SNP NORTH AMERICAN NETWORK NEWSLETTER
NOTE-- due to regulations set by the Labour party in London
Only persons with the right to vote in the UK may contribute directly to the SNP. Supporters who have no vote in the UK are asked to contribute to our North America Fund, the income from which is retained in North America to support awareness-raising there about Scotland and the SNP.SCOTTISH EXAMS SYSTEM IN CRISIS
The Scottish examination system was left in crisis whilst the Scottish Education Minister, Sam Galbraith, passed the buck on to the agency that has responsibility for administrating the Scottish exam system. This was despite year's of warning by teachers and opposition politicians that the new exams would cause administrative problems.
Over 140,000 school exam candidates received their results last month to tell them how they had performed in the exams which decide whether or not they will go to university or college. However the Scottish Qualification Authority (SQA), struggling with a new computer system, was thrown into confusion when some students failed to receive their results or received results that were inaccurate. Some pupils even received results for exams they had not sat and a number of native Russian speakers were failed in their Russian language exam.
The Chief Executive of the SQA resigned but the Education Minister passed the buck on to the organisation despite the fact that he was warned about such problems and that thousands of students will have their university applications delayed.
Commenting on the chaos, the Shadow Education Minister Ms Nicola Sturgeon MSP said:
"After sustained pressure from the SNP, the Education Minister, Sam Galbraith eventually announced that an independent inquiry will be carried out to investigate the cause of this delay. However this inquiry is far too late for the thousands of pupils across Scotland who have either received incomplete results or, in many cases, no results at all.
"Labour Ministers are quick to accept credit when things go well, but Galbraith is proving that they are also the first to blame other people for their mistakes when things go badly. As the Education Minister, the responsibility for this unmitigated disaster lies squarely on the shoulders of Sam Galbraith.
EDUCATION MINISTER ACCUSED OF MISLEADING PARLIAMENT
In the first First Minister's Questions since the Summer Recess the Education Minister, Sam Galbraith, was accused of misleading the Scottish Parliament and the public over the exams fiasco. The day before he had said he had "absolutely no powers" to instruct the Scottish Qualifications Authority.
However, during First Minister's Questions SNP Leader Alex Salmond said the minister did have powers to direct the SQA under the 1996 Education Act. Mr Salmond said the education act gave him the power to direct the SQA in its discharge of duties and that the SQA had to obey.
He said: "The terms of clause 9 of the Education (Scotland) Act 1996 which states: 'The secretary of state,' that's the minister, 'may after consultation with the Scottish Qualifications Authority give the SQA directions of a general or specific character with regard to the discharge of its functions and it shall be the duty of the SQA to comply with the directions.'
"I have no doubt that any fair-minded person looking at Section 9 would regard the comments he made to Parliament and to the broader Scottish public as misleading. It may be that he simply failed to read his civil servants' brief; or, as some have reported, that he was unaware of the full extent of the powers available to him under the 1996 Act. It is clear that he failed to act when he had the powers to act. Whatever the reason the remarks he made were misleading and did mislead Parliament and the public."
STUDENT NUMBERS DOWN FROM LAST YEAR
It has been revealed that the number of Scottish students accepted to universities has fallen by 6.6% according to the University application organisation UCAS. Commenting on this disturbing announcement, Shadow Lifelong Learning Minister Mr John Swinney MSP said:
"It is an absolute disgrace that serious administrative and managerial blunders are costing Scottish students places at universities and colleges. The Scottish Labour government insisted throughout this sorry mess that no Scottish students would be disadvantaged.
"The repercussions of this fiasco are becoming more severe with each passing day. The situation is far more serious than anyone first thought. It was bad enough when we thought students would suffer anxious delays and doubts over the validity of their results, but now that Scottish pupils are facing the prospect of losing out on university places the situation is critical.
"It is deplorable that this shambles is likely to have a damaging effect on the future of thousands of students. This Scottish Labour government have badly failed Scotland's students. Although Sam Galbraith is responsible for the shambles over the results process, it is Lifelong Learning Minister Henry McLeish who must guarantee those students affected will not be left in the academic slow lane."
SNP LEADERSHIP CONTENDERS SET UP WEBSITES
The two contenders for the leadership of the SNP have set up websites to aid their campaigns. Anyone interested in visiting them can access them on http://www.alexneilmsp.com/ for Alex Neil and http://www.johnswinney.com/ for John Swinney.
