The Scots Independent Newspaper Online

YOU JUST CAN’T WIN!!

I just loved this exchange on “Scotland at Ten’ on 25 February.

Lord George Foulkes:

‘The SNP are on a very dangerous tack. What they are doing is trying to build up a situation in Scotland where the services are manifestly better than south of the border in a number of areas.’

Interviewer Colin Mackay:

‘Is that a bad thing?’

Lord George Foulkes:

‘No, but they are doing it deliberately.’

Don’t ya just luv it!!

ALEX SALMOND FOR TAGGART

News reaches us that SNP First Minister Alex Salmond has been invited to appear in an episode of popular Glagow-based hard detective/murder series ‘Taggart’.

Alex says he will accept as long as he is not the corpse.

Party stalwart Andrew Kerr, whose imagination knows no bounds, suggests other important roles:

Maverick ex-Labour MP George Galloway as the main suspect.

Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon as the young feisty woman detective.

And finally, free spirit SNP MSP Christine Graham as the proverbial bar owner who knows everything.

I’ve never watched ‘Taggart”, but if any of the above personalities feel elated with or aggrieved by their roles they can pass comment to Andrew Kerr through the ‘Flag in the Wind’ website.

PAISLEY GOES

Ian Paisley and Martin McGuinness

So the Reverend Ian Paisley is to give up as Stormont First Minister in May. Strange how reputations can change with the passing of time.

From the 1960s to just a very few years back, Ian Paisley for me represented all that is most detestable in politics. Loud-mouthed, bigoted, and uncompromising, he saw life in black and white: Irish and catholic bad, British and Protestant good.

But times changed, and Ian Paisley – eventually - changed with them. The extraordinary sight of the friendly bonhomie surrounding him and his Sinn Fein deputy Martin McGuinness have given the pair the title of ‘The Chuckle brothers’. It surely must lift the hearts of those who see so many intractable problems throughout the world.

We can only hope that the good start is allowed to continue.

It’s just sad that so much time and agony have to be gone through before people come their senses.

ID CARDS

It did my heart good to see the front-page headline in the Herald newspaper last Friday, 7 March:

Salmond moves to block new ID cards in Scotland.

Thank goodness for that. The present Labour government are such control-freaks and are so paranoid about threats of terrorism that they are in the process of wiping out many of our liberties won over centuries.

Now Westminster is trying to push through ID cards by stealth and – praise be! - Scotland’s First Minister Alex Salmond will have none of it.

And in the Scottish Parliament he will have support from the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives.

This just simply shows that the Scottish Parliament, elected only partly by proportional representation, is nevertheless far more representative of the people than can ever be the case at Westminster.

It’s an interesting thought, but I wonder if Britain would ever have gone to war in Iraq if the Westminster government had truly reflected the thoughts of the people who elected it.

BRITISHNESS – ANOTHER TRY

News reaches me as I write that a new report on Britishness is being published. Commissioned by Gordon Brown’s government and written by Lord Goldsmith, it suggests that to re-establish pride in Britain it would be good for pupils leaving school to take an oath of allegiance, either to queen or or country or to both– it is not clear yet which of these three options will be chosen.

So would it be compulsory or voluntary for individual pupils? Would individual schools be compelled to offer this oath of allegiance? Would republicans be forced hypocritically to swear allegiance to the monarch? And would those who believe in Scottish independence be forced to swear allegiance to Britain? Would there be a Scottish allegiance oath option?

And in any case, will Scotland not be exempt, since education is a devolved matter?

Again, I am delighted to report that the Scottish government has declared itself opposed to this measure, as have other bodies in England.

There are many objections.

First of all, let us look at Lord Goldsmith.

He is the man who famously wrote two memos for the government before the invasion of Iraq. The first on 4 March 2003 raised serious concerns about the legality of the invasion. The second report, just two weeks later, on 17 March, declared that invasion would be legal after all. Not the sort of person I would be wanting to write the rules of allegiance for my grandchildren.

His volte-face on the war led to the resignation three days later of Elizabeth Wilmshurst, his legal adviser. The reasons for Professor Wilmshurst’s resignation were only made public two years later.

Lord Goldsmith was part of one of Britain’s most deceitful governments ever, one of the reasons many voters are NOT proud of our politicians or the country they live in.

So perhaps the definition of Britishness should include:

Treating the law with contempt
Being a poodle of the United States
Treating the United Nations with contempt
Invading and bombing other countries and killing their citizens
Lying to the public about anything as long as you can get away with it
Possessing ridiculous delusions of grandeur

And that is just for starters. Britishness nowadays also seems to include top European placings in Binge drinking, drug abuse, teenage pregnancy and prisoners in jail.

