Hi, there...

This is my first ever go at writing for the Flag since being persuaded that this was a fine idea by the great Jim Lynch over a lengthy dinner in a restaurant in Brussels last December.

Please feel free to email me at mail@iangoldie.com with comments of lavish praise or constructive criticism.

Broadly speaking, I¹ll try and keep you up to date with news of political interest from Scotland and with comments thereon.  And I hope you might get a little laugh here and there.

I¹ll also probably keep to a Otabloid¹ approach - paragraphs of not more than 2 - 4 sentences.  I find that short articles and broken blocks of print with loads of white space are easier to read than lengthy paragraphs, especially on a PC screen.

I would also like to initiate some general discussion on the ways to achieve independence by peaceful democratic means in the early twenty-first century.

Which is not to imply that there has been no such discussion in the past - there has been lots, and lots of  activity, too - and the results speak for themselves.

When I joined the SNP in the summer of 1967 we had no MPs, there was no Scottish Parliament, and in the previous general election in 1966 the Party had fielded only 23 candidates.

Now we have had a continual presence in Westminster since Winnie Ewing¹s victory in November 1967, we¹re the official opposition in Holyrood, and we are able to contest every seat for the parliaments in Edinburgh, Westminster and Europe.

Progress, but still a lot to be done.  Lots of Scots out there still to be converted and inspired, whatever their political leanings.

A Couple of Thoughts Inspired by Norway

We¹re just back from Norway where we were able to inspect the latest addition to the Goldie clan, born on 18 December in Stavanger.

It¹s great for us who have family abroad that cheap flights are now making it easier to fly, although it¹s infuriating still having to go so often via one of London¹s airports.

We flew from Stansted to the regional airport of Haugesund, which is about half way between Stavanger and Bergen.

We took the coach from Haugesund to Stavanger, 80 kilometers (about 50 miles).  And what was impressive about the journey was not the delightful ferry trip that it involved, but the fact that in that short journey of fifty miles we crossed five bridges and went through five tunnels, two of them over three miles long.  All built in the last 25 years.

All this was achieved when Norway made the strategic decision to use part - and amazingly, it is only a part - of its great oil wealth positively to create a transport infrastructure that previous generations had only been able to dream about.

As one Norwegian friend who has yet to visit Scotland asked me:  And how have you used your oil wealth?¹

Answers please to the Flag or to the above email address.  (No swearie words, please.)

My thanks to the indefatigable Andrew Kerr for drawing my attention to the two following stories, which appeared while I was abroad.

Boost for Ferry Link

Scotland¹s ferry link from Rosyth has had quite a boost from the highly-regarded consumer magazine Holiday Which?

Superfast, the Greek company that runs the service, was rated best overall and best for the cabins, bars and lounges categories.

The Holiday Which? report commented:  The two ferries, Superfast 1X and X, are among the best currently operating on routes from the UK.

Modern and imaginative interiors make liberal use of wood, marble and funky colours.  There is a convivial family atmosphere in classy bars and lounges, impressive food whether you choose to eat à la carte or from the buffet, and good standards of service.  Cabins are stylish.¹

Of all European passengers coming to Scotland on Superfast, 91% said they would use the Rosyth link again.

We understand that Superfast have still to persuade lorries to use the link in great numbers, but there can be no doubt of its popularity with Scottish passengers.  When a group of SNP members went over to Brussels in early December last year, there were apparently not enough places left on the ferry to accommodate them.

Nothing daunted, the Party is trying again.  One of the two top prizes in the draw at the Edinburgh City Association Dinner on 27 February is a Superfast return trip for two, with vehicle.

Note:  Tickets for the dinner cost £25 and can be had by contacting Kenny MacAskill MSP or any Edinburgh City Association delegate.  Speakers are Scotsman columnist and former MSP Duncan Hamilton and Gerry Collins, MEP, Leader of the Fianna Fail Group in the European Parliament.

Another Straw in the Wind

Or should that read Another little Flag in the Wind¹?

A report in the Daily Record reveals that Switzerland is going to be moving its consulate general to Edinburgh from Manchester.

