<\/p>\n
At long last we have the date of the Referendum, when\u00a0 the people of Scotland\u00a0 will be asked if we want Independence.<\/p>\n
We were asked in 1979 if we wanted an Assembly, and we voted \u201cYes\u201d, but the iniquitous 40% rule, never used in any Referendum anywhere in the world, meant that the votes of even those who were dead counted as \u201cNo\u201d; despite a \u201cpromise\u201d of something better, the Tory Government scrapped the whole issue, a procedure they will slavishly follow if Scotland does not vote \u201cYes\u201d.<\/p>\n
We were asked in 1997 if we wanted a Scottish Parliament, and one with financial powers, and the answer to both questions was \u201cYes\u201d.\u00a0 We were not asked if we wanted Independence, so the Unionists said that the devolved Scottish Parliament was \u201cthe settled will of the Scottish people\u201d.\u00a0 It is not.<\/p>\n
Our ancestors were not asked if they wanted the Union of the Parliaments in 1707, but the unelected Scottish Parliament gave way to bribery and threats of invasion.\u00a0 There were riots in the streets and the Articles of Union were publicly burned at the Market Cross in Dumfries \u2013 all to no avail.\u00a0 As the English Parliamentarians put it \u201cWe have catch\u2019d Scotland and we will bind her fast.\u201d<\/p>\n
The next year and a half will see the continuation of sustained attacks from the Unionist Parties in Westminster, the unelected Lords, and their henchmen and women in Scotland.<\/p>\n
All you need to do is vote \u201cYes\u201d\u00a0 on the day.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n We are all used to seeing on television pictures of individuals getting medals pinned on them, by the Queen usually, sometimes for sporting achievements, sometimes for charity work and sometimes to our troops for heroism; we also see some Royal personage with a chestful of medals stretching to under the oxter, and we wonder why this can be so, and what they had done to get these prestigious awards?<\/p>\n I have a confession to make \u2013 I have a medal.\u00a0 Well you might ask , what wonderful feat did I perform to be awarded this medal?\u00a0 The answer to that is \u201cNot much\u201d.\u00a0 I did my National Service with the Black Watch and served in Kenya during the Mau Mau troubles, and not only did I get a medal but every Serviceman in Kenya got the same medal.\u00a0 At that time you had to serve two years with the Colours, and three and a half years in the Reserve, ie the Territorial Army.\u00a0 This was cut to one year when it was my turn, so I was in the TA from March 1955 to March 1956;\u00a0 there was only one occasion when I wore the medal.\u00a0 The Queen Mother visited Dundee and we had to parade in full uniform outside Tay Bridge Station.\u00a0 What I do remember is that was also the only time I wore a horsehair sporran, and that as the troops marched off the RAF contingent managed to get out of step \u2013 and to a pipe band an a\u2019!<\/p>\n The medal was not presented to us, but sent through the post, I think, and on looking at it today two things registered;\u00a0 first it is Elizabeth II, and secondly it bears the initials \u201cFD\u201d.\u00a0 \u201cFD\u201d stands for Fidei Defensor, a title given to Henry VIII of England by the Pope in recognition of his upholding the Roman Catholic faith.\u00a0 As it is against the law for the monarch to be a Catholic or marry a Catholic, it is a mark of Royal arrogance that they continue to use this title.\u00a0 Two lies in one medal.<\/p>\n Now to my point, illustrated by the above;\u00a0 at the commencement of the Arctic convoys, 1941, I was 6 years old;\u00a0 these convoys were vital to get food supplies and arms and ammunition to Russia during World War II.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 More than 3000 people were killed on these convoys, and the weather conditions and sustained attacks on the convoys were absolutely dreadful.\u00a0 Heavy losses were sustained of men, materiel and ships but the convoys continued until, I would think, VE Day in 1945.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n We have now seen on television this very week veterans of these convoys finally being awarded medals for their efforts; there are very few of them left, and the medals were presented to them by the Prime Minister, David Cameron, and not by Her Maj.<\/p>\n I find it astounding and hypocritical that these men had to actually campaign for more than 70 years for an award that should have been automatic, and that when the Westminster Government finally gave in, the Prime Minister did the apologies and the Queen, who was alive at the time of the convoys, did not publicly acknowledge the sacrifices ignored by successive Governments for over 70 years.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n What a hullabaloo about the report by Lord McCluskey; as you will see when you get to the Synopsis, the reaction to the report was as if it had been signed sealed and delivered, but in effect it was the outcome of a three month investigation as to how the Leveson Report and recommendations would impact on the situation in Scotland, where Scots Law prevails.