|
CAMPAIGNING FOR SCOTLAND
(Owned, Edited and Printed in Scotland since November
1926)
"Promoting all that is best in Scottish
Nationalism and all that is best in Scotland."
Content of the Flag in the Wind Web Site is the copyright of the Scots
Independent Newspaper.
[
Issue 263 - 17th June 2005] |
Compiled by Jim Lynch |
Lots of great information to
read and enjoy under our
Features Section:
Scots
Language | Scottish Food |
Dates in History |
Scot Wit and lots more
In my report
on the Oliver Brown Award Lunch, I stated that
taking the chair for the day was Lilian MacDonald,
former General Secretary of the EIS (Educational
Institute of Scotland - the Teacher’s Trade Union.)
I was wrong;
Lilian was the former President of the EIS; she was
the leader at the time of the teachers’ very bitter
dispute with the London government, at that time a
Tory one, although nowadays it is hard to tell the
difference.
I noticed in
early editions of last week’s Flag (now amended)
that we said Donald Stewart had held the Western
Isles from 1974 until he retired in 1987; this was
incorrect. Donald was elected in June 1970.
My reasons for remembering this are twofold; in the
first instance I am old. Secondly, the first
General Election I was involved in was the 1970 one;
we were devastated to hear at the count that Winnie
Ewing had lost Hamilton, won so spectacularly by her
in 1967. Our disappointment was somewhat mollified
when Labour star George Brown also lost that night;
mollification is probably not the correct
expression, but the Labour campaign team in
Edinburgh West were sticking Winnie’s defeat up our
collective noses, so the loss of George Brown let us
retaliate in the Yah Boo fashion.
The result for the
Western Isles was not declared until the Friday
evening, and Nationalist telephones were red hot; to
my recollection Donald phoned one of our Party’s
high heid yins and said “I’m in.” Memory says
Arthur Donaldson, but he had ceased to be Chairman
the previous year, so I could be wrong. The next
day, Saturday, was the Bannockburn Rally, and I am
sure that it was Arthur who said to us “Why are you
so cheerful? Don’t you know you’ve just been
beaten?” We were rejoicing because for the first
time in our history we had taken a seat at a General
Election. The SNP has maintained an unbroken
representation in the House of Commons since 1967;
our aim is to have no Scottish Members of the House
of Commons – of any party.
OH
LORD BUT IT’S HARD TO BE HUMBLE
The above comments
on the late Donald Stewart bring me conveniently to
another matter which has just surfaced in the
Scottish National Party - the House of Lords; there
was talk, many years ago, of Donald Stewart going
there, a proposal which Donald vehemently opposed,
but for which, then as now, there were some
justifications.
So the SNP is now debating, or thinking about
debating, whether or not we should have people in
the Lords, a proposal which will cause dissension,
to say the least. The argument for the proposal is
that it is, to some degree, a law making body for
the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern
Ireland (as this legislature is titled on my
passport) and as such, we should be represented
there. It is held that as it can amend
legislation, we should take part; in favour is the
fact that this year it was the unelected Lords who
protested vociferously against the democratically
elected government’s plans for detention without
trial, and succeeded in having them watered down.
It is also the case that the vast bulk of the
hereditary peers are gone.
But against? Well, it is
an appointed body, not a democratically elected one,
and for the first time, there is a majority of
Labour peers, the consequence of 8 years of a Labour
government, and of the boundary changes in Scotland,
where noble chaps and chapesses gave up “their”
Parliamentary seats for the greater good of the
Labour Party. I give you Lord Foulkes, former
Labour MP, Lady Clark, former Labour MP (and back
as Advocate General on 100,000 smackeroos, or
thereabouts), Lord Moonie, former Labour MP, who did
very little (see Foot in the Mouth) , Lady Adams,
former Labour MP who also did very little, Lord
O’Neill, former Labour MP, and a lone Liberal, Lord
Archy Kirkwood, all boundary changes!