Swiss officials said the decision to strengthen ties with Scotland reflected the country¹s growing economic importance.

Switzerland already has an honorary consulate in Edinburgh.

Now it joins the USA, France, Italy, Germany, Russia, China and Japan in setting up a consulate general in the city, concludes the Record.

Scotland¹s Quality Newspaper¹ a Mere Pawn in the Game

News that the secretive billionaire Barclay brothers, owners of The Scotsman, Scotland on Sunday and The Edinburgh Evening News may be about to take control of the Daily Telegraph may well mean that they will be forced to sell at least some of their Scottish titles.

Media commentator Roy Greenslade commented: The Telegraph journalists will not be worried about the Barclay brothers but they will be concerned about Andrew Neil, just as doubtless there will be people at The Scotsman drinking champagne if they are going to be sold.

Andrew Neil has been an interfering force at the Scotsman newspapers and I wonder if the Barclays could get away with having him at the Telegraph.¹

Flag readers will recall that Barclay-appointee overseeing editor Andrew Neil has not exactly won friends or covered himself in glory at Scotsman newspapers.

Some media comments that the Barclay brothers don¹t interfere with their editors political line are not exactly spot on.  It¹s an easy trick - choose someone like Neil who thinks along your own line, and there¹s really no need to interfere at all.

Neil is actually quite an urbane and amusing television anchor-man for political programmes based in London.  Let¹s hope in future he sticks to that.

London Behaviour

Have you ever been incensed by politicians and journalists from deep down south who often give the impression that that Scots are nothing but an uncouth rabble of whingers who have yet to learn table manners?

Often these people are aided and abetted by Unionist journalists from this side of the border.

Well, we should never give these people the time of day.  In fact, they should be challenged at every opportunity.

If anything, the boot is on the other foot - it is London politicians who whinge - just watch them at the next London mayoral elections.  They are also intensely parochial - Scotland, Wales and the rest of England have a good idea about what is going on down there.  The ignorance of the London establishment about matters in the rest of Britain beggars belief.

I well remember in the late 1980s contrasting the pretty well-behaved and law-abiding demonstrations against the poll tax in guinea-pig Scotland with the anti-poll tax thuggery of the demonstrators in London.

This generalisation was confirmed for me in an unusual way.  Writing about getting a parking ticket in the Motoring section of his newspaper, Herald journalist Jim McGill pointed out the following:

In most parts of the country the ticket must be stuck on the windscreen before it is valid.  The primary exception is London where, because because drivers are often abusive or even violent, wardens are allowed to post tickets.¹

Two Front-page Headlines

Spotted on 10 December 2003:

Report¹s pass mark for Scottish Enterprise¹    -    Herald

Auditor slams Scottish Enterprise¹        -    Scotsman

Says it all, really.

Three Books and a Website

Just a note on three of my favourite books.

The Claim of Scotland by Professor H J Paton (published by George Allen & Unwin, 1968)

In some ways a bit out of date now, but in my view easily the best book arguing the Scottish case.  Full of fascinating arguments, beautifully written, and imbued with a love of Scotland and a sense of decency - far removed from the present raucous political debate.

Small is Beautiful by E F Schumacher (first published 1973, Abacus paperback 1974)

Global in its scope, but with important messages and arguments for Scotland.

The War of the Flea - Guerrilla Warfare Theory and Practice by Robert Taber (first published 1965, Paladin paperback 1970)

An account of various guerrilla wars and how they were won and why one was lost.  A fascinating account which has many lessons that can be transferred to the democratic struggle against powerful ruling regimes.

www.alba.org.uk run by Dr Iain Old is in my view easily the most informative website there is on Scottish politics.Statistics Corner [+ pic of Irish flag]

It¹s often said that Irelend¹s economic rise only started with its entry into the Common Market (as it then was).

Not so, as the following OECD table shows.  It shows Irish GNP as a percentage of the UK¹s at four year intervals on the run-up to Common Market entrance date.

Amazing to think that using the now more common GDP figures Ireland is now ahead of Britain.