No doubt Gordon Brown will appeal to ‘British’ values as he claims to see them. And no doubt he will talk about truthfulness, respect for the law, a sense of community, fairness (tell that to any modern British football crowd!), and so on.

Doesn’t it just make our British hearts swell with pride to think of all those benighted foreigners who do just don’t believe in any of those values?

Come off it, Gordon! The British values you claim to be uniquely our own have been simply the basic values of any decent individual, any decent country and any decent religion throughout the ages.

NO REFERENDUM ON LISBON EU TREATY

The EU constitution was unceremoniously ditched a few years back after getting the thumbs-down from voters in the Netherlands and France.

The Labour government in Britain decided then that there would therefore be no point in continuing with the promised referendum here.

Now the Brussels-based Eurocrats have come back with something called the Lisbon Treaty. Not a constitution, they say, merely a tidying-up of all the enactments from the past.

The vast majority of European politicians (and the relevant committee in Westminster too) admit that the treaty is as near as damn-it to the old constitution.

But that’s not the government’s story here in Britain.

For to admit that the treaty and the constitution are essentially the same would lead to the Labour government’s having to keep its promise to hold a referendum on the issue. Keep a promise? A Labour promise? Heaven forbid!

So it seems we shall have no referendum on this great issue. Democracy will count for nothing. It seems at the moment that no other country, save Ireland, which is constitutionally bound to hold one, will hold a referendum on the treaty.

And Europe will continue on its undemocratic, dictatorial, centralising path. In the end the people will revolt against it, and who knows what will happen?

It is all such a pity. The practical old Common Market structure, which served so well, could have evolved into a democratic, confederal system based on the wishes of its peoples across Europe. There is still great merit in much of what the EU aspires to and actually carries out.

But the critical lack of democratic mandate will blight its future unless things change.

Read Christina McKelvie MSP's Weekly Diary

Tuesday 4 March 2008

McLEISH REBUFFS LONDON'S ATTEMPTS TO WITHHOLD SCOTLAND'S FUNDING

SNP MSP Alex Neil has welcomed comments from former First Minister Henry McLeish over the UK Government's refusal to allow Scotland to retain £400 million of Scotland's benefit cash when a local income tax is introduced.

Alex Neil MSP Mr McLeish told BBC Newsnight "It shouldn't be one where money is withheld by the UK Government." He also said "We should not be penalised if we decide to embark on a new policy."

Mr Neil said;

"The unfair and hated council tax must go.

"Henry McLeish is spot on. It is not for Westminster to penalise Scotland for the policy choices made by this democratically elected Parliament.

"If England changed their local tax system they would keep the benefits money so why shouldn't Scotland.

"All James Purnell is doing is building the case for Scotland to have full fiscal powers and a fully Independent government.

"The Scottish Parliament has already accepted the principle of local income tax.

"The UK Government must now accept, as it does with Northern Ireland, that even under a different system of taxation the benefits money belongs in Scotland.

"With the help of the SNP Government council's across Scotland have been able to freeze the council tax. Let's now go one step further and scrap the unfair council tax."

Wednesday 5 March 2008

HOSIE COMMENTS ON BROWN’S BARNETT REVIEW

Speaking following reports that the Prime Minister Gordon Brown has ordered a review of the Barnett Formula, which calculates how much money goes to the devolved areas, Stewart Hosie MP, the SNP's Westminster Treasury spokesperson, said:

"It is extraordinary that Gordon Brown appears to have agreed to review the Barnett Formula in response to Jack Straw's grievance about spending south of the Border. It is even more extraordinary that the Scotland Secretary should have ganged up with Mr Straw to encourage it.

"It's clear that the Prime Minister was backed into a corner - and the very obvious motivation of Jack Straw is to slash Scottish spending, despite burgeoning North Sea revenues and the fact that the spending settlement was very much worse in Scotland than south of the Border.

"This insight into the machinations in Downing Street entirely vindicates the position of the Scottish Government that the only acceptable alternative to the Barnett Formula is full fiscal independence for the Scottish Parliament.

"This also exposes the fact that Wendy Alexander is being kept totally out of the loop on these key issues by Labour's London leadership.

"Ms Alexander's Commission has been hijacked by Downing Street, downgraded to a working party, and now looks to be working against Scotland's interests.”