They join a host of other
political has-beens, Lord Steel, Lord Archer (at
present out of gaol) Baroness Thatcher (who managed
to keep her son out of gaol) , Lord Watson, lover
of foxes, still awaiting trial for trying to burn
down Prestonfield House, Lord Ashford, who returned
from Belize so that he could be a Lord; the list of
questionable characters is endless. The original
hereditary peers came into being because their
forefathers were bigger thieves and cutthroats than
ours, and this was a reward for services rendered to
the Crown; don’t ask me how the Church of England
bishops got in, but they are all appointed by the
Monarch of the day. Roman Catholic bishops were not
allowed in, even though they are not democratically
elected either, nor are Moderators of the Church of
Scotland. But current members are all appointed by
the patronage of the current holders of authority,
the political parties, so the principle remains the
same.
The point of all this is
that many of us have mocked and denigrated the
establishment on this issue, so how can we
countenance it now. The late Donald Stewart wrote
in his autobiography that he opposed the House of
Lords for three reasons:
-
It was totally
undemocratic. (No change there)
-
An SNP presence there would
put the Party firmly in the British
establishment.
-
It would suggest that an SNP
presence there would mean that we would be seen
as a permanent feature of the
British establishment.
Donald Stewart was right, and any
attempt to put us in there would be a pragmatism too
far.
There has been
quite a bit of comment in the newspapers recently
about the fact that workers at call centres in
India, are receiving a lot of racist abuse, and are
having to be counselled.
The call centre industry is a curious one; I noticed
one report referring to a “sales consultant”, aged
21. Now how anyone gets to be a “consultant” at
that early age is a mystery; surely medical doctors
have a long period of study and experience before
they can call themselves consultants, and even
management consultants ( a breed I am not fond of)
usually have a university degree. Ergo, a sales
“consultant” is nothing of the sort; it is a person
who phones you to try and sell you something, and
the management give them a fancy title to make them
feel good.
As to the racist abuse;
call centres irritate me, the more so when the
person phones and I can barely understand the
accent. This is not racism, just irritation, and I
am capable of being as rude to a fellow Scot when I
can understand the accent. People who phone and
invade my privacy are just asking for a sharp
answer, especially if you rush up from the garden
because you are expecting an important call (the
bookie?) and it’s only someone on the double
glazing spin. I try from time to time to act with
tolerance, but most times I am a curmudgeon (look
it up).
When I initiate a call,
perhaps to the bank, I find the whole process
frustrating “If you are calling about???? Press 1”
and so on; then you get “All of our consultants
(that word again) are busy. Your call is important
to us, please stay on the line” ad infinitum; I
make little gates, so that I know how long I am
listening to their choice of music, which is seldom
mine. Naturally when you do get to speak to a
person, and not an automated voice, patience may be
wearing thin. The companies which have these call
centres, laughingly called “Help centres”, have not
really got the message, or quite frankly, couldn’t
care less. They are not interested in providing
service to the customer; they have to provide some
sort of sales back up, so they do it in the cheapest
way imaginable, and when the customer gets shoddy
service, which is standard – tough.
But one other factor
is coming in to play; India is getting lumbered
with so many call centres that they cannot handle
them, so they are outsourcing them! Just think of
it, your call to the Help line goes all the way to
India, and is then transferred to someone half a
mile from you! Don’t mock it – that is the way
ahead, until the next bright idea – cut out the
Indian middleman!
Lord Lewis
Moonie, former defence minister in the last
government, has been cleared to act for a lobbying
company, Sovereign Strategy, now that he is a member
of the House of Lords.
As the Labour MP
for Kirkcaldy, he only made 3 interventions in the
House of Commons in the 4 years of the last
Parliament; perhaps serving his apprenticeship for
a new career?
Britain has
been hit by its first hosepipe ban of the year;
shock, horror, dismay! I looked out of my window
at the teeming rain and wondered if I lived on a
different planet?
Relax – it was
Sussex; like the BBC weather map, England
exaggerates.
In May 1424,
the Scottish Parliament passed a law making it
illegal to play football.
Judging from the performance of our
national team over the past few years, it would
appear to be still in force.
New Welsh Tory MP, David Davies, was a bit
perturbed when a newspaper referred to him as even
more right wing than his near namesake, David
Davies; he told the Observer he was “probably the
only new Conservative MP who used to wear earrings.”
