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CAMPAIGNING FOR
SCOTLAND
(Owned, Edited and Printed in Scotland since November 1926)
Compiled by Peter Wright
[Issue 54 - 15th June 2001]
THE
BEST LAID SCHEMES (Part II)
The good
news is that regular Flag compiler Jim Lynch is out of hospital and on
the mend. Hopefully normal
service will resume in the not too distant future … meantime The Flag
continues to fly!
THAT
WAS THE ELECTION, THAT WAS (PART II)
Before
the stour was settled on the Imperial (Westminster) General Election
results, the UK Leader of the Conservative Party, William Hague, had
resigned and passed on the poisoned chalice to a successor.
The unedifying spectacle of a right-wing argi-bargi between, say
Ann Widdecombe and Michael Portillo, should be a sight to behold.
In Scotland the Tory chairman Raymond Robertson is also to resign
– an event which will hardly register with the general public as he goes
quietly into the night!
Prime
Minister Blair, rejoicing in his new mandate – and what a mandate, only
42% of the vote polled and only 25% of those eligible to vote – axed
twenty odd ministers, moved Robin Cook from the Foreign Office (possibly
creating a festering sore) and took a massive pay increase!
The Blair grip on the new cabinet etc, is there for all to see but
he might still find problems in the future with his Chancellor Gordon
Brown, particularly over the Euro. But
given the rejection of the Nice Treaty by the Irish electorate, perhaps
even Tony Blair might put off having a Euro Referendum in the course of
the present parliament.
On
the home front, we had the fun and games of the First Minister, Henry
McLeish, and the (really) redundant Secretary of State, Helen Liddell,
being caught on tape expressing their real feelings about fellow New
Labour colleagues. No real
surprise there, as it is a well-known fact that within parties there are
often deep personal differences and antagonism.
But to broadcast it to the Nation - that is something else!
With
a little more dignity the SNP has been adjusting to the new political
situation with a meeting of the Parliamentary Group and a visit by SNP
Leader, John Swinney MSP, to the Irish Taoiseach
(see below).
ALEX
SALMOND ELECTED WESTMINSTER GROUP LEADER
Alex Salmond
Group Leader
The Scottish National
Party’s new Westminster Parliamentary Group met in Perth on Monday and
elected Alex Salmond MP as Group Leader – the first time he has held the
post during his fourteen years as an MP.
Peter Wishart MP was elected as the Group Whip.
Speaking
after the meeting, Alex Salmond said:
“In
the past, the SNP created a stir with three MPs at Westminster.
With Five MPs we will be going down there mob-handed to stand up
for Scotland.
“The
SNP’s famous five will run rings around New Labour’s feeble
fifty-five. Their only role
is to be lobby fodder for Tony Blair – our job is to protect and promote
the Scottish interest on all occasions.
“As
is obvious from the bitterness over Henry McLeish’s ‘bastardgate’
tapes – with John Reid reportedly refusing to speak to McLeish - there
are deep divisions between Labour in Scotland and Labour in London.
“The
SNP, by contrast, speak with one voice at Westminster and in Holyrood.
While Labour MPs attack the Scots Parliament, the SNP will argue
for its powers to be increased. While
Labour MPs support Scotland’s budget being squeezed, the SNP will fight
for the Nation’s wealth to be kept in Scotland.
And while Labour MPs vote for higher fuel prices, the SNP will call
for fuel tax to be cut.
“SNP
MPs will be on Scotland’s side every time - giving our famous five a
vital role at Westminster.”
SNP
LEADER MEETS TAOISEACH IN DUBLIN
Following
the Imperial Election, SNP Leader John Swinney MSP met with Irish
Taoiseach Bertie Ahern to discuss the lessons that Scotland can learn from
Ireland’s economic success as an independent nation in the European
Union. John Swinney also held
discussions with Charlie McCreevy, Minister of Finance; Dan Flinter, Chief
Executive of Enterprise Ireland; John Dully, Chief Executive of Bord
Failte (Irish Tourist Board); and members of the Institute of European
Affairs.
The
Dublin visit is the first of a series of meetings that John Swinney plans
to undertake with European political figures in the run up to the 2003
Scottish Parliament Election.