<\/p>\n The reaction from the Press, whose excesses and scandals led to the setting up of the Leveson Report, was suitably shameful;\u00a0 the Scottish press is implacably opposed to the democratically elected Government\u00a0 and downplays any good news, such as their collusion with the opposition (not worthy of a capital \u201cO\u201d) in mocking GERS, the very real good news of a further oil boom, and\u00a0 hailing a year old paper by John Swinney as news hot of the press.\u00a0 With regard to that particular issue, I make no apology for repeating my comment from last week when Simon Pia, a former Labour Special Adviser, said the Press would jump all over any secret report;\u00a0 when the Westminster Cabinet papers from 30 years ago showed how Westminster had hidden the value of Scotland\u2019s Oil and attempted to change boundaries in the North Sea, and ended up making a new zone to hide the value of the oil, these \u201csecret\u201d papers were virtually ignored or glossed over by our Meejah, as they were old hat and so what.\u00a0 They seemed oblivious to the fact that the rip off is ongoing, and they will similarly obfuscate the current boom.\u00a0 Free impartial press?\u00a0 Not in my name.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n In response to a request to put more items from the Scots Independent on the site, it was decided to put the Editorials on the month after publication.<\/b><\/p>\n This is the editorial from the February Scots Independent.<\/b><\/p>\n <\/p>\n For the past few years my wife and I have gone on holiday to Tenerife in the first two weeks of January; no great excitement, just walking in the sunshine, and reading books.\u00a0 This year I realised an added bonus \u2013 two full weeks without having to look at a Glasgow Herald headline!\u00a0 What bliss.\u00a0 As the late Oliver Brown put it; \u201cAll a man needs in life is a good cause and the enmity of the Glasgow Herald, and he can be sure if he has the first, the second will automatically follow.\u201d<\/p>\n Anyway, back and at First Minister\u2019s Question, to the depressingly familiar character assassination attempts by the Unionists. Initially\u00a0 I thought of them as the three Stooges, Curly, Larry and Mo, but vicious and not a lot of laughs; this is when I despair for democratic, principled opposition.\u00a0 Their idea of \u201cholding the Government to account\u201d is just insults and innuendo, and \u201cwho can trust these people .\u201d\u00a0 Maybe it should be the three jackals trying to bring down the Lion Rampant; I console myself with the fact that they are frightened, and positivity is not a word in their lexicon.\u00a0 I saw a BBC clip saying something about a big rumpus, but I did not notice, there was nothing unusual.\u00a0 The clip did not say Alex Salmond wiped the floor with them, which he did, politely.\u00a0 The target is now Nicola Sturgeon, and the NHS and they are using spurious statistics, allegedly supplied by the BBC.\u00a0 They have selective amnesia, conveniently ignoring the obscene sums\u00a0\u00a0 being paid to PFI in contracts proudly signed off by all of their parties.<\/p>\n Wee, earnest, concerned Willie, leader of the Liberal rump, tried to ask Alex Salmond if he would campaign for federalism!\u00a0 This was bizarre, since no one knows what the Liberals want, probably because they haven\u2019t been told, and Alex gently pointed out that Willie and Co had ruled out devo min, devo max, devo plus, and that the Better Together had all sorts of views.\u00a0 Let\u2019s be charitable, what the Better Together means is \u201cWe hate the SNP\u201d \u2013 they are not for anything \u2013 just agin.<\/p>\n I am not at all surprised at the findings of the Scottish Social Survey showing most people want more powers for the Scottish Parliament, but shy away from independence;\u00a0 the positive case for independence is not covered by the media, but we get negativity all the time.\u00a0 The BBC is the \u201cBritish\u201d Broadcasting Corporation, so no surprise there.\u00a0 The paper press has been in bed with the other parties for so long that they cannot change.\u00a0 Having said that the social media is doing a great job;\u00a0 I was sent an article from the Guardian by Kevin MacKenna, an avowed Unionist.\u00a0\u00a0 He was scathing in his comments on politics in the UK, and as the sub heading in Jimmy Halliday\u2019s column on Page 6 says, he is now beginning to ask: \u201cWhy ever not?<\/p>\n On Pages 6 and\u00a0 7 we have tributes to Jimmy; he was my role model, and a man I admired and looked up to ever since I met him more than 40 years ago. I\u00a0\u00a0 cannot recall ever having an argument with him but many discussions, always amiable.\u00a0 With all the furore going on about Europe just now I recall how he persuaded\u00a0 me, in passing,\u00a0 to change my mind.