POLICY POSTCARDS

We continue our publication of the SNP Policy Postcards; we will publish a new one every week, each one dealing with a different aspect of SNP policy. The full list can be seen on the SNP website under "Vision" and "Policy".

Higher Education

Investment in Higher Education is an investment in an educated work-force, and therefore the future prosperity of our country. The Scottish Executive has failed Scotland¹s students by failing to scrap the tuition fees imposed by New Labour in London. The Lib Dems have failed to deliver on an election promise, thus betraying Scottish students. The SNP will use the current powers of the Scottish Parliament to scrap tuition fees (Graduate Endowment.) Independence will allow us to secure the resources to improve the maintenance grant, and the powers to examine the Cubie Report recommendations on the restoration of student entitlement to state benefits.

The average Scottish student leaves University with £12,000 worth of debt, while 1 in 5 are considering dropping out due to financial pressures.

The Lib-Lab coalition has failed to scrap tuition fees. They have merely moved the payment date. A tuition fee is a tuition fee, whether it is paid at the start or at the end of your course.

In the last 3 years, core public funding for Higher Education in Scotland has fallen from 61% to 52% of total income.

SYNOPSIS

NO LEGAL PROVISION FOR HOLYROOD IF BOVIS GOES BUST
Thu 15 Jan 04

Shadow Finance Minister Mr Fergus Ewing MSP has revealed today (Thursday) at a press conference that the old Scottish Office did not receive a parent company guarantee from Bovis for the building of the new Scottish Parliament despite one being offered.

The parent company guarantee would protect the taxpayer if Bovis went bust during the building of the parliament as it would ensure that any building work would not come to a halt, however, the Project team have still not asked for it, and have not even told the SPCB who are supposed to make the decisions for the taxpayer.

The parent company guarantee was originally to be provided by Bovis at a price of 500,000 pounds - but this claim was dropped on 4th January when Bovis were picked as the Construction Manager even though their bid was nearly 1 million pounds more than the lowest bidder.

Commenting, Mr Ewing said:   "These are truly devastating revelations which have been kept secret from the taxpayer for 5 years by those in charge of the Project.

"I can see no rational explanation, and, furthermore, given the revelations that Bovis weren't even the lowest bidder, and that they were reinstated after having been dropped from the shortlist, this now looks as though there are questions to be asked of the relationship between the company and the civil servants involved which are of the utmost gravity."

ASDA DUMPS SALTIRE FROM SCOTTISH BEEF
Thu 15 Jan 04

SNP West of Scotland MSP Mr Stewart Maxwell has condemned the decision by ASDA to label all its beef as British, despite figures which show that between 70 and 80 percent of beef sold in Scotland is Scottish. Commenting, Mr Maxwell said:

"I am appalled that ASDA have recently taken the decision to label all its Scottish beef as British.

"Previously Scottish beef was clearly labelled with a Saltire giving the customer the necessary information to make a choice between Scottish and British beef. And this decision from ASDA will do nothing to help Scottish people support Scottish beef producers.

"ASDA has told me that despite "between 70-80 percent of beef sold in Scotland is Scottish; it is easier for ASDA to package all its beef as British" so the Saltire has been dumped."

SNP TO FORCE VOTE IN PARLIAMENT TO REJECT EU FISHING DEAL
Fri 16 Jan 04

Shadow First Minister Mr John Swinney MSP has today announced that the SNP would force a vote in the Scottish Parliament next week to re-negotiate the latest disastrous EU fishing deal.

Speaking during a visit to fishing communities in Shetland, Mr Swinney said a vote to reject the agreement would pile the pressure on the EU to change the deal and save the Scottish fleet.

Mr Swinney said the debate was an opportunity for the Parliament to step in and do what both the Scottish and UK Governments have failed to do - support the Scottish fishing industry

Commenting, Mr Swinney said:  "The deal negotiated by the UK government amounts to blatant discrimination against Scotland.

"Scottish boats are facing draconian restrictions on their ability to fish in traditional Scottish waters - but foreign boats face no such barriers. That is an outrage that must be changed.