Speaking
from Dublin, John Swinney said:
“The
Irish experience shows the benefits in Europe for small nations.
With far fewer resources than Scotland has, Ireland has delivered
astonishing economic success by putting in place a strategy that is right
for Irish conditions, based upon the kind of focused and flexible
decision-making that small countries can achieve.
And Ireland has used her direct voice at European level to ensure
that Irish interests are protected and promoted at all times.
“Scotland,
by contrast, has had inappropriate policies foisted on us by London - and
we have no voice at all in the European Union.
“The
difference is that Irish economic growth – at nearly 10% - has been over
four times that of Scotland.
“Ireland
has made enormous progress in the areas of enterprise development and
tourism - at a time when the rate of business start-ups in Scotland is
falling, and our tourism industry faces substantial difficulties – and I
will be interested to learn if aspects of Ireland’s experience can be
applied in Scotland.
“In
addition, the Nice Referendum in Ireland last week shows just how powerful
a small nation in the new EU can be – killing the New Labour/Tory myth
that only big countries count – and that is a vital lesson for
Scotland.”
SCOTTISH
PARLIAMENT BY-ELECTIONS
As
promised in last week’s Flag, we give the full results of the two
Scottish Parliament By-Elections held on the same day as the Imperial
General Election. The results
were announced on Friday afternoon.
Stewart Stevenson
Banff
and Buchan
SNP Hold
| Stewart Stevenson |
SNP |
15,386 |
49.61% |
| Edward Brocklebank |
Con |
6,819 |
21.99% |
| Megan Harris |
Lab |
4,897 |
15.79% |
| Canon Kenyon Wright |
Lib Dem |
3,231 |
10.42% |
| Peter Anderson |
SSP |
682 |
2.20% |
| SNP Majority |
8,567 |
Turnout |
54.79% |
Janet Law
Strathkelvin and Bearsden
Labour Hold
| Brian Fitzpatrick |
Lab |
15,401 |
37.01% |
| Jean Turner |
Ind |
7,572 |
18.20% |
| John Morrison |
Lib Dem |
7,147 |
17.17% |
| Janet Law |
SNP |
6,457 |
15.52% |
| Charles Ferguson |
Con |
5,037 |
12.10% |
| Labour Majority |
7,829 |
Turnout |
66.23% |
Both
by-elections went to the sitting parties but the shock to all political
parties was in Strathkelvin and Bearsden where an independent candidate,
Jean Turner, battling to save Stobhill Hospital in Glasgow reduced the
Labour majority from 12,121 to 7,829.
This, added to the victory of retired hospital doctor Richard
Taylor in the previously safe Labour seat of Wyre Forrest, Worcestershire,
England, is a reminder to all parties of the importance to the electorate
of the health service.
The
SNP consolidated its hold on Banff and Buchan as Stewart Stevenson
successfully contested the seat vacated by former SNP Leader Alex Salmond.
He secured a very comfortable victory with 50% of the vote in the
farming and fishing community. After
the count Stewart Stevenson said:
“I
am not Alex Salmond and I do not plan to be Alex Salmond but I look
forward to helping the people of Banff and Buchan.
I certainly want to be as good an ambassador as Alex Salmond.
“Jobs
remain the key issue. The
fishing and farming industries are going through an extremely difficult
time and we must continue to fight for these traditional industries.”
GENETICALLY
MODIFIED FISH CONCERN
 On
Tuesday SNP MEP Ian Hudghton addressed a plenary debate in Strasbourg on
proposals to set up a European Food Agency.
He expressed his concerns about the development of genetically
modified fish and called on the European Commission to ensure that GM fish
products should not enter the EU food chain.
Ian Hudghton is the author of an Opinion on Food Safety which was
unanimously endorsed by the European Parliament’s Fisheries Committee.
Speaking
in the debate Ian Hudghton said:
“It
is imperative that the specific characteristics of the fisheries and
aquaculture sectors are taken into account in European Food Safety Law.
These sectors present quite different questions from the general
food industry categories, and adequate consideration must be given to the
special needs of the peripheral communities, such as those in Scotland and
other fishing nations, which fisheries supports.
“The
very nature of fisheries has implications on traceability; there are
numerous potential difficulties which the Commission must ensure are fully
catered for, taking into account different methods of catch, where fish
are caught and where they are landed.