Interesting
letter in the Observer this week from an
Englishwoman in East Yorkshire, fulminating against
road charging as a means of extracting even more
money from the residents of England; particular
reference is made to the English Transport Minister,
who cannot be got rid of by the English voters as he
is a Scottish MP.
The heart bleeds, my
dear, the heart bleeds.
Sir Malcolm Rifkind’s name
has emerged in documents concerning meetings between
BHP, an Australian company, and Saddam Hussein’s
representatives concerning oil deals, during a time
of strict sanctions. Sir Malcolm, who was, and
still is, a consultant with BHP, has stated that he
was never involved in any of the meetings.
Confucius, Scottish version, he say:
“If ye maun flee wi’ the craws, ye maun be shot wi’
the craws.”
Most impressed with a press
photograph of the Royal Family, and particularly
with Prince Charles, resplendent in a scarlet tunic,
complete with a chestful of medals, and wondered
idly just what he got them all for?
Silly me; it’s his
Maw’s job to hand them out.
The
normal weekly selection of what our
elected representatives have been up to,
or that we can print!
SNP Deputy
Leader Nicola Sturgeon MSP today called
on First Minister Jack McConnell to take
responsibility for the situation in the
Scottish NHS following publication of
new Statistics which show that the
Scottish Executive are failing to meet
their own targets for prompt treatment
of urgent cancer cases.
 The
information, published as a result of a
Freedom of Information request, shows:
Breast Cancer -Only
29.7 percent of Grampian (including
Orkney and Shetland) patients are
receiving treatment within two months.
Colorectal Cancer -Only 20 per cent of
Forth Valley, 33.3 per cent of Ayrshire
& Arran and 0 per cent of Argyll & Clyde
patients are receiving treatment within
two months.
Lung Cancer -Only 30 per cent of
Highland and 33.3 per cent of Argyll &
Clyde patients are receiving treatment
within two months.
Ovarian Cancer - The Exec could not even
provide figures for 5 out of the 12
health stated health boards. Of the
stats provided, only 66.7 per cent of
Lothian patients are receiving treatment
within two months.
"These new figures
provide stark proof that, contrary to
the previous statements by the First
Minister and others, the Executive are
failing to meet its targets for treating
patients with cancer.
"For urgent cancer
cases the time taken to be seen for
treatment is a matter of life and death,
but some Health Boards are not even
collecting the required information on
how long people have to wait.”
Reacting to
claims that phasing out nuclear power
generation in Scotland would lead to
'social and political unrest', SNP
Westminster Energy spokesperson, Mike
Weir MP said:
 "This
is scaremongering of the worst sort.
Scotland only uses around two thirds of
the electricity we generate - a fact
that is too often glossed over or
forgotten by supporters of the nuclear
industry. We have a surplus of supply
and that gives us the opportunity to
move to a cleaner, greener energy
future.
"Scotland's renewable
sector has more than enough potential to
meet our own future electricity demands.
Once completed, the Beatrice offshore
wind farm in the Moray Firth will have
almost the same capacity as a nuclear
power station and without the
devastating environmental legacy of
radioactive
waste.
"The government's own
figures suggest that a nuclear power
station would be £2.45 billion more
expensive than renewable energy sources
over its lifetime.
"Nuclear is the wrong
option for Scotland. It would leave
future generations paying a heavy price
for our short-sightedness.
Sunday 12
June 2005
Commenting on
the ongoing confusion over whether the
Home Office will allow a distinctive
Scottish approach to the control of air
guns, SNP Home Affairs spokesperson in
the House of Commons, Stewart Hosie MP
said:
 "It
is high time the Home Office and
Scottish Executive got their act
together and told us what their plans
are.
"On the one hand we
have the Executive claiming that
Scotland will be allowed to do its own
thing, and on the other, the Home Office
saying there will be a UK wide approach.
They can't both be right.
"I will be putting
down questions to the Home Secretary
tomorrow in the House of Commons and
demanding to know whether he has agreed
a so-called 'reverse Sewel' to allow
Scotland to legislate in its own way.
"This is an important
issue for many people across Scotland -
and they deserve a bit more honesty from
the government. There is no good reason
why the Scottish Parliament shouldn't be
able to put in place its own controls
and regulations on air guns. Then we
will have a much better chance of
getting the right legislation for
Scotland."