"In effect it means Scottish fishermen will be banned from fishing their traditional waters while foreign boats clean up.

"No other country in Europe would put up with such discrimination and the SNP is giving the Scottish Parliament an opportunity next week to show we are not prepared to be walked over."

"ALL OPPOSITION PARTIES MUST BE TREATED EQUALLY"
Sat 17 Jan 04

Commenting on the news that the Hutton Report will be published on 28 January, the Scottish National Party's Chief Whip at Westminster Mr Pete Wishart MP said:

"The combined impact of the top-up fees vote and the Hutton Report could spell the end of Tony Blair's premiership, with both of these crisis issues coming together within a 24 hour period.

"It is important that we have a proper democratic process for the publication of the Hutton Report. The Opposition must be given advance sight of the report, in the same way as the Government will, so that Ministers can be held to account for any misconduct that Lord Hutton identifies.

"And that must apply to all Opposition parties equally - the SNP, Plaid Cymru and other minority parties at Westminster must be given access to the contents of the report in exactly the same way as the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats."

"SCOTLAND'S INTEREST NEEDS DEFEAT FOR GOVERNMENT"
Sun 18 Jan 04

Commenting on the BBC survey today [Sunday] of how Scottish MPs intend to vote on the issue of top-up fees in England - which shows that at least 27 Labour MPs intend to vote for the Government - Scottish National Party Westminster leader Mr Alex Salmond MP said:

"Whatever the arguments south of the Border, the only conceivable impact in Scotland of top-up fees in England would be negative and extremely damaging - since Scottish higher education would be left with a major funding shortfall.

"In these circumstances, it is extraordinary that at least 27 Scots Labour MPs are proposing to vote for the Government and therefore against Scotland's interests, with only 7 prepared to join the opposition.

"And it is utterly bizarre that the sole Tory, Peter Duncan, is prepared to sit on his hands and abstain.

"The Scottish interest requires every single Scots MP to vote against the Government - or face the wrath of the electorate.

"Scots Labour MPs are prepared to impose an unpopular policy in England, and then use that as a battering ram to foist top-up fees on Scotland, too."

SWINNEY BACKS LEGAL CHALLENGE TO FISHERIES DEAL
Mon 19 Jan 04

The legal challenge to the EU fisheries deal by the SFF is a clear indication of the desperation faced by Scottish fishing communities following the repeated betrayal of the industry by the Scottish Executive Shadow First Minister Mr John Swinney MSP said today (Monday) as he backed the Scottish Fishermen's Federation's decision.

Commenting, he said:  "The fishing deal has left our industry staring into the abyss, yet Jack McConnell's Executive not only signed it but continue to pretend it's a good deal for Scotland.

"Now, in the face of repeated betrayal, our fishing industry is in desperate need of a way to dump this deal.

"Their legal challenge has my full support and I am sure that the overwhelming majority of Scots with back it. We all want to see this deal ripped up and if we have to go to court to do that, then so be it."

AVERAGE WAITING TIME DOUBLE OFFICIAL FIGURE
Tue 20 Jan 04

Shadow First Minister Mr John Swinney MSP has released new Executive figures today (Tuesday) that reveal the 'average' waiting time for NHS treatment is almost double the official 'median' figure. Coming after First Minister Jack McConnell repeatedly objected to the use of the median figure during First Minister's Questions, the SNP has now obtained figures for the average or mean length of wait.

They show:
* The inpatient median wait of 41 days is dwarfed by the average wait of 80.1 days.
* The outpatient median wait of 54 is dwarfed by the average wait of 87.2 days.
* In some cases, patients are waiting 489 days for an inpatient appointment and 442 days for their first outpatient appointment.

Commenting, Mr Swinney said:

"It is clear that the First Minister needs the SNP to do the sums for him, but at least now we know why Jack McConnell gave up being a maths teacher and went into politics."

Notes to editors:
The median figure is the mid point in a range while the mean is the simple average.

Premature Congratulations

Read and listen to Jokes in our Scot Wit section