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CAMPAIGNING FOR
SCOTLAND
(Owned, Edited and Printed in Scotland since November 1926)
Compiled by Jim Lynch
[24 November 2000]
THE GHOST STALKS ANNIESLAND
In a brilliant campaign, the Labour Party in Anniesland were successful in hiding their two candidates for the by elections from the public gaze, and managed to elect the ghost of Donald Dewar. Aided and abetted by the sycophantic Daily Record, they cynically exploited the memory and achievements of the much respected former First Minister, the late Donald Dewar; there were no public meetings, and no TV debate, despite this being a unique occasion, of the first, and hopefully the last , by election for both Holyrood and Westminster. If Labour were proud of their achievements why were they afraid to face the press and public?
The SNP can take cold comfort from the fact that our share of the vote went up marginally; this was a seat where there are 16500 old age pensioners, rock solid Labour territory, and as we know, the grey voters vote, and the older one is the harder to change attitudes. The low turnout, explained by a smug and gloating John Reid, Secretary of State for Scotland, was because people were happy with the Government! As one critic put it, this was an excuse for not having elections at all.
If the tone is ascerbic, it is because, like most people, I am ashamed of the depths to which politics has sunk in my country.
SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT
 |
|
23
Nov 00 |
May
99 |
|
Votes |
% |
Votes |
% |
| Labour |
9838 |
48.65 |
16749 |
59 |
| SNP |
4462 |
22.07 |
5756 |
20 |
| Tory |
2148 |
10.62 |
3032 |
11 |
| Lib Dem |
1384 |
6.84 |
1804 |
6 |
| SSP |
1429 |
7.07 |
1000 |
4 |
| Soc Lab |
960 |
4.75 |
139 |
1 |
| Majority |
5376 |
|
10993 |
|
| Electorate |
20221 |
|
54738 |
|
| Turnout |
38.42% |
|
52% |
|
WESTMINSTER PARLIAMENT
 |
|
23 Nov 00 |
May 97 |
|
Votes |
% |
Votes |
% |
| Labour |
10539 |
52.14 |
20951 |
62 |
| SNP |
4202 |
20.79 |
5797 |
17 |
| Tory |
2188 |
10.83 |
3881 |
11 |
| Lib Dem |
1630 |
8.06 |
2453 |
7 |
| SSP |
1441 |
7.13 |
|
|
| Others |
212 |
1.05 |
797 |
3 |
| Majority |
6337 |
|
15154 |
|
| Electorate |
20212 |
|
52955 |
|
|
Turnout |
38.29% |
|
64% |
|
ISSUE NUMBER 25
As I remember it, when you had given 25 pints of blood, you received a red and silver badge; this is now 25 issues of blood, sweat, and bad language, but I do not anticipate a silver Flag from the Scots Independent Editor, Kenneth Fee. All of the issues are still on file under
Archives, and can be accessed at the click of a mouse.
It was stated at the very start, in June this year, that Scottish politics was moving fast, and that changes were happening all the time; this has been borne out, as although we publish weekly, before even the first day has passed we can be out of date! This is a great improvement on the monolithic steamroller progress we were used to when Westminster was the sole legislature, even if some of the events are not entirely to our liking.
ADMIRAL CANAVAN
Well, as we said, things change very fast; when our big brother, the Scots Independent, went to press the headline was "Three Awkward By Elections Looming for Labour". Then, lo and behold, Dennis Canavan started a reconciliation with Labour, and we were down to two. One week later, and Dennis Canavan changed his mind, or had it changed, and the headline is accurate again!
What is going on between Dennis Canavan and the Labour Party? Did he find out what they really thought of him? The BBC interviewer on Newsnight was blunt when he said words to the effect "If you did not know you were only offered re admission to avoid a damaging by election, you were the only person in Scotland who didn’t know that". As it is, Mr Canavan has now totally destroyed any credibility he had, and it may be that his ego is such that he feels his conduct should be acceptable, because he is
"Dennis".
He burned his boats when he left Labour to stand as an independent; he burned them again, more spectacularly, when he applied to rejoin, and yet again, perhaps when he found that they did not really want him at all. The cry now is "Dinna gie him ony mair boats!"
THE RAIL TRACK RECORD
We seem to be prescient; only a week or two back we suggested that the Chief Executive of Railtrack, Gerald Corbett had his resignation refused because they wanted to sack him; he has now resigned, apparently because Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott pointedly refused to give him backing. There’s more than one way of getting the sack. His successor is the Finance Director of Railtrack, who is an accountant, and again, there does not seem to be any railwaymen on the Board. This is nothing new; I remember, some years ago, in the days of British Rail, a book entitled "Why Do Retired Railwaymen Never Become Generals?" There wasn’t an answer to that either.