\u00a0 In 1978 I put a resolution to the SNP Conference saying the SNP should oppose membership of the European Economic Community, as it was then.. My line was ( and it is being echoed around England just now)\u00a0 \u201cWhat is the benefit of gaining independence from one foreign capital, only to hand it away to an even more remote foreign capital?\u201d\u00a0 Jimmy replied \u201cWe would have exactly the same level of independence as every other country in the Community.\u201d I hadn\u2019t thought of it that way at all.\u00a0 This was in a conversation some time after I lost the EEC vote!<\/p>\n Passing thought \u2013 in the 1975 Referendum in whether we should remain in the EEC, I\u00a0 spoke at meetings putting my point across.\u00a0 At one meeting the For speaker said \u201cIn the EEC they get longer holidays with better weather!\u201d\u00a0 What a gift!\u00a0 You will not be surprised to know that he was a Liberal.<\/p>\n Anyway, the whole EU situation is in a very messy political melting pot, but the issue is being driven by English right wing Tories, in the ascendant.\u00a0 Think on, my friends, think on.\u00a0 We now know that Westminster, bankrupt and having squandered untold billions of oil money, is going to tell all the others where they are going wrong.\u00a0 The Empire tendency strikes back.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Every working day, the Scottish Parliament issues the answers to the written questions.\u00a0 These are becoming more voluminous, and as the purpose is \u201cTo hold the Scottish Government to account\u201d, you might like to speculate on how valid they are; a selection follows:<\/b><\/p>\n <\/p>\n 12 March 2013<\/p>\n Index Heading: Health and Social Care<\/p>\n Alison McInnes (North East Scotland) (Scottish Liberal Democrats): <\/strong>To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it has not yet published the responses to its consultation on Mental Health Strategy for Scotland: 2012-2015 and when it will do so.<\/p>\n (S4W-13537)<\/p>\n Mr Michael Matheson MSP:<\/strong><\/p>\n The consultation responses were made available publicly for anyone wishing to view them shortly after the consultation ended on 31 January 2012.<\/p>\n Arrangements can be made to view the responses by contacting the Scottish Government Library at Victoria Quay, Edinburgh on 0131 244 4556 or by emailing SELibrary@scotland.gsi.gov.uk<\/a><\/strong> to make an appointment.<\/p>\n 12 March 2013<\/p>\n Index Heading: Strategy and External Affairs<\/p>\n Willie Rennie (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Scottish Liberal Democrats): <\/strong>To ask the Scottish Government whether it (a) sought and (b) received agreement from the Secretary of State for Scotland for his letter to the Deputy First Minister of 15 January 2013 to be published on its referendum blog.<\/p>\n (S4W-13263)<\/p>\n Ms Nicola Sturgeon MSP:<\/strong><\/p>\n The Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland was informed that the Scottish Government intended to publish the letter before it was released. The substance of the Secretary of State’s response had been made available to the media the day before the Government received his letter, and did not accurately represent the Scottish Government\u2019s proposals for preparatory discussions, as my earlier blog post of 0010 and that of 1806 on 15 January explained.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Editor\u2019s note \u201cTsk, tsk!\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n 1 March 2013<\/p>\n Index Heading: Enterprise & Environment<\/p>\n Kezia Dugdale (Lothian) (Scottish Labour): <\/strong>To ask the Scottish Government when Scottish Water\u2019s customer forum will be established.<\/p>\n (S4W-13349)<\/p>\n Ms Nicola Sturgeon MSP:<\/strong><\/p>\n The Customer Forum was established in Autumn 2011 with the task of bringing the customers voice to the table in determining future service levels, investment priorities, and how much customers should pay for water and waste water services.<\/p>\n 13 March 2013 (Holding Reply Issued 11 March 2013)<\/p>\n Index Heading: Governance and Communities<\/p>\n Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Scottish Labour): <\/strong>To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on how many people do not have bank accounts.<\/p>\n (S4W-12966)<\/p>\n Mr Fergus Ewing MSP:<\/strong><\/p>\n This information is published in the Family Resources Survey report 2010-11, Table 4.1 (page 64) and can be accessed via the following link:<\/p>\n http:\/\/research.dwp.gov.uk\/asd\/frs\/2010_11\/frs_2010_11_report.pdf<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 13 March 2013 (Holding Reply Issued 11 March 2013)<\/p>\n Index Heading: Governance and Communities<\/p>\n Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Scottish Labour): <\/strong>To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on the take-up of basic bank accounts.<\/p>\n (S4W-12967)<\/p>\n Mr Fergus Ewing MSP:<\/strong><\/p>\n I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-12966 on 13 March 2013. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament\u2019s website, the search facility for which can be found at http:\/\/www.scottish.parliament.uk\/parliamentarybusiness\/28877.aspx<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n 21 February 2013<\/p>\n Index Heading: Transport Scotland<\/p>\n Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Scottish Labour): <\/strong>To ask the Scottish Government what the average single bus fare is and how this compares with 2006-07.<\/p>\n (S4W-12994)<\/p>\n Mr Keith Brown MSP :<\/strong><\/p>\n A fares growth table is included in Bus and Coach statistics and Scottish Transport Statistics :<\/p>\n http:\/\/www.transportscotland.gov.uk\/strategy-and-research\/publications-and-consultations\/j251205-044.htm<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n 25 February 2013<\/p>\n Index Heading: Strategy and External Affairs<\/p>\n Tavish Scott (Shetland Islands) (Scottish Liberal Democrats): <\/strong>To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it provided copies of Scotland\u2019s Future: from the Referendum to Independence and a Written Constitution to The Sun and BBC Scotland before providing it to the Parliament.<\/p>\n (S4W-12993)<\/p>\n Ms Nicola Sturgeon MSP:<\/strong><\/p>\n The Presiding Officer and the Referendum Bill Committee were provided with a copy of the report on its publication.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Editor\u2019s note:\u00a0<\/strong> The committee consists of Bruce Crawford SNP, Convenor, James Kelly Labour, Vice Convenor, Annabel Goldie, Tory, Annabelle Ewing SNP, Linda Fabiani SNP, Patricia Ferguson Labour, Patrick Harvie Green, Rob Gibson SNP, Stewart Maxwell SNP, Stuart MacMillan SNP, and Tavish Scott\u00a0 Liberal.<\/p>\n We can be sure that the Presiding Officer did not leak it.<\/p>\n 18 March 2013<\/p>\n Index Heading: Governance and Communities<\/p>\n Willie Rennie (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Scottish Liberal Democrats): <\/strong>To ask the Scottish Government how many economic experts it is consulting on how much it would cost to provide state pensions in an independent Scotland.<\/p>\n (S4W-13580)<\/p>\n Ms Nicola Sturgeon MSP:<\/strong><\/p>\n The Fiscal Commission Working Group have already considered pensions as part of their detailed report on a macroeconomic framework for an independent Scotland, published last month, which shows that demographic changes in Scotland are projected to be similar to those in the UK as a whole.<\/p>\n Detailed analysis shows that state pensions in an independent Scotland will be more affordable than they are in the UK. The official figures on spending for the last year show that only 38% of Scottish tax revenues were spent on social protection, which includes the state pension, compared with 42% for the UK as a whole.<\/p>\n Officials and independent advisers are assessing the operation of the state pension system in an independent Scotland and a report will be published in due course.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 18 March 2013<\/p>\n Index Heading: Governance and Communities<\/p>\n Willie Rennie (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Scottish Liberal Democrats): <\/strong>To ask the Scottish Government which members of the Council of Economic Advisors it has asked to consider how much it would cost to provide state pensions in an independent Scotland.<\/p>\n (S4W-13581)<\/p>\n Ms Nicola Sturgeon MSP:<\/strong><\/p>\n I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-13580 on 18 March 2013. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament\u2019s website, the search facility for which can be found at http:\/\/www.scottish.parliament.uk\/parliamentarybusiness\/28877.aspx<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 18 March 2013<\/p>\n Index Heading: Governance and Communities<\/p>\n Willie Rennie (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Scottish Liberal Democrats): <\/strong>To ask the Scottish Government what the terms of reference are of the expert group considering how much it would cost to provide state pensions in an independent Scotland.<\/p>\n (S4W-13582)<\/p>\n Ms Nicola Sturgeon MSP:<\/strong><\/p>\n I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-13580 on 18 March 2013. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament\u2019s website, the search facility for which can be found at http:\/\/www.scottish.parliament.uk\/parliamentarybusiness\/28877.aspx<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 18 March 2013<\/p>\n Index Heading: Governance and Communities<\/p>\n Willie Rennie (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Scottish Liberal Democrats): <\/strong>To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish the letters of appointment of the expert group considering how much it would cost to provide state pensions in an independent Scotland.<\/p>\n (S4W-13583)<\/p>\n Ms Nicola Sturgeon MSP:<\/strong><\/p>\n I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-13580 on 18 March 2013. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament\u2019s website, the search facility for which can be found at http:\/\/www.scottish.parliament.uk\/parliamentarybusiness\/28877.aspx<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 18 March 2013<\/p>\n Index Heading: Governance and Communities<\/p>\n Willie Rennie (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Scottish Liberal Democrats): <\/strong>To ask the Scottish Government on what dates the expert group considering how much it would cost to provide state pensions in an independent Scotland has met (a) ministers and (b) officials, and what future meetings are planned.<\/p>\n (S4W-13584)<\/p>\n Ms Nicola Sturgeon MSP:<\/strong><\/p>\n I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-13580 on 18 March 2013. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament\u2019s website, the search facility for which can be found at http:\/\/www.scottish.parliament.uk\/parliamentarybusiness\/28877.aspx<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 18 March 2013<\/p>\n Index Heading: Governance and Communities<\/p>\n Willie Rennie (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Scottish Liberal Democrats): <\/strong>To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish the (a) findings and (b) recommendations of the expert group considering how much it would cost to provide state pensions in an independent Scotland.<\/p>\n (S4W-13586)<\/p>\n Ms Nicola Sturgeon MSP:<\/strong><\/p>\n I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-13580 on 18 March 2013. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament\u2019s website, the search facility for which can be found at http:\/\/www.scottish.parliament.uk\/parliamentarybusiness\/28877.aspx<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n 18 March 2013<\/p>\n Index Heading: Governance and Communities<\/p>\n Willie Rennie (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Scottish Liberal Democrats): <\/strong>To ask the Scottish Government whether its website will have links to the work of the expert group considering how much it would cost to provide state pensions in an independent Scotland.<\/p>\n (S4W-13587)<\/p>\n Ms Nicola Sturgeon MSP:<\/strong><\/p>\n I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-13580 on 18 March 2013. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament\u2019s website, the search facility for which can be found at http:\/\/www.scottish.parliament.uk\/parliamentarybusiness\/28877.aspx<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Mr Rennie was given a comprehensive answer to his first question;\u00a0 he obviously did not understand it, or chose wilfully to ignore it, and asked a further 6 which had already been covered.\u00a0 He was telt 7 times in all.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n That was a very small selection over a few weeks; as it is estimated that each question cost the taxpayer approximately \u00a3100, you can assess whether the taxpayers are getting value for money, or are even aware of what their representatives are asking, and why. Or you can wonder\u00a0 whether some MSPs are too lazy to do even basic research.<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" At long last we have the date of the Referendum, when\u00a0 the people of Scotland\u00a0 will be asked if we want Independence. We were asked in 1979 if we wanted an Assembly, and we voted \u201cYes\u201d, but the iniquitous 40% rule, never used in any Referendum anywhere in the world, meant that the votes of even those who were dead counted as \u201cNo\u201d; despite a \u201cpromise\u201d of something better, the Tory Government scrapped the whole issue, a procedure they will slavishly follow if Scotland does not vote \u201cYes\u201d. We were asked in 1997 if we wanted a Scottish Parliament, and one with financial powers,Read More →<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/scotsindependent.scot\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/665"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/scotsindependent.scot\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/scotsindependent.scot\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scotsindependent.scot\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scotsindependent.scot\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=665"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/scotsindependent.scot\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/665\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":667,"href":"https:\/\/scotsindependent.scot\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/665\/revisions\/667"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/scotsindependent.scot\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=665"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scotsindependent.scot\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=665"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scotsindependent.scot\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=665"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}What\u2019s in a medal?<\/b><\/h2>\n
<\/h3>\n
McCluskey Report<\/strong><\/h2>\n
The three stooges<\/b><\/h2>\n
Written Parliamentary Questions<\/b><\/h2>\n