suffer as this money is diverted to pay for the Games infrastructure and London regeneration.

"It is time for this Executive to stand up for Scotland's sporting interest as well as community groups to ensure that the Westminster government does not use the National Lottery as their own personal piggy bank when things get out of control.

"When London was first awarded the Olympics it was the SNP alone who warned of spiralling costs and the threat to our good causes. Mr Stephen's bureaucratic response today calling for a new fund is completely unnecessary. What we need is the Chancellor to keep his hands off Scottish lottery cash so that Scottish youngsters sporting ambitions aren't thwarted."

Commenting on the convicted criminal who has won a legal challenge after he claimed a recorded message on phone calls from prison breached his human rights, SNP Shadow Justice Minister Kenny MacAskill MSP said:

"This is utterly outrageous. People who breach the law must pay the price. Hard working tax payers money is being used to fund these legal aid cases, money which could be going to help vulnerable people in need of legal representation.

"A line needs to be drawn and it needs to be drawn now."
 

Tuesday  20 March 2007

Speaking today (Tuesday) after a Government statement from the Home Office revealed that 10 000 passports were issued to fraudulent applicants, Home Affairs spokesperson Stewart Hosie MP said:

"The Home Office has recently admitted that over 640,000 passports have been lost or stolen since the Identity and Passport Service's launch in December 2003.

"While we welcome moves to make passports more secure there is clearly some way to go. Even though the amount of undetected fraud is small that still amounts to 10 000 applications a year.

"We remain deeply concerned that there are flaws in the passport service both in issuing passports to those not entitled to hold them, and with the secure delivery system, where significant numbers of passports are lost and stolen.

"I will be writing to Under-Secretary Joan Ryan to ask her to identify the number of fraudulent applications at the Scottish passport office in Glasgow and to make a further statement about the improvements to the secure delivery system."
 

Tuesday 20th March

SNP Shadow Health Minister Shona Robison today (Tuesday) welcomed the findings of the Scottish Executive's Review of NHS Prescription Charges which showed that there was strong support for all people with long-term medical conditions and those on low incomes to be exempt from prescription charges. The reports findings also showed that many people did not hand in their prescriptions as they could not afford it.

The Executive promised a review of prescription charges four years ago however, was forced to publish the findings of the public consultation after Ms Robison moved an annulment to this years prescription charges rise in the Health Committee.

Ms Robison said:  "The findings of this consultation are loud and clear. Prescription charges are unfair and are a tax on ill health.

"An SNP Government will end the tax on ill health by abolishing prescription charges for those with a chronic condition and for young people in full time education or training.

"We will then phase them out for the rest of the population. It is not fair or just that people on low incomes have been faced with choosing which prescriptions they can afford to buy.

"The Labour and Lib Dem Executive have ducked and dived over the issue and it is ridiculous that they have only just published the consultations report two weeks before Parliament closes.

"In May it's a straight choice between more prevarication from Labour or an SNP government which will end this injustice and abolish prescription charges."

The report stated:

"There was strong support for all people with long-term medical conditions obtaining exemption from prescription charges, with around two-thirds endorsing this suggestion. There was also strong support for those on a low incomes being exempt."

Also:

"Just over one in ten of those who had visited a GP in the last 12 months had a prescription which they had not handed in. Although reasons for not doing so were varied, the most common reasons related to cost- it was cheaper to buy them over the counter or it 'cost too much' in general."

Clann an là an-diugh

An do chuir e iongnadh air neach sam bith gun e seo a-nis an dùthaich as miosa san Iar a bhith òg - agus seo an dèidh bhliadhnachan de "leasachaidhean" sòisealta? Gun teagamh b' e leasachaidhean a bh' ann an cuid dhiubh. Chan eil e fada air ais gun robh  e laghail boireannaich a  chumail a-mach à trèanadh, foghlam, obair, taighean-seinnse is an leithid, agus seirbheisean a dhiùltadh dhaibh. Tha sin air atharrachadh, ach còrr is deich bliadhna air fhichead den Achd Pàighidh Cho-ionnanachd tha boireannaich fhathast a' cosnadh mu thrì ceathramhan na tha fir. Tha na h-Ùghdarrasan Ionadail air lethbhreith a dhèanamh fad bhliadhnachan agus thabaid iad gu math cruaidh an aghaidh pàighidh chothromaich. Chan eil an riaghaltas nas fheàrr -  far an d' fhuair bean còireachan air peinnsean a duine-pòsda ann an dealachadh-pòsaidh chan fhaigh i sgillinn ruadh de dh'airgead dìolaidh ma thèid an sgeama fodha. Dè 'n ceangal eadar seo agus staid ar n-òigridh a bhith cho dona? Son aon rud, tha àireamhan mòra a' faighinn àrach ann an taigh le dìreach boireannach. Gu tric cha bhi athair ann idir; no cha ghabh e gnothach ris a' chloinn. Ionnsaichidh clann òg nach bu chòir earbsa a bhith aca gum bi an saoghal cinnteach no cothromach.