Friday 10th
June, 2005
SNP Shadow
Environment Minister Richard Lochhead
MSP today (Friday) criticised the
Government for keeping the nuclear
dumping site list secret for 20 years.
Mr Lochhead also condemned the
Environment Minister Ross Finnie for
being economical with the facts about
the five sites in Scotland.
 For
the first time, the names of the 12
short-listed locations identified as
potential sites for dumping nuclear
waste have been published, five of which
are in Scotland.
Richard Lochhead
said: "It is an absolute disgrace that
these sites have been kept secret for so
long - they should have been public from
the beginning.
"What makes matters
worse is that Ross Finnie has been
spinning that this list is irrelevant
and there is no chance that this list of
sites will be used as nuclear waste
dumps.
"However, at the same time, Mr Finnie is
being contradicted by Nirex who clearly
state that not only are these sites
still relevant, but 'the geology in the
UK has not changed, so sites that were
considered to be potentially suitable
previously on geological grounds could
be considered suitable in a future
selection process'.
"The Minister has
tried to deceive the public and this is
unacceptable.
"Radioactive waste
must be stored safely. However, it is
not acceptable that five of the 12
short-listed sites selected as possible
nuclear dumps are in Scotland."
"This can only
suggest that Scotland was being lined up
as the UK's nuclear waste dump and no
doubt, it will continue to be the case
that the people of Scotland will have to
pay the price for Labour's nuclear
obsession."
Notes to editors:
The 5 Scottish sites listed are:
-
Dounreay,
Caithness, Scotland
-
Altnabreac,
Caithness, Scotland
-
Fuday, Western
Isles, Scotland
-
Sandray, Western
Isles, Scotland
-
Offshore - West
(serviced by Hunterston Port)
Nirex briefing notes
available from press office
Perth and
North Perthshire MP and SNP G8
spokesperson Pete Wishart appealed to G8
protesters to think long and hard before
coming to Perthshire during the G8
summit. Replying to the call from Bono
for protestors to descend in numbers on
Perthshire during the G8 summit Pete
Wishart said.
 "I
want as many people as possible to come
to Scotland during the G8 summit to put
pressure on world leaders but it is
simply not possible or safe for too many
people to come to the Gleneagles site.
Perthshire simply can not accommodate
large numbers of protestors especially
when there is no where to go and now
only limited options for protest. There
are no organised events in Perthshire
and Tayside Police have made it clear
that there will be no access to the
Gleneagles site.
"Safety should
therefore be paramount in this
situation. I would be very concerned if
people were to descend on Perthshire in
large numbers without any co-ordination
or organisation.
"I think that this
could lead to all sort of potential
flashpoints and this is the last thing
that we want or need. I know that most
people want to peacefully protest but
there are those with an agenda that is
solely concerned with creating trouble.
"We must also
consider the safety and security of
local people who will be caught up in
all this melee - especially considering
government refusals to offer
compensation to locals in the event of
protest related damage.
"I'm sure Bono has
the best intentions with this call but
he obviously has no idea of the
geography of the Gleneagles site. G8
protestors would better serve the cause
of peaceful protest by remaining at the
organised events."
Monday 13th
June, 2005
SNP Mid Scotland and Fife MSP
Bruce Crawford today (Monday) said
Scotland's underage and binge drinking
culture cannot be solved as the Scottish
Parliament does not have the powers to
tackle the problem effectively.
 Commenting
on the publication of the Stage 1 report
on Licensing (Scotland) Bill today,
Bruce Crawford stated:
"Whilst we largely
welcome the contents of this report, no
one should kid themselves that by simply
changing licensing laws, that Scotland's
drinking culture will be curbed.
"It is however, the
case that while advertising and
labelling of alcohol are of huge
importance here, these matters are still
governed separately by Westminster.
"We need
comprehensive, joined up action to
tackle underage and binge drinking in
Scotland and the best way of doing this
is for the Scottish Parliament to have
the power to enforce such legislation."
