SNP NORTH AMERICAN
NETWORK NEWSLETTER
Issue 11, March 1999
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.UPDATE - SCOTTISH CASHMERE INDUSTRY APPEAL
First we must thank all those recipients who have helped in our lobbying campaign to convince United States House of Representative members and Senators to lift the 100 tariffs on Scottish Cashmere.
To date there has been no reversal of this policy but we can only hope that Congress will view the tariffs on cashmere and shortbread as unfair. Please keep up the lobbying and ask friends and family to join with you in this campaign. Some of our Canadian recipients have been writing to the US ambassador in Ottawa and we thank them for that action. Some of you have replied to the appeal and special thanks must go to Debera Lynn Morrison Howard who has forwarded the appeal to the Clan's of Scotland USA, and Kenneth James Hoerricks of the Clan MacFarlane Society, Inc. who has forwarded the appeal to their e-mail list. SNP TO ASK SCOTS TO FOREGO UK TAX BRIBEThe Scottish election campaign exploded into life as the SNP announce they will be asking Scots to forego the 1 penny cut on the basic rate of tax to invest the money in crisis hit Scottish public services - particularly health and education. The
fiscal powers of the Scottish Parliament have been kept extremely limited with the Parliament only allowed to vary the rate of basic income tax by 3 pence either way. In the UK Budget the Labour Chancellor, reminiscent of similar Tory tax ploys, announce he would cut the basic rate after abolishing other tax breaks and raising road fuel duty by a phenomenal amount. The SNP will now make its one penny income tax freeze the centrepiece of its Scottish election campaign after it was backed by the party conference in Aberdeen. Delegates gave overwhelming support to the plan, which will release #&163;230 million a year to be spent on education, health and housing. If the party wins power in Scotland it will keep the basic rate at 23p when the rest of the UK receives the 1p cut next April. SNP leader Alex Salmond predicted the policy would secure victory on May 6 as the party pledged to take the message on "Scotland's penny" to every home in Scotland. Mr Salmond said he was delighted with the conference vote adding: "Our debate now comes with the other parties in the Scottish election campaign. "We will take our case to on Scotland's penny to the people of Scotland. "Given the choice between a 1p tax bribe from Gordon Brown and #&163;700 million investment in health and education the Scottish people will back better public services." He said that, on average, Scots would be \2242 per week worse off than the rest of the UK but added: "The people of Scotland want better public services rather than two lottery tickets." Mr Salmond said the policy would boost the morale of SNP activists and leave Labour's troops deflated. He added: "The thing that matters most in terms of morale is self-belief and Labour are going to lack self belief on this matter. "Our morale is going to be one of the most significant aspects in helping to secure victory." The motion before the conference read: "Conference pledges not to increase the basic rate of income tax in the first four year term of the Parliament. "The Scottish National Party is committed to ending the crisis in our public services. "We reject the cynical penny bribe offered by New Labour and commit ourselves to freeze the basic rate of income tax at 23p in the pound, pledging to spend the £690 million revenue that is released on health, education and housing in Scotland." The motion also includes an endorsement of the SNP's plans for a financial management strategy for the Scottish Executive and restates their call for full fiscal autonomy in an independent parliament.NEWSPAPER SURVEY BACKS 'PENNY FOR SCOTLAND' - "81% WANT BETTER PUBLIC SERVICES"
The results of a survey in the Scottish Mirror founds that 81% would forego a penny in the pound income tax cut in return for better public services. The Scottish National Party's Treasury Spokesperson Mr John Swinney MP commented:
"This is an extremely encouraging survey, which reflects the findings of SNP candidates on the doorsteps across Scotland over the weekend. "Overwhelmingly, the people of Scotland want better public services - an extra £700 million for health, education and housing - rather than a penny bribe from Labour. "New Labour are running scared of the SNP's 'penny for Scotland' policy, because it reflects mainstream Scottish opinion which supports better public services ahead of cynical tax cuts." TARTAN DAY - SNP TO PARTICIPATE IN DEBATEWe can announce that the party's External Affairs Spokesperson - George Reid - will be attending the annual Tartan Day celebrations in Alexandria next month.
Mr Reid will attend the Opening ceremonies at Market Square, Alexandria on Saturday 3 April. The ceremony is expected to be opened by Mayor Donley who will probably making a welcoming speech. That afternoon Mr Reid will attend the Scottish Forum debate where a debate on Scotland's political future will take place. After the opening remarks, questions from the audience, and any member of the panel could challenge what another member had to say. George may have time to meet the advisory group but his time is going to be very limited as he is fighting a campaign in the Ochil constituency. TOP ECONOMICS PROFESSOR DENIES LABOUR'S SUBSIDY CLAIMS
An article in the Scotland on Sunday newspaper by a well-reknowned Economics Professor has rebutted Labour claims that Scotland is subsidised and needs the 1707 Union to survive economically.