“In
addition, it is essential that in designating the composition of the
Management Board of the proposed European Food Authority, that there be a
balanced representation of expertise covering all the relevant sectors
involved in food production and distribution and animal feed, including in
particular fisheries.
“The
Fisheries Committee endorsed amendments which take into account the
distinct needs of the aquaculture sector and, in particular those which
address concerns that have been voiced about the development of
Genetically Modified fish, and to prevent this entering the food chain
through the back door via third country imports.
I would therefore urge the House to support these amendments.”
COME
TO BANNOCKBURN
In
the summer of 1787, Robert Burns visited the Field of Bannockburn and
recorded in his journal “Came on to Bannockburn: the hole in the stone
where glorious Bruce set his standard.”
So be like our national bard and come to Bannockburn on Saturday 23rd
June and attend the annual Bannockburn Day March and Rally organised by
the Scottish National Party. The
traditional march will commence at 1.30pm from Lower Bridge Street, headed
by a pipe band and the SNP Colour Party, and will march through Stirling
to the Field of Bannockburn for speeches and entertainment.
Come and enjoy Bannockburn 2001 – Scotland’s Day for National
Independence.
THEY
SAID IT FOR US
Sometimes
my world can seem very unreal indeed.
- Tony Blair (just before awarding himself a
massive pay increase)
I
mean he’s a liability.
- Henry McLeish (on fellow New Labour Minister
Brian Wilson)
He’s
such a patronising bastard.
- Henry McLeish and Helen Liddell (on fellow New
Labour Minister Dr. John Reid
Isn’t
it telling that these two [Henry McLeish and Helen Liddell] were caught
bad-mouthing Northern Ireland Secretary Dr. John Reid (‘a bastard’)
and Foreign Minister Brian Wilson (‘a liability … never out of
Dublin!’) when the whole country knows they couldn’t lace Reid or
Wilson’s boots. In fact
that may be what their sotto voce slander was really about, insecurity.
Perhaps they’re feeling insecure.
One of them at least - the one with the Kevin Keegan perm - has
every reason to be.
- George
Galloway MP (New Labour)
New
Labour is ideologically more comfortable with the Tories.
They share the same untrammelled free-market philosophy.
- Jimmy Reid
SCOTTISH
FOOD, TRADITIONS AND CUSTOMS
"Nothing
but heather! - How marvellously descriptive! And incomplete!" wrote
the greatest Scottish poet of the Twentieth Century, Hugh MacDiarmid. Of
course there is much more to Scotland than heather but it is abundant
and much associated with Caledonia. Heather is a wide spread plant,
occuring right across northern Europe, but heather-dominated heaths and
bogs are nowhere more abundant than in the eastern and central Highlands
of Scotland. Most of these heathlands are kept in open condition with
young vigorously grown heather, by regular burning, as young heather
shoots are the preferred food of the red grouse, an important game bird.
Heather flowers are an important source of
nectar for bees and make a delicious honey. Among the various
traditional uses of heather in by-gone days were roofing thatch, ropes,
bedding, brushes, dye and for the flavouring of heather ale. According
to an old Galloway legend the secret of brewing heather ale was lost
centuries ago but this was not the case. Indeed one commercial brewer,
Heather Ale Ltd of Strathven, still brews heather ale - Fraoch (
Gaelic for heather ) - and have found a ready market for their
heather based product. This weeks recipe lets you into the secret
of our forebear's brew.
Heather Ale
Ingredients; 1 gallon ( 1 kg ) can of
heather tips; 1 lb ( 450 gm ) golden syrup; 2 gallons ( 10 litres )
water; 1 oz ( 25 gm ) ginger; 1/2 oz ( 15 gm ) hops; 1 oz (25 gm ) yeast
Gather the heather tips when in full bloom.
Put them into a large pan and cover with the water. Boil for one hour.
Strain into a clean bowl or jar. In one quart of the liquid boil the
hops, golden syrup and ginger for twenty minutes. Strain into the
heather water. Leave until lukewarm and add yeast. Cover with a coarse
cloth and stand for twenty-four hours. Skim the liquid carefully and
pour the clear ale into a tub, leaving the yeasty sediment at the
bottom. Bottle and cork tightly. Leave for two or three days before
drinking.
See our Scottish
Food, Traditions and Customs in our Features section
DATES IN
HISTORY
17 June 1895
Birth of Very Rev Lord MacLeod of Fuinary, founder of the Iona
Community.
19 June 1566
Birth of James VI, only son of Mary, Queen of Scots, and Lord Darnley,
in Edinburgh.
21 June 1919
Seventy-two warships of the German fleet were scuttled in Scapa Flow,
Orkney.
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
There's a fairmer up in Cairnie,
Wha's kent baith faur and wide,
Tae be the great Drumdelgie
Upon sweet Deveronside.
The fairmer o' yon muckle toun
He is baith hard and sair,
And the cauldest day that ever blaws,
His servants get their share.
At five o'clock we quickly rise
An' hurry doun the stair ;
It's there to corn our horses,
Likewise to straik their hair.
Syne, after working half-an-hour,
Each to the kitchen goes,
It's there to get our breakfast,
Which generally is brose.
We've scarcely got our brose weel supt,
And gien our pints a tie,
When the foreman cries, "Hallo my
lads!
The hour is drawing nigh."
At sax o'clock the mull's put on,
To gie us a' strait wark ;
It tak's four o' us to mak' to her,
Till ye could wring our sark.
And when the water is put aff,
We hurry doun the stair,
To get some quarters through the fan
Till daylicht does appear.
When daylicht does begin to peep,
And the sky begins to clear,
The foreman cries out, "My lads!
Ye'll stay nae langer here!"
"There's sax o' you'll gae to the
ploo,
And twa will drive the neeps,
And the owsen they'll be after you
Wi' strae raips roun, their queets."
But when that we were gyaun furth,
And turnin' out to yoke,
The snaw dank on sae thick and fast
That we were like to choke.
The frost had been sae very hard,
The ploo she wadna go ;
And sae our cairting days commenced
Amang the frost and snaw.
But we will sing our horses' praise,
Though they be young an' sma',
They far outshine the Broadland's anes
That gang sae full and braw.
Sae fare ye weel, Drumdelgie,
For I maun gang awa ;
Sae fare ye weel, Drumdelgie,
Your weety weather an' a',
Sae fareweel, Drumgeldie,
I bid ye a' adieu ;
I leave ye as I got ye -
A maist unceevil crew.
Footnote - This Cornister gives
a vivid impression of the hardship of Scottish farming life in times
past and of the pride in their horse by the horsemen. See
"Scottish Food,
Traditions and Customs" for a recipie for brose, the staple
diet of the farmworkers.
See the SING A
SANG AT LEAST 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)
Peter and Marilyn Wright after doing this
weeks Kist O Ferlies at Electric Scotland.
Still thou art blest compar'd wi' me!
The present only toucheth thee;
But Oh! I backward cast my e'e,
On
prospects drear!
An' forward, tho' I canna see,
I guess an' fear!
See
Scots Language in our Features Section
for other poems, stories, sayings and words in the Scots language
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.
18
[Click
here to bring up the crossword]
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.
SOME
OF OUR FEATURE SECTIONS....
About Us
Our mission is to fight for an
Independent Scotland and to promote its history, heritage and culture.
Learn all about us here.
Events
A running event guide to what's on in Scotland.
The Scots Language
A great introduction to the Scots Language, produced by Peter and
Marilyn Wright, and added to each week both in text and RealAudio. Enjoy
listening to words, poems and stories told in a real Scots accent!
The Rebels Ceilidh Songbook
An excellent introduction to traditional songs from Scotland.
Sing A Sang At Least
Our collection of Scottish songs. A new song
is added to the collection each week.
Scottish Food, Traditions and
Customs
Enjoy our collections of recipes and our comments on them.
The Prize Crossword
Each month the newspaper edition produces the Prize Crossword and you can
now try it for yourself with this online edition. We carry previous copies
here as well.
Notable Dates in History
Each week we add three new notable dates in history building this into an
historic timeline for Scottish history.
Features
Lots more stories, recipes, historical articles and even whole books are added here
on a regular basis.
The Oliver
Brown Award
An annual award given to an outstanding Scot(s) each year.
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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