Tuesday 14th
June, 2005
Commenting on the fears of 120
possible job losses at the Arjo Wiggins
Pulp Mill in Fort William the local SNP
MSP Fergus Ewing said:
 "If
true this would be a hammer blow for
Fort William and so I am extremely
concerned about both the livelihoods of
the workers and their families as well
as the local economy. 120 job losses is
a huge blow for an area the size of Fort
William.
"I am urgently
seeking to meet with the Arjo Wiggins'
Directors to find out the current
situation and to discuss the matter and
the best possible outcome for the
workers, their families and the local
community.
"I will also be
arranging meetings with the Lochaber
Enterprise and other local agencies to
discuss what can be done by them.
"This is a particular
blow as the workforce had been
previously praised as the best in the
Arjo Wiggins group. The town has given a
lot to the group over the years and I
hope the company can reciprocate before
leaving.
"I will now be asking
what Arjo Wiggins can do for the
workforce and whether there is any
prospect for it continuing under
different ownership. The company must
show its commitment to its current
workforce."
WINDOWS SCREENSAVER
Download our Windows Screensaver here!
DATES IN
HISTORY
17 June 1239
Birth of Edward I, English King (1272 - 1307), in London.
Known as The Hammer of the Scots he invaded Scotland in
1296 forcing the abdication of John Balliol, King of Scots.
17 June 1823
Charles Macintosh, chemist, born in Glasgow in 1776, patented
waterproof cloth.
"No.4804. Process and
manufacture for rendering the texture of hemp, flax, wool,
cotton, silk, and also leather, paper and other substances
impervious to water and air."
Alphabetical
Index of Patents
19 June 1937
Death of Sir James M Barrie, novelist and dramatist, creator
of the character Peter Pan in London. Elected as Rector
of St Andrews University his moving Rectoral Address on
Courage (1922) is still recalled. His birthplace in
Kirriemuir is now maintained by The National trust for Scotland.
22 June 2004
John Swinney MSP announced his resignation as National
Leader of The Scottish National Party, following criticism of
his leadership and disappointing electoral results for the
party. His resignation set in motion the first ever OMOV
leadership election held by the SNP.
See Dates in History in our
Features Section
SCOTTISH
FOOD, TRADITIONS AND CUSTOMS
This month sees the commemoration of
two battles - the heavy defeat the Scots suffered at Flodden in 1513 and
the magnificent victory of Robert I at Bannockburn in 1314. Both
events will be celebrated out-of-doors and as June also has Mid-Summer
Day perhaps you would expect such events to be safe from inclement
weather. Obviously the burgeoning numbers of outdoor Scottish
events - galas, historical re-enactments, Highland Games etc expect so
but, as Markinch Highland Games found to its cost earlier this month,
even heavy rain the day before can lead to cancellation as the John
Dixon Park was left sodden and made unsuitable for the Sunday games
meeting.
Today (17 June 2005) we hope the sun
shines on Europe's biggest equestrian gathering - The Selkirk Common
Riding. The streets of the Border town will ring to the hooves of
100's of horses as the town remembers the one Selkirk survivor from the
Battle of Flodden in 1513.
Sunday (19 June 2005) sees a massive
street party in Byres Road, Glasgow, as part of the popular West End
Festival. Visit
www.westendfestival.co.uk for full information including the Gibson
Street party on Sunday 26 June.
June also sees the annual
commemoration of the Battle of Bannockburn organised by the Scottish
National Party. The victory by Robert I has rung down the
centuries. The Scottish victory didn't end the long Wars of
Independence but was a turning-point in the Scottish struggle to be free
of English domination. In a David v Goliath contest, The Bruce
totally outmanoeuvred the far larger English invasion to ensure a
historic victory for the Scots.
The Rally will assemble at Lower
Bridge Street, Stirling, at 1.30 am and march off at 2pm behind the Vale
of Atholl Pipe Band. On arriving at the field of Bannockburn a
wreath will be laid at the Rotunda followed be speeches from Alex
Salmond MP and Stewart Hosie MP.
The Alan Macartney Memorial Lecture
will follow at 4pm in the Laing Robert Hotel which is beside the
National Trust for Scotland's Bannockburn Centre. The lecture will
be delivered by Oliver Brown Award winner Jimmy Reid.