Apart from the track problems, there are also shortages of rolling stock; according to the Observer, about 100 brand new trains are stuck in sidings either with teething problems or delayed
paperwork (Maybe coming by rail) and putting these into service would go some way to mollify the unfortunate passengers. It is the case that the fragmented nature of the rail network, works against the resolution of these problems. And in the midst of this, Babcock International is selling its Railcare business, because it is losing money. Ah, John MacGregor, one time Tory Transport Minister, what a dog’s breakfast you made of that lot.
SOMEONE HAS MOVED THE BANANA SKIN
It would seem that the report of the Health Committee of the Scottish Parliament is in favour of implementing the full proposals of the Sutherland Report, meaning that the state (Us) would pay for anyone having to go into an old folks’ home, as it should be. The report was leaked to the Holyrood Live programme, and everyone is furious about it. Well, Labour is furious about it, because the story is that while Labour in Scotland would like to do it, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, says they can’t, because Labour is against it in England. So Mr McLeish is keeping the issue under wraps and making all the right noises, until the Anniesland by election is over. However, now that Mr Canavan is not accepting the twenty pieces of silver another by election will be along shortly.
It’s tough being an unprincipled politician in New Labour (Too much competition).
PAX BRITANNICA
 All the fuss and uproar, coming mainly from the Tories, about Britain’s contribution to the European Rapid Reaction Force. As the Tories presided over the dismantling of most of the Armed Services, while gaily flying the Union Jack, it would seem that the objection is to the European angle.
The whole proposal brought to mind the Wisdom of Oliver Brown. He wrote that it had been averred that the Union of 1707 had put an end to centuries of war between England and Scotland. "It is true that the raids which ruined Scotland for centuries ceased - apart from Cumberland’s repression of the Highlands. We then enjoyed the Pax Britannica which meant we fought the French, the Spaniards, the Dutch, the Germans, the Japanese, the Chinese, the Americans, the Russians, the Africans, the Maoris, the Indians, the Italians, the Austrians - and here I must stop because the SI is not an eight page paper. (The SI was then, January 1971, a four page weekly).
We wonder which troops will form the backbone of the proposed force?
WAITING FOR WAITING LISTS
Waiting lists for treatment in Scottish hospitals have increased by 15% since last year. These figures were not so much released by the Scottish Executive as allowed to escape when they thought no one was looking. No official announcement was made, no press release, just an update on the NHS website earlier this month, and no reference on the Executive website.
Sneaky.
AIR TRAFFIC OUT OF CONTROL
It is now accepted, if it ever was in doubt, that privatisation of the railways was driven by profit, and safety factors were ignored. Bearing in mind the Labour Party’s opposition to the rail sell off, and their hysterical reaction to the Tory proposal to privatise air traffic control, is it any wonder that electors regard politicians with cynicism, as Labour are absolutely determined to privatise air traffice control? There was a back bench rebellion in the Commons last week, when 37 rebels voted against the Government, but Mr Blair will just ignore them. Perhaps, even the Labour candidates in Anniesland might have rebelled, since the constituency is under the flight path to Glasgow Airport, but one of them said he would make up his mind when the time came.
The whole issue of privatisation is so basic it is a wonder anyone is fooled. If a person puts their money into a business, they expect a return, a dividend, on what they invested. This can only be paid if the concern makes a profit; the way to make profits is either to increase turnover, or to cut costs, preferably both. With air traffic control, if they increased turnover, ie, put up charges, the airlines would create, it would be a tax on travellers, holidaymakers, etc. So they will cut costs, and aeroplanes will crash. When a train crashes, it is on the ground; if an aeroplane crashes........
Apparently, the only country to have privatised their air traffic control is Fiji.
FOOT IN MOUTH NOTES
 Fergus Ewing MSP has written to the Rail Regulator, to complain that passengers going from Inverness to Edinburgh by rail are being taken by bus; GNER are charging them the full rail fare, which is £15 more than if they got the bus!
Lib Dem Margaret Smith, in her annual report to constituents, says they supported the Executive in abolishing tuition fees; Andrew Cubie, chairman of the independent inquiry into student finance, has attacked the Executive, saying that their proposals amounted to a graduate tax, and it would act against students from poorer backgrounds.
The Scottish Prison Service told MSPs that the cost of running the privatised Kilmarnock would be £130 million over 25 years; a leaked internal document has shown that the cost will actually be £290 million. It looks as if all the crooks aren’t locked up.
The Scotsman did a feature, entitled "Who’s sleeping with the enemy", linking politicians with journalists, in press and TV; they were all New Labour, in keeping with the Labour hegemony, apart from one. Yes, David Kerr, former editor Newsnight Scotland, was linked to ...David Kerr, SNP candidate!