Other candidates standing for elected posts as Office Bearers to the Scottish National Party are -
Senior Vice-Convener: Roseanna Cunningham MP MSP
Kenny MacAskill MSP
Peter Kearney
Vice-Convener (Fundraising): Peter Wishart (unopposed)
Vice-Convener (Local Government): Cllr Peter Johnston (unopposed)
Vice-Convener (Organisation): Cllr David Berry
Stewart Gibb
Ivor Birnie
Kate Higgins
Cllr Kevin Stewart
Vice-Convener (Policy): Tom Chalmers
Fiona Hyslop MSP
Vice-Convener (Publicity): George Adam
Anne Dana
Brian Goodall
Vice-Convener (Youth Affairs): Shirley-Anne Somerville
Richard Thomson
Heather Williams
National Secretary: Gerry Fisher
Stewart Hosie
Alex Orr
National Treasurer: Ian Blackford
Jim Mather
Jim Wright
Elections take place at the SNP's National Conference between Wednesday 20th
September to Saturday 23rd September.
SNP WIN DUNDEE COUNCIL BY ELECTION
The Scottish National Party are celebrated yet another council by-election victory over Labour with a 6 per cent swing securing victory last month for the SNP candidate Jim Barrie in Logie ward, Dundee. Commenting on his victory Cllr Jim Barrie said:
"New Labour pulled out all the stops to hold on to this council seat, parachuting in MEPs, MSPs, MPs and Ministers, but they still couldn't pull it off. The people of Dundee realise that New Labour are failing and are turning to the SNP in droves.
"This is a particularly humiliating night for Ian Luke who is contesting Dundee East for New Labour in the upcoming Westminster elections. He was the election agent of the failed New Labour candidate and it makes a mockery of his chances for Westminster. I am delighted to serve the residents in Logie ward and I look forward to helping them in the years to come."
SNP National Convener Mr Alex Salmond MSP said:
"This is another major breakthrough in Dundee. I am particularly delighted that the SNP have taken this seat away from New Labour as it is the last election contest I shall be involved in as the SNP leader.
"This is another tremendous night for the SNP. New Labour is on the run in the East coast of Scotland."
Logie Ward Results:
Party Votes Cast % SNP - Jim Barrie 351 38% Labour 332 36% Con 135 14.6% SSP 73 7.9% Ind 32 3.5% 6% swingNORTH-SOUTH DIVIDE GROWS
Commenting on the Oxford Economic Forecasting unit's prediction that the north-south economic divide will grow even further this year, Shadow Finance Minister Mr Andrew Wilson MSP said:
"This heavyweight analysis merely puts into statistics what Scottish employers and workers have been saying for years. Labour's London metropolitan focus and highly centralised UK economic policy is hitting Scotland hard.
"In any economy, global, national or regional, there will inevitably be imbalances in growth rates. Where public policy can help is by seeking to allow lagging sectors and areas to keep pace. Not only has the lumbering and centralised UK approach failed to do this, it has positively exacerbated imbalances rather than mitigating them.
"All across Europe we can see smaller more efficient and more focused governments harnessing their country's economic potential and delivering better public policy as a result. Scotland desperately needs to set its own economic policies for Scotland distinct economic needs. Gordon Brown's strong pound/high interest rate policy is substantially damaging Scotland's manufacturing and exporting industries.
"We can criticise Labour's London focussed 'one club' economic policy. But Scottish Labour Ministers don't have any effective clubs in their bag. They are trying to make Scotland compete against economic Tiger Woods armed only with a putter. This won't do and until Scotland takes control of its economy it will be like Groundhog day, with stories of a north south divide over and over again."
SCOTLAND SHOULD TAKE CONTROL OF OIL REVENUE
With the price of oil exceeding $32 per barrel, the Leader of the Opposition Mr Alex Salmond MSP said that Scotland was losing out because Westminster still had control of oil tax revenues, whilst also being hit with the highest petrol prices in Europe. Mr Salmond explained that Scotland desperately needed to emulate the kind of Oil Fund that Norway has developed, so we could invest in Scotland's infrastructure and public services. Mr Salmond said:
"Just over a year ago Donald Dewar told a meeting of the Scottish Grand Committee in Edinburgh that: 'The oil price is likely to stay at about ten to twelve dollars a barrel- at least in the foreseeable future. Therefore, we are worlds removed from the oil prices and production levels of the mid-1980s ' (1 February 1999).
"The reality is that the price of oil is now over $32 per barrel- more than three times Donald's projection. Based on conservative projections, at $32 dollars per barrel North Sea oil revenues in Scotland would generate £30,000 million over the next four years. Even at $22 per barrel Scotland would receive over £15,000 million during the same period.
"It is clear proof that Scottish resources would provide investment in areas where people really care such as education, housing and health. Scotland would be better off as an independent country.
"Not only is Scotland losing out by being denied access to our oil revenues, Gordon Brown's fuel tax policies force us to pay the highest petrol prices in Europe. The SNP moved an amendment during the Finance Bill debate at Westminster in May, if it had been carried the price of petrol would have been cut by 5 pence a gallon.
"The SNP demands parity in prices with other European countries, an end to the shocking geographical disparity in prices threatening rural communities in Scotland and an introduction of tax rebates for those dependent upon fuel, such as the emergency services, school buses and road hauliers."