Rounding off the day will be a Folk
Ceilidh in the Tartan Arms, Main Street, Bannockburn (doors open 5pm)
featuring the top Scottish folk duo Gaberlunzie and popular folk group
Cardies Brig. Tickets, £7, are available from Alistair Walker,
114 Davidson Street, Stirling, FK7 0NF (tel: 01786 814523).
We hope that the sun shines on all
outdoor events this summer and that they are rain-free, but regardless
of the weather this week's recipe, Wholemeal Scones, can be enjoyed at
any time of the year.
Wholemeal Scones
Ingredients: 150g self-raising flour, sifted; 100g
self-raising wholemeal flour; ½ tsp baking powder; 2 tsp
light muscovado sugar; 1 tbsp sunflower oil; 1 tbsp black
treacle; 175ml (approx) skimmed milk
Method: Combine the first four ingredients in a bowl and
stir in quarter of a teaspoon of salt. Make a well in the middle,
add the oil, treacle and enough milk to combine and make a soft dough.
Using floured hand, tip the dough on to a board dusted with wholemeal
flour. Pat out gently to a thickness of about 2.5cm/1in and cut
into six to eight scones.
Place these on an oiled baking sheet and bake in a preheated oven
(230°C/450°F/gas mark 8) for 10 to 12 minutes. Cool on a wire rack
before serving.
See our Scottish Food, Traditions and Customs in our Features section
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
I'VE A LADDIE IN AMERICA
Traditional
I've a laddie in America,
I've a laddie in Dundee-i-ee-i-ee,
I've a laddie in Australia,
And he's coming back to marry me-i-ee-i-ee.
First he took me to America
Then he took me to Dundee-i-ee-i-ee,
Then he ran away and left me
Wi' three bonnie bairnies on my knee-i-ee-i-ee.
One was sitting by the fireside
One was sitting on my knee-i-ee-i-ee
One was sitting on the doorstep,
Singing "Daddy, please come back tae me-i-ee-i-ee."
Footnote: A Glasgow
children's skipping song to a tune derived from "What a Friend We Have in
Jesus." Variants in word and tune can be found in other parts of
Scotland.
See the
SING A SANG AT LEAST in our
features section
A KIST O
FERLIES
A Keek at the Guid Scots
Tung
By Peter & Marilyn Wright
(Note: All words underlined in
this section are RealAudio links)
This week we extend an invitation from Dr James
Reid-Baxter of Glasgow University to hear the Guid Scots Tung at first hand.
On Sunday 26 June,
at 3 pm., the Collegiate Kirk of St Mary at Innerpeffray, built in 1505,
will resound to the sound of the Scots tongue, as it was used and heard
by Elizabeth Melville, Lady Culross, Scotland's leading early modern
woman writer. Lady Culross, the daughter of the statesman and courtier
Sir James Melville of Halhill, was a fervent religious radical who died
in 1640, two years after the signing of the National Covenant which she
had helped to bring about. She was a friend and supporter of the radical
ministers Robert Bruce, John Welsh, David Dickson, John Livingstone and
Samuel Rutherford. She was born c.1578, and unusually for a woman in
the 16th century, she was highly educated by her father. She went on to
write a great deal of skilfull religious poetry in Scots. Even more
unusually, she published a long poem at Edinburgh in 1603, which
immediately became a best seller for the next hundred years. This "Godlie
Dreame compylit in Scottis meter" was almost certainly the source of
Bunyan's inspiration to write "Pilgrim's Progress". Until September
2002, all her other work was thought to be lost, but Dr Jamie Reid
Baxter of Glasgow University discovered a huge cache of manuscript poems
in a volume of sermons from 1590. Currently, Lady Culross is known to
have written over 4200 lines of late Middle Scots verse, in many
different forms. Jamie Reid-Baxter's lecture-recital commemorating her
at Innerpeffray, organised by the Friends of Innerpeffray Library, will
feature musical settings of four of her poems, as well as recitations of
her verse, readings from her forceful letters, and choral music written
for the Reformit Kirk by Lady Culross's neighbour John Angus, vicar of
Inverkeithing. Both halves of the programme will end with the audience
singing metrical psalms in Scots, from the old Scottish Psalter of 1564,
including Ps.23 "The Lord is anely my support", to the grand old tune "Culross".