An Indian billionaire, Srichand Hinduja, was given citizenship after his family donated £1 million to help bail out the Millennium Dome; the family tried to buy the Express Newspaper Group, and are apparently also interested in buying the airline Go. It is anticipated that Indian courts will ask for him to be extradited to face corruption charges concerning illegal kickbacks of £7 million in the Bofors arms contract.
DATES
IN HISTORY
24 November 1589
Marriage of Anne of Denmark, daughter of Frederick II, to James VI, King
of Scots, in Oslo.
28 November 1930
W Oliver Brown, candidate for the fledgling National Party of Scotland,
polled 4,818 votes in the Renfrew Easy By-Election and became the first
NPS candidate to save election deposit. The National Party of Scotland
amalgamated with the Scottish Party in April 1934 to form the modern
Scottish National Party.
30 November 1292
Coronation of John Balliol, the last recorded inauguration of a King of
Scots on the Stone of Destiny. Known as 'The Toom Tabard', (empty coat),
Balliol was seen as a puppet of Edward I of England.
THE
REBELS CEILIDH SONG BOOK
JOHNNIE
LAD
I bought a wife in Edinburgh for ae baw-bee,
I got a farthing back again to buy tobacco wi,
And wi' you, and wi' you, and wi' you Johnnie lad,
I'll drink the buckles o' my shoon wi' you my Johnnie lad.
When auld King Arthur
ruled this land
He was a thieving King.
He stole three bolls o' barley meal
To make a white pudding.
Chorus: An' wi you,
and wi' you, and wi' you Johnnie lad,
We'll drink the Bauchles aff wur feet wi you my Johnnie lad
The pudding it was awfu'
guid,
'Twas weel mixed up wi' plumes;
The lumps o' suet into it
Were big as baith ma thooms.
Chorus
Samson was a michty man
Wha focht wi' cuddies' jaws:
He focht a score o' battles,
Wearing crimson flannel drawers.
Chorus
Napoleon was an Emperor,
And ruled by land and sea,
He was King of France and Germany
But he never ruled Polmadie.
Chorus
On the royal tour ti
Glesga,
Ye should hae seen the Queen
Playin' a gemme o' fitba',
Wi' the lads on Glesca Green.
Chorus
The Captain of the other
side
Was scoring in such style,
The Queen cried owre a polisman,
And clapped him in the jyle.
Chorus
The Queen wis in her
Parlour,
Suppin' Cream and Honey,
The Knave wis in the Coontin'-Hoose,
Fiddling Scotland's Money.
Chorus
Bit Johnnie wis a raucle
boy,
He gied the Knave a fricht,
And fotch back Scotland's money
And the people danced aa nicht.
Chorus
Johnnie is a bonnie lad,
He is a lad o' mine;
I never had a better lad,
An' I've had twenty-nine.
Chorus
Click
here to listen to the tune in midi format
See the Songbook
in our features section
A
KIST O FERLIES
A Keek at the Guid Scots Tung
By Peter D Wright
(Note: All
words underlined in this section are RealAudio links)
See
Scots Language in our Features Section
THE
MONTHLY PRIZE CROSSWORD
Each month the Scots
Independent Newspaper offers a prize crossword and we're now offering this
online in the Flag in the Wind as well. Should you complete
the crossword by the deadline you can fax it over to the SI and the first
correct one opened on the closing date will win a £10.00 book token.
SI Prize Crossword No. 11
[Clicking on the picture will bring
up a life size version which you can copy to your desktop or print out]
AND
AS WE CONTINUE.........
If you read our first issue of The Flag
in the Wind you will know that this is a weekly Internet commentary on
the Scottish political scene; if you desire further erudition click on
Archives.
THE
SCOTTISH NATIONAL PARTY
The Scots Independent Newspaper is
independent of the Scottish National Party, but we support the Party
in its drive for Independence; while space precludes us commenting on
all the issues raised by the 35 MSPs, 6 MPS and 2 MEPs, also the Party
Office Bearers, we have provided a link to the SNP Website.
THE FLAG
IN THE WIND
The above was the title of a book written
in the early Fifties by John MacDonald MacCormick, one of the founder
members of the Scottish National Party in 1934. The sub-title was
"The Story of the National Movement in Scotland". His comment in
the book said "It is perhaps in the symbols which men use that their
deepest sentiments are most readily expressed. Flags as well as straws
show which way the wind is blowing". A
fuller account appears under Features.
WE WOULD
WELCOME YOUR FEEDBACK
The Flag in the Wind would
welcome your feedback on what you think of this weekly service. Happy to
receive any comments or suggestions. Simply email webmaster@scotsindependent.org
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