Wednesday 5 March 2008

LABOUR CONTINUE TO PEDDLE NUCLEAR MYTH

Speaking after an exchange at Scottish Questions SNP Westminster Energy spokesperson, Mike Weir MP, accused Scotland Office Minister David Cairns of continuing to “peddle the nuclear myth”.

Mr Weir said:

“However hard David Cairns tries to peddle the nuclear myth, the fact of the matter is that nuclear power generation is at its lowest level in Scotland this decade.

“Figures from the UK Government itself show that, in last year for which figures were available, just 26% of energy was from nuclear sources, not the 44% claimed by the Scotland Office Minister. .

“The truth is that the contribution of nuclear is falling whilst that of renewables is rising. The hydro project being constructed at Glendoe will alone provide enough electricity from water to serve a city the size of Glasgow.

“Scotland neither needs nor wants new nuclear power stations. London Labour are not only at variance with the Scottish Parliament and people, but even with many of their own Scottish representatives who oppose new nuclear power stations.”

Note:

FIGURES FROM "ENERGY TRENDS" REPORT

In Scotland between 2005 and 2006:

* Electricity generated in Scotland increased by 9% (4,363 GWh) to 53,609 GWh.
* Electricity generated from nuclear power decreased by 24%, mainly due to unplanned outages at nuclear stations. As a result, nuclear's share of generation fell from 38 per cent to 26 per cent in Scotland.

[In 2006/07, Torness and Hunterston B were shutdown intermittently. At Hunterston, Reactor 3 was off for a total of 353 days. Reactor 4 was off for 244 days. Currently Hunterston is operating at 70% capacity.]

* electricity generated by renewable sources (apart from hydro natural flow) increased by 46%.
* Continuation of the rate of growth in these other renewables would result in achievement of the Scottish Spending Review Targets of 31% by 2011 and 50% by 2020.
* Electricity generated from fossil fuels increased by 34%, with increases in Coal (44%), Gas (24%) and Oil (13%), linked to both the reduction in nuclear and the price of gas.

http://stats.berr.gov.uk/energystats/etdec07.pdf

A transcript of the exchange at Scottish Questions is detailed below:

Anne Moffat MP: Mr Speaker, does my right honourable friend agree with me that nuclear power generates more electricity than any other power in Scotland, and does he also agree with me that the Scottish Executive is irresponsible and short-sighted to rule out building any new nuclear power stations.

David Cairns MP (Minister of State for Scotland): Mr Speaker, factually my honourable friend is absolutely correct, nuclear power is responsible for producing about 40% of Scotland’s electricity, I believe that it should be part of a balanced portfolio of energy, which includes renewables, which has a very important part to play, includes clean coal, and of course carbon capture and storage, and I agree with her on her criticism of the Scottish Executive.

Mr Speaker: Mike Weir MP

Mike Weir MP: Thank you Mr Speaker. The Minister is of course quite wrong. Indeed, the last figures from the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform themselves show that nuclear only had 26% of generation, and was in fact falling as renewables rises. Is the future not in renewable energy, like the Glendoe hyrdo station, which itself, when it comes online, will have enough energy to cover the whole of Glasgow.

David Cairns MP (Minister of State for Scotland): Mr Speaker, I support the Glendoe hydro scheme. It was a scheme consented by the last Labour-led Executive, and I support it. The fact of the matter is, even if we accept his figures, which are only the case because of outages, temporary outages, at Hunterston. Historically speaking, nuclear power is responsible for 40% of electricity. How is he going to replace that, he cant replace it with intermittent renewables, and he is attempting to con the Scottish people if he says he can.

Wednesday 5 March 2008

WAVERLEY RAIL ON TRACK AS MINISTER GIVES GREEN LIGHT TO PROJECT

Transport Minister Stewart Stevenson The Scottish Government is committed to delivering a railway to the Scottish Borders that will also benefit Midlothian Transport Minister Stewart Stevenson has said. Longstanding Waverley rail campaigner Christine Grahame MSP welcomed the announcement by Mr Stevenson adding that Midlothian will reap rewards from the project which will include a stop at Gorebridge. Ms Grahame said:

“Given the massive budget over run problems faced by other rail projects such as the Airdrie to Bathgate line that went 3 times over budget the Scottish Government were right to carry out a due diligence test on the Waverley rail project.

Christine Grahame MSP “That process has demonstrated that the business case is robust and that there will be an economic benefit to the reinstatement of rail, especially along the route where the line will run.”