LABOUR FIDDLE SCOTTISH RECESSION FIGURES
Labour Scottish Executive Ministers have suppressed figures confirming that Scotland is in formal recession according to the SNP's Deputy Leader and Shadow Enterprise Minister Mr John Swinney MSP. He said:
"It is now unequivocally true that Scotland's economy declined for two consecutive quarters at the end of 1999 and the beginning of the current year. Labour's outrageous attempt to fiddle with rounding and decimal places to disguise the fact of recession is as inexcusable as it is unforgivable.
"Rather than sticking their collective heads in the sand, Labour Ministers should admit the problem and its sources. Then we can get on with working on putting it right.
"Make no mistake, this is the first time since 1980/81 that the Scottish economy has been in recession. Labour condemned the wreckage of Thatcherism and are now presiding over a potentially even more damaging time for our economy.
"When the Scottish Parliament reconvenes I and the SNP will hold Ministers to account not just for this disgraceful fiddle but for their inability to act over months and years. We have been pointing to the fall-out in manufacturing from Labour's high pound London focussed approach for years."
SCOTLAND LOSES OUT TO LONDON ON LOTTERY
Following the National Lottery Commission's rejection of both bids for the Lottery Operators Licence, the SNP's MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Ms Tricia Marwick has published damning new statistics which show that Scotland is losing out compared to London as far as distribution of lottery money for good causes is concerned. Mrs Marwick is demanding that the Arts and Culture Minister takes the opportunity not just to review the bids, but to overhaul the funding distribution mechanism.
Since the lottery began, Londoners have spent £3.3bn on lottery tickets, and 2.1 billion pounds was returned to London to support good causes.
However, Scots have spent 2 billion pounds on lottery tickets, but only 0.7 billion has been returned to Scotland to support good causes.
Mrs Marwick is calling for Chris Smith not only to re-examine the bids to operate the lottery, but to take the opportunity to instigate a root and branch reform of the Lottery Distribution Boards, in order to ensure that the poor do not continue to subsidise the rich through the lottery. She said:
"The statistics are disgraceful. For every pound spent on a lottery ticket in London, almost twice as much goes to good causes there than if that pound was spent in Scotland.
"There is no point in simply changing the operator. The system is discredited. I want to see a root and branch overhaul of the distribution of the funds to ensure that in the future, those who pay most get most back.
"The issue of the gap between Scottish and London funding is perhaps the clearest illustration of this. Hard earned Scottish cash being sent to do good work in London."
PLAID CYMRU ELECT NEW LEADER
Commenting on the news that Plaid Cymru they have elected a new leader, the National Convener of the Scottish National Party Mr Alex Salmond MSP said:
"I warmly congratulate Ieuan Wyn Jones on his election as President of our sister Party Plaid Cymru - The Party of Wales.
"Ever since we were both elected to the House of Commons in 1987 I have worked closely with Ieuan and I value his experience and principle in fighting for Wales.
"He is a good friend of Scotland, working most recently with SNP colleagues to ensure that Wales and Scotland get the full benefit of European funding.
"It is a sign of the great advances made by Plaid Cymru under Dafydd Wigley that party members had a choice of talented candidates including Ieuan, Jill Evans and Helen Jones.
"Dafydd has left a great legacy and I am certain that Plaid Cymru and the SNP will continue to go from strength to strength."
NEW BBC CHIEF RULES OUT "SCOTTISH SIX"
Following comments by the BBC's Director General, Greg Dyke, that he would not support a dedicated Scottish Six O'Clock News the Shadow Broadcasting Minister Mr Michael Russell MSP said:
"If Greg Dyke has radical views over the BBC's flagship news programme and digital programmes, then why will he not endorse the idea of a 'Scottish Six?'
"Scotland has a distinctive news and current affairs agenda, and there is an obvious need for a Scottish based main evening news bulletin to reflect the new constitutional arrangements. It is incumbent on the BBC as a public sector broadcaster to respond to the wishes of their Scottish audience as quickly as possible.
"Greg Dyke must end the ridiculous evasion of the BBC Board of Governors over a 'Scottish Six.' It is wholly unacceptable for London based mandarins in the BBC to continue vetoing Scottish based news programmes.
"Greg Dyke has the perfect opportunity at the Edinburgh International Film Festival to announce a new approach to covering news in Scotland. I will be challenging him to respond to overwhelming support for a Scottish produced news programmes to replace London based coverage."
...AND FINALLY
There was much consternation (and amusement) when the leader of the UK Tory party boasted that he had drunk 14 pints of beer a day as a teenager. However according to a daily newspaper's diary section the leader of the Scottish Tories, David McLetchie, appears to have come up with an excuse for his boss. Whenever the Tory leader's boasts are raised with Mr McLetchie he excuses his boss's excess by saying that it's understandable as it's only English beer. One wonders how the story would have been handled if it was an SNP member...
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