Professor Andrew Hughes Hallett - Jean Monnet Professor of Economics, currently at Strathclyde University, who has advised the EU Commission, IMF and World Bank - says that the case for the Union is "not obvious", and dismisses the argument that an independent Scotland would face a fiscal deficit which would prevent it from qualifying for euro membership. Extracts from the article state: "Scotland is in as good a shape as any to take part in EMU should its people so decide. The fact is that Scotland has an economy which is as robust as any in the European area, and which is as well integrated into a world of global markets and mobile capital as any in Europe. In fact it is probably more robust and better integrated than most, with a growth, employment, export productivity and educational record that many others might envy. . . "[Scotland's] GDP per head is on a par with the EU average - and when the oil and gas wealth is added it places us well towards the top of the league. . . "It is not obvious that in a 21st century of European free trade and global markets, Scotland requires a political union with England in order to take advantage of a single trading market . . . today you simply do not require to be part of the same state as the country or countries you trade with. To suggest otherwise . . . seems to be strangely inward looking and also backward looking." Regarding the Maastricht criteria and the euro, Professor Hughes Hallett writes: "Against that background Scotland's position looks rather good . . . The encouraging thing, however, is that the available numbers paint a picture of steadily improving deficits for the UK and Scotland that should fall within the 3 per cent limit even when Scotland's potential North Sea revenues are excluded and the share of UK debt interest payments are included . . . it is clear that Scotland could qualify for membership on her own at least as well as many existing members and with more comfort than some." SNP PUBLISH FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT STRATEGYThe Scottish National Party have published a Saltire Paper entitled: "Delivering Good Government - the Modern Financial Strategy for Scotland", which details the SNP's proposals for financial management in the Scottish Parliament, in order to deliver the maximum value for money out of Scottish public finances and services. The proposals include: * Publishing a Green Paper within six weeks of an SNP administration being elected, which will propose targets for each department to formulate and implement a performance management strategy;
* Setting up the "Holyrood Project" - a team of approximately 15 people comprised of senior civil servants, policy experts, seconded council officials, and private sector representatives, who will report to the Finance Minister, and whose job will be to examine all public services in Scotland within the responsibility of the Scottish Parliament, and make recommendations within twelve months on how to improve value for money; * Delivering maximum transparency in the way that public resources are allocated, with on-line access to the Scottish Parliament financial database for MSPs and interpretative advice from the Parliament Library, with the information made more widely available. Mr John Swinney MP, the party's Treasury spokesperson, said: "The SNP's approach to Scotland's resources is driven by the need to blend democratic decision-making with transparent and open scrutiny of the public finances. Our objective - which we will deliver through the 'Holyrood Project' - is to secure greater value for money from the resources that are currently available within the Scottish Block. "This is the first SNP announcement about the resources available to the Scottish Parliament. The second will identify the initial resources that we will allocate for the SNP's policy priorities, dealing with our scrutiny of the financial information to date. And the final announcement will involve the SNP concluding our approach to the use of the tax-varying powers. A decision will be taken at the SNP's Spring Conference, after full and democratic debate - in contrast to Tony Blair dictating Labour's tax policy from London. PROFILE ON FUTURE SNP MSP'SWithout being too presumptive we can hazard a guess at who will be representing the SNP in the Scottish Parliament due to the proportional nature of the voting system. Here are some of those who could be speaking for Scottish independence in four months time:
Mrs Margaret Ewing MP : Westminster MP for Moray. Prospective MSP for Moray. Number 2 on the Highlands and Islands list. Margaret joined the Scottish National Party in 1966. In 1974, as Margaret Bain, she captured the East Dunbartonshire seat for the SNP but was subsequently defeated in 1979. In 1987 she won the seat of Moray and returned to the London Parliament. Margaret holds a place in the SNP Cabinet and is currently Parliamentary Leader of the SNP. Mr John Swinney MP: Westminster MP for North Tayside. Prospective MSP for North Tayside. Number 1 on the Mid Scotland & Fife list. Before becoming an MP he was a Strategic Planning Principal with the financial firm Scottish Amicable. John joined the SNP aged 15 and has a place in the SNP's Scottish Cabinet as Treasury Spokesperson. John was elected Senior Vice Convener of the Scottish National Party in December 1998. Mr George Reid: Prospective MSP for Ochil. Number 2 on the Mid Scotland & Fife list. Works as an International Consultant. After a career as a producer and presenter with ITV and BBC, he was appointed Director of Public Affairs of the International Red Cross in 1984 and spent the next 12 years in wars and disasters around the world, before returning permanently to Scotland. >From February 1974 to 1979, George was the MP for Clackmannan and East Stirlingshire, and a Member of the Parliamentary Assemblies of the Council of Europe and the Western European Union. George is currently Vice-Convener for Fundraising, a member of the NEC and the Party's Spokesman on Constitutional Affairs. Mr Alex Neil: Prospective MSP for Kilmarnock & Louden. Number 1 on the Central Scotland list. Alex works as an Economic Consultant. and is also Chairman of Network Scotland. Alex joined the SNP in 1986 after leaving the Scottish Labour Party where he held the post of General Secretary between 1977 and 1979. He is now the Vice-Convener of Policy. Mr Andrew Wilson: Prospective MSP for Cumbernauld & Kilsyth. Number 2 on the Central Scotland list. Andrew is currently an Economist with the Royal Bank of Scotland HQ in Edinburgh and lives in Milngavie. In 1996 he joined the SNP's staff as the party's first full-time economist working on the 1997 election and referendum campaigns. He was responsible for forcing the Treasury to admit that Scotland had sent a surplus of £27 billion more in tax than it had received from the London Treasury since 1979 Ms Nicola Sturgeon: Prospective MSP for Govan. Number 1 on the Glasgow list. Nicola lives in Glasgow and works as a solicitor in Stirling. Nicola joined the SNP in 1986 and has been involved at every level of the Party. She has been a member of the SNP's National Executive Committee since 1992 and is currently the Vice-Convenor for Publicity. As the Party's Education Spokesperson, she has a place in the SNP Scottish Cabinet. Ms Dorothy Grace Elder: Prospective MSP for Baillieston. Number 2 on the Glasgow list. Dorothy is a working mother and styles herself as a campaigning journalist. She has been involved in many campaigns including the rights of small tenants on the land of absentee landlords and exposing child abuse. Last year she played a prominent part in pressurising 20th Century Fox to admit the portrayal of First Officer Murdoch in the film "Titanic" was upsetting to his surviving relatives in the town of Dalbeattie. Dorothy is a first time candidate. Mr Alasdair Morgan MP: Westminster MP for Galloway & Upper Nithsdale. Prospective MSP for Galloway & Upper Nithsdale. Number 1 on the South of Scotland list. Alasdair joined the SNP in 1974 and has been an active member ever since. He was previously the Party's National Secretary and has also held the posts of National Treasurer and Senior Vice-Convener. He is currently Vice President of the SNP and Party Spokesperson on Industry, Employment and natural Resources. Mr Michael Russell: Chief Executive of the SNP. Prospective MSP for Cunningham South. Number 2 on the South of Scotland list. Mike was the Creative Producer, Church of Scotland (74-77), Director, Cinema Sgire (Western Isles) (77-81), Founder and first Director, Celtic Film and TV Festival (81-83), Chief Executive, Network Scotland Ltd (83-91) and is currently a Director of, Eala Bhan Ltd., an independent television production company. Mike joined the SNP in 1974. He is currently Chief Executive of the SNP and has been since 1994. Mike is the author of two recent books - "A Poem of Remote Lives", the life story of Dr Werner Kissling, who made the first every film in Gaelic and is one of the great Western Isles photographers of the 20th century; and "In Waiting", a journey round modern Scotland in the footsteps of Scottish poet, Edwin Muir" SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT COULD BE SHOWN ON US TVC-Span, the company which broadcasts Prime Minister's Question Time at the Westminster parliament is rumoured to be interested in adding highlights from the Scottish Parliament.
The rules for televising the Scottish parliament will allow greater freedom than in Westminster - the intention is to make TV coverage a surrogate public gallery. The contract for providing the overall TV coverage has been won by BBC Resources. It will then be up to the TV and radio networks to select their own clips from their output. "First Minister's Questions" may be broadcast live by BBC2 in the UK. ...AND FINALLYCongratulations to one of our recipients and his wife - Dr. Ivan Bishop of California is now the father of Ailla Frances, who was born at 13:46 (PST) on 11th February. Ivan tells us she hasn't quite figured out what sleep is for but she is cute!
Also remember to visit the North American Network's website on the following address: http://www.scottishhistory.com/snpnetwork.htm SNP