Local SNP Councillor for Midlothian West, Owen Thompson added:

“I am delighted that we are seeing this project progress under the SNP Government.

“Midlothian and the Borders have long waited for this important link to Edinburgh and now the Government has overcome the delays of the previous administration. The Waverley rail link will be a great asset to the people of Midlothian."

Concerns raised by opposition parties over a potential funding gap in the project were, according to Scottish Government officials, entirely unfounded as a result of borrowing arrangements set up with Transport Scotland, a normal practice for large rail projects of this kind.

Wednesday 5 March 2008

LABOUR AND TORIES – LAST DEFENDERS OF THE COUNCIL TAX

Joe Fitzpatrick MSP Commenting on Wendy Alexander and Annabel Goldie’s comments to the COSLA Conference in which they are to defend the council tax SNP MSP Joe Fitzpatrick said;

“In defending the hated Council Tax, Wendy Alexander and Annabel Goldie are re-running last year’s election campaign – which they both lost, not least because of their defence of the indefensible Council Tax, which bears down most harshly on those least able to pay and the elderly.

“The Strathclyde election survey showed that 88% of Scots back a local income tax, compared to only 12% support for the Council Tax. And the Scottish Parliament has already voted for the principle of LIT.

“Let Wendy Alexander and Annabel Goldie stand with the rump 12% - the SNP’s local income tax plan is backed by 88% of Scots because it is fair, progressive and based on ability to pay.

“Following our successful freezing of the Council Tax – and cut in Labour-led Stirling – the SNP will take forward the process of abolishing the unfair council tax in favour of a fair local income tax based on ability to pay.”

Wednesday 5 March 2008

BROWN'S CONTEMPT FOR SCOTTISH DEMOCRACY

WOULD HAVE BACKED TORY FOR FIRST MINISTER

Commenting on further revelations in today's Times on Gordon Brown's attempts to stop the SNP forming the Government of Scotland by instructing Labour to back the Tories or the Lib Dems for First Minister SNP MSP Alex Neil said;

"This shows the Prime Minister's control-freakery at its worst.

Alex Neil MSP "Gordon Brown tried to make a mockery of Scotland's democracy.

"The SNP won the elections fair and square. Labour lost.

"That Labour would back a Tory as First Minister will astonish Labour voters across Scotland.

"Not only do these revelations expose the lengths to which he will go to control Scotland but how out of touch he has become with the mood of Scotland."

Saturday 8 March 2008

WENDY'S 'EXCELLENT RESULT' WOULD LOSE LABOUR OVER 40 SEATS

Commenting on Wendy Alexander's reaction to the Cambuslang East by-election result where she described it as an "excellent result" despite the Labour vote crashing to 28% from 50% in May 2007, Central Scotland MSP Christina McKelvie said it was a massive blunder by Ms Alexander since if such a result was replicated across Scotland it would leave Labour with only 5 Scottish Parliamentary constituencies.

MSP
Commenting Ms McKelvie said:

"This was a hollow victory for Labour. In nine months Labour has gone from winning 50% of the votes in this seat to winning only 28%.

"Labour secured this seat by only 132 votes in what should be a Labour heartland. Support for Labour in South Lanarkshire has nearly halved under the leadership of Wendy Alexander.

"It is a massive blunder for Wendy Alexander to describe this result as 'excellent'. If it were replicated across Scotland for the Scottish Parliamentary election Labour would be left with 5 constituency seats at most."

Notes:

1. Report from Press Association, 7th October 2008 on Cambuslang East by-election:

'Scottish Labour leader Wendy Alexander hailed "an excellent result for the party".'

2. Cambuslang by-election

Result at Stage 1

Party Votes % Change
SNP 609 23% n/c
Labour 725 28% -22%
Tory 80 3% -6%
LibDem 580 22% 8%
Other 600 23% 20%
TOTAL 2594

Result at Stage 7

SNP 962
Labour 1094

3. The above result equals an 11% swing from Labour to the SNP.

If such a straightforward swing were replicated at the Scottish Parliament elections Labour would only hold five seats - Motherwell & Wishaw, Glasgow Springburn, Glasgow Baillieston, Glasgow Pollok and Paisley North (and only just by 0.03%).

4. Running total of all council by-elections since May 07:

Party Votes % Changes
SNP 7297 34% +1%
Labour 4948 23% -6%
Tory 3047 14% -1%
LibDem 2644 12% 2%
Other 3330 16% 4%
TOTAL 21266

Contact: The SNP Press Office on 07837 661287