This is a great chance to step back 400 years to the time when the
language of (Lowland) Scotland was Scots, and the storm clouds were
gathering that culminated in the Scottish invasion of northern England
that sparked the English Civil War and the fall of King Charles I.
COMPLETE POEMS
Birlin Keir
By David Purves
Click
here to listen to this in Real Audio read by
Peter D Wright
A've aften hard it said afore,
Keir Hardie wadna ligg sae douce
ablo the mouls gin he coud see
the gowks his Pairtie herbors nou.
A hae hard tell anaw that at
the tyme thay hansil Parliement,
thay hae ane unco chiel, Blek Rod,
that thryce maun chap the chaumer dure
afore thay mak ti lat him in;
an forby this, begairtert hochs,
bewiggity heids an baubils bricht,
haigilt aroun wi mukkil mass.
At ae sic tyme afore the War,
McGovern frae reid Shettleston,
raired out - asyde himsell -’‘For God's
Sake, stap this humbug, for at hame,
the-nou, ma puir constituents
is aw but stervin, sae thay ir!
Ye may be shuir thay warna lang
or thay frogmaircht him out the houss,
richt smert, Scotch skoundril that he wes.
But youn wes aw langsyne
whan fowk stil myndit o
the gleid in Hardie's ee.
The'r nae McGoverns nou
nor ir the lyke ti be!
Published in the Scots Independent March
2004
See Scots Language in
our Features Section
for other poems, stories, songs, sayings, jokes and words in the Scots language
SCOT WIT
Enjoy a Scottish Joke every week and
listen to it as well
Roman Holiday
When the Romans invaded Britain, they did not
succeed in conquering Scotland and the local Roman General was very nervous
about his reputation being at stake. In one skirmish in Glasgow, he was
appalled to see two Glasgow keelies. armed only with cut-throat razors,
carving up his legionnaries.
"They'll never believe this in Rome" he
groaned "unless I can show them what these keelies are like."
So he gave orders that the two keelies were to be
be taken alive. After much slaughter, they were, and he triumphantly conveyed
them to Rome. A great day in the arena was arranged and savage beasts from all
over the Empire were brought to face the keelies. On the night before the
fight, the two keelies were given a feast and their choice of the damsels.
Next morning they compared notes.
"Hou did ye get on, Jock?" asked Sandy.
"Great" said Jock "A had a great big smashin
blonde. Fegs, she wis a richt smasher. Efter we haed our chuck, we sat doun wi
muckle goblets o wine an then we .... " Jock stopped and took out his razor.
"Go on, Jock. Tell's whit haippent neist."
"Haud on, A'll tell ye efter" replied Jock
"here come thae bliddy lions."
Click here to listen to this joke
THE MONTHLY PRIZE
CROSSWORD
[See our
crosswords here!]
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. Also included picture
galleries from the annual lunch.
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 27 MSPs, 5 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.
ADVERTISING IN THE
FLAG IN THE WIND
Advertising in The Flag in the Wind has some unique advantages. Not
only will you reach thousands of people every week but you'll note from the details below
that when you advertise with us you also get a FREE advert in the Scots Independent
Newspaper. Well you should know that the newspaper is considered to be an historical
resource so all issues are archived by Aberdeen University and Edinburgh University for
future generations to read and study. This means when you advertise with us you become
part of Scotland's history and heritage! Of course free issues of the newspaper are
sent to 400 Scottish secondary schools so that our youth can also learn from our excellent
range of topics on Scottish politics, heritage and history. This means that your advert,
while publicising your company, product, service, events, etc., is also helping to educate
our children and helping us to extend the reach of our newspaper to promote all that is
best in Scottish Nationalism and all that is best in Scotland. We have a powerful voice
not only in Scotland but all over the world wherever Scots and Scots descendants are
settled.
Button Advert
You can take out a 145 x 40 pixel Button Advert on this page for a full 12 months for
only £195.00.
Banner Advert
One Banner advert, 468 x 60 pixels, is available on this index page under the Issue Date
and before the first article. Cost is £95.00 per weekly issue.
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.
|