Aig ceann ar dùthcha tha riaghaltas a dh'innis breugan airson cogadh a thòiseachadh. A rèir coltais chreic iad inbhe morair an aghaidh an riaghailtean fhèin. Bidh Buill Pàrlamaid ag iarraidh oirnne sàbhaladh agus iad a' togail airgead mì-reusanta iad fhèin ann an cosgaisean. Bu chòir do 50% de òigridh a dhol don oilthigh, ach tha oileanaich a' tighinn às le iasadan mòra agus obair ann am Pizzaland. Thèid clann fhàgail le màthraichean an grèim dhrugaichean nach bi comasach air am frithealadh. Tha an European Convention on Human Rights againn agus an àite a bhith gar dìon, bidh e air a mhi-chleachdadh gus am bi e a' toirt còireachan air falbh bhon mhòr-shluagh.

A bharrachd air seo tha eagal air inbhich clann a smachdachadh no co-dhùnaidhean a dhèanamh dhaibh - cha bhiodh sin "inclusive".  Mar a thuirt fear air Newsnight, tha sinn beò ann an saoghal Lord of the Flies . Bidh sinn ag iarraidh air cloinn roghainnean a dhèanamh nuair a bhios iad fada tuilleadh 's òg a thuigsinn dè bhios e a' ciallachadh dhaibh agus leigidh sinn seachad ar n-uallach le dèanamh a-mach gum bi clann a' cinntinn suas nas clise an-diugh. Feumaidh iad.

Was anyone surprised that this is now the worst country in the West in which to be young - and this is after years of social "improvements"? Without a doubt some changes were improvements. It's not long ago that it was still legal to keep women out of training, education, work, bars and the like, and to deny them services. That has changed, but more than 30 years after the Equal Pay Act women still earn about three quarters of what men do. Local Authorities have been discriminating against them for years and they fought very hard against fair pay. The government is no better - where a woman has been awarded rights to her husband's pension in a divorce settlement she will not receive a penny in compensation if the scheme collapses. What's the connection between this and our young people's state being so bad? For one thing, many are being raised in a house with only a woman. Frequently there is no father at all; or he has nothing to do with the children. Children learn young that they shouldn't have trust that the world will be sure or fair.

At the head of our country we have a government who lied in order to start a war. They apparently sold honours against their own rules. MPs require us to save while they are collecting unreasonable amounts in expenses. 50% of young people are supposed to go to university, but students are coming out with big debts and a job in Pizzaland. Children are left in the charge of  drug-addicted mothers who can't care for them. We have the European Convention on Human Rights which instead of protecting us, is abused to the extent that that it takes rights away from the majority.

In addition to this adults are now afraid to control children or make decisions for them - that wouldn't be "inclusive". As a man on Newsnight said, we are living in a Lord of the Flies world. We want children to make decisions when they are far too young to understand what it'll mean for them and we abdicate our responsibilities by claiming  that children are growing up quicker today. They need to.
 

Ken Livingstone haes mindit us that “gin voting chyngit onything, they’d dae awaa wi’t.” The voters o Scotland may be aboot ti fin oot juist hou true that observe is.

Whan the Scottish Pairlament wes set up, aa pairties greed  (tho Lawbour maun hae been sweirt) that the voting seestem wad hae ti chynge. Nane o them wad staun up fir a  “first past the post” seestem that yaisually gied ae pairty the feck o saits  wi less nor hauf o the votes. Sae the chynge wes made ti a (mair or less) proportional seestem.

Bit it wes weel kent that sin lang syne, nae pairty haed gotten  mair nor hauf o the votes in Scotland (the lest ti dae it war the Tories in 1955!) Bi the same taiken, nae pairty wes likely ti get mair nor hauf the saits i the Scottish Pairlament. Sae it turnit oot, an sae it haes been ever sinsyne.

Whit wul be the affcome in 2007? The nou, Lawbour haes 50 saits an the S.N.P. ainly 25. Thon is a muckle stummlin-block ti owrecum; bit suppose there is a muckle (tho no muckle eneuch) swing ti the S.N.P., an we get, say, 40 saits ti Lawbour’s 35. Whaur are the lave ti cum frae? It is true that three ither pairties (the Greens, S.S.P., an Solidarity) say they wad back independence. Hou mony o thaim wad there be? It wad tak an unco optimist ti predick that their nummers wad be that muckle mair nor they are (13). An the Greens threip that they wilnae jyne ony Government, tho mebbe they micht uphaud ane.

Sae, ti form a Government, we micht need the Tories or the Leeberals! Bit Dauvit Cameron haes lat it be kent that in a ticht spat, he wad tell his pairty ti uphaud the Union, een if that meant Lawbour. Onywey, the S.N.P. wilnae gang intil a coaleetion wi the Tories. That leas the Leeberals. Dae they hae the free haun they wad hae us believe, or hae they gane owre aathegither ti Lawbour? There’s ae wey ti bring them, an the ithers, owre. That wad be gin we wan that mony saits that aabody haed ti admit an S.N.P.-led Government wes the wull o the voters, an that nane o thaim soud staun in its wey. Atween nou an Mey, we maun aa wark ti bring that aboot!

Kenneth Fraser