SNP NORTH AMERICAN NETWORK NEWSLETTER
UPDATE
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REPORT ON ALEX SALMOND'S U.S. VISIT
SNP (USA) are very pleased at the response to Alex Salmond's visit to Washington DC this November. Despite last minute changes to the schedule, due to the SNP Leader's first ever opportunity to respond to the UK Government's legislative programme, the organisers felt the trip that took in Washington DC, Princeton and Boston in five exhausting days was a great success. They described the response that Alex, Neil MacCormick MEP and Duncan Hamilton MSP received as excellent. SNP (USA) were delighted at the media response which included an interview on C-Span and meetings with newspapers such as the Washington Times. The organising committee would like to thank all those who assisted with this trip. The major media coup during Alex's trip was an interview on National Public Radio's 'Morning Edition', and a likely audience of 4 million. A great many opinion formers, legislators and academics listen to NPR over breakfast or driving to work. (To hear the interview, visit the SNP (USA) website.)If you want the interview rebroadcast or want to urge NPR to cover Tartan Day 2000, please write to: Morning Edition NPR, 635 Massachusetts Ave., NW Washington, DC 20001-3753. Email: morning@npr.org. NPR Main Number (202) 414-2000 Mr Salmond launched his two-day part of the lecture tour in the United States by addressing a news conference at the National Press Club in Washington on Monday November 15th. At the launch the Scottish National Party leader said: "I am pleased to be here in Washington DC, the capital of one of the world's oldest democracies, to tell you about the birth of a new democratic parliament in Scotland. Scotland is an old nation, with a long and proud history. But for almost three hundred years, we have been a nation without a parliament. "That changed in May 1999. "Of course, we in Scotland are proud of our new parliament. And we take great pleasure in the interest being shown in our country by people from around the world. We have already had visits to the parliament in Edinburgh from a number of US congressional leaders, and I welcome the opportunity to return that compliment. "I and my colleagues are here to tell Americans - especially the at least 12 million of Scottish descent - about the political renaissance that is taking place in our country. It is a change that was achieved through the ballot box, and the SNP are committed to advancing Scotland to full Independence through the same democratic means.
"The SNP's basic goal is that we in Scotland, like other small nations such as Ireland and Denmark, should have full democratic control over our country. Our desire is that we in Scotland should enter the family of nations as full and equal partners." On Tuesday, 16th November, Mr Salmond spoke at the Woodrow Wilson School at Princeton University on the need for Scotland to cease being an invisible nation. At the lecture he said: "It is particularly appropriate to be here in Princeton at the Woodrow Wilson School to explain the Scottish National Party's case for independence and self determination. President Wilson was himself committed to these principles and the whole American political tradition is based on self-determination and the will of the people. "The SNP adheres to these basic principles and our aim is to restore Scotland - an old nation - to its proper status as an independent country. "We want Scotland to play its full role in both the European Union and the United Nations. We believe that there is much that Scotland and the Scottish people can contribute to the family of nations as an equal partner. "For too long Scotland has been an invisible nation on the world stage. That is now coming to an end with the advent of the Scottish Parliament. I believe that we are now involved in an unstoppable process that will return Scotland to its proper status as an independent country. The speed with which we achieve independence will, of course, be determined by the will of the Scots people, but that process is now well under way."
SNP RESPONSE TO QUEEN'S SPEECH
Commenting on the publication of the government's legislative programme in the Queen's Speech, which meant he had to cut short his US lecture tour the SNP Leader, Alex Salmond MSP MP, said it highlighted how an independent Scottish Parliament could and would do better. He said: "The first Queen's Speech since the establishment of the Scottish Parliament will leave Scotland in no doubt that in the areas where power remains at Westminster, London rule is damaging to Scottish society. There will be a collective sigh of relief that the Scottish Parliament has responsibility for so many of the important areas of Scotland's life - and that the Westminster meddlers of the welfare state and the air traffic control network do not have control over our hospitals and schools."This Queen's Speech had little to say for Scotland, but what there is threatens to be highly damaging. Privatisation of NATS is London Labour's millennium madness. "There is no doubt that if the Scottish parliament had power over these and other reserved areas, we would be doing things differently and doing them much better. "There is nothing in this speech for Scotland's crisis threatened industries, no promise of early action on the Euro, no action to protect rural Scotland from the impact of the continuing hikes in fuel duties. It is a speech which will leave people in Scotland asking what is the point of Westminster, especially when its agenda is so dominated by dangerous privatisation’s and further cuts to welfare support." The SNP MP for Moray, Margaret Ewing MSP MP added:
"This is a programme for government which offers little for rural Scotland, and if anything poses dangers through the increased commercialisation of the Post office. My concern is that commercialisation may threaten the service ethos in the Post office and in particular the existence of lifeline rural postal services. "The SNP will be seeking guarantees from the government that Post Office changes will not mean higher costs and poorer services for our island and rural communities."
OIL AND GAS OUTPUT AT RECORD LEVELS
The SNP's Shadow Minister for Enterprise & Lifelong Learning John Swinney MSP said this month that Donald Dewar should apologise for misleading Scots over Scotland's Oil and Gas output after this month's Royal Bank of Scotland Oil and Gas Index found that output in the North Sea was getting healthier at 22.83 dollars a barrel for Brent. He said: "At the Scottish Grand Committee on 1 February 1999, Donald Dewar said: 'The oil price is likely to stay at about 10 to 12 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.' "Clearly, the First Minister leaves a lot