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In: Jim Lynch

Prospects ahead One phrase floating about just now is “interesting times”, which relates to the old Chinese curse “May you live in interesting times”, times full of turmoil! However the turmoil seems to be in the Unionist ranks so perhaps we can accept that. I have to confess I am very wary of all the wonderful opinion poll findings which abound. There are two reasons for this, one – opinion polls are not votes cast but a promise of what is to be expected, and two – 48 years of experience in the SNP. We have been here before, not as pronounced or as longRead More →

On:
In: Jim Lynch

Some times, events overcome likes and dislikes and we are left wondering about the vagaries of life. Such a time came this week when political thoughts and rivalries are set aside in mourning for the victims of a tragic accident and the families of these victims. This is particularly poignant at a festive season, when the streets were full of people out buying Christmas presents, seeing the lights and the entertainment and generally full of goodwill. All this shattered by a freak, tragic and unthinkable accident involving a very mundane bin lorry; lives have been lost, and the lives of survivors and the families ofRead More →

On:
In: Jim Lynch

Readers will be aware that the Flag having been a forerunner on the web- it has been published every week since June 2000 – has been overtaken by such sites as Newsnet Scotland, Bella Caledonia and Wings over Scotland. This is not a complaint, we are only too pleased that these sites emerged in the cause of independence. What is the case is that the technology has moved very fast and I have not kept up with it – being old causes its own limitations! As from the start of 2015 The Flag in the Wind will be run by Margaret Hamilton, who is alreadyRead More →

On:
In: Jim Lynch

If I appear ill informed please excuse me; I have just returned from a two week holiday in Tenerife and have been deprived of two weeks of Herald headlines. I also only saw occasional flashes of David Cameron and a smirking Nigel Farage, but I am a stoic so will not complain. Better Together I found it amusing to watch the performance of Mr Barosso, outgoing President of the European Community. It is not so long ago that he was fulminating about Scotland’s accession , or rather assimilation into the European Union. His pompous threats were music to the English Unionists’ ears, said Unionists includingRead More →

On:
In: Jim Lynch

Today Alex Salmond, First Minister of Scotland and leader of the Scottish National Party announced his resignation from both posts; he accepted responsibility for failing to win independence and felt very strongly that the SNP would benefit from a new leader, and the Scottish Parliament from a new First Minister. I am very sad that Alex is standing down, and this came as a complete surprise to myself and to all in the SNP. He has identified what we have all noticed and that is the grassroots campaign, non party political, and puts his trust in them. However, while respecting his decision, I do notRead More →

On:
In: Jim Lynch

In 1979, before the Referendum, a former Prime Minister, Lord Douglas Home, Tory, said “Vote No and we will give you something better” While Scotland did not vote No, not enough voted Yes to win the Referendum; the devolution project was dumped and the “something better” was Margaret Thatcher. In 2014, before this Referendum, a former Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, Labour, has said “Vote No and we will give you something better”. There was no devolution question on the ballot paper, Westminster’s rule, and thousands of postal ballots had been cast before this non option was mentioned! Margaret Thatcher has gone, but this very week,Read More →

On:
In: Jim Lynch

Sitting writing this at 5 o’clock on Thursday 21 Aug, while the rain batters down – mistyped that word – became betters! Freudian slip or just carelessness? This has not been a good week for the Better Together lot. They keep howling about privatisation of the NHS in Scotland being a monstrous lie. I think that Kirsty Wark also took that view when interviewing Alex Salmond. I suspect that what is wrong with them is that they do not understand the significance of the Barnett formula; they are correct to say that the NHS in Scotland is run by the Scottish Government, who are deadRead More →

On:
In: Jim Lynch

Referendum Thoughts (1) I have been participating in the Yes campaign, and find it is exhilarating, exciting and enjoyable. The people involved are of all parties and none, all they want is independence. From being wary of people in other parties I find it refreshing to work alongside former opponents. On the doorstep it is normal for your canvassing partner to declare their previous vote and to stress that this is not an election for a political party, but for Scotland – for the right to make our own decisions, and our own mistakes, and the power to change them if we get things wrong.Read More →

On:
In: Jim Lynch

In June 2000, the Scots Independent had a dilemma; as a monthly publication, which had served very well since 1926, the unexpected advent of a Scottish Parliament meant a change of pace was required, as Scottish issues came to the fore in a way undreamed of. The paper had been a weekly when I joined the SNP in 1966 and circulated almost completely through SNP branches; I lived in Peterhead at the time and every week we had copies of the SI delivered to every barber’s, doctor’s surgery, dentist’s surgery and the bus station – the railway had long gone by that time! The factRead More →

On:
In: Jim Lynch

Today is the 70th Anniversary of the D Day Landings in Normandy Around this time we were on holiday in Carfin, Lanarkshire. In these days, and for long after the War as well, we only went on holiday where we had relatives and my mother had a few around Carfin and New Stevenson. I remember the timing of this one, because day after day, there was a steady stream of army lorries, jeeps, half tracks, armoured cars and tanks rolling through Carfin on the way south. As children, I was 9 at the time, we shouted greetings and childish banter from the windows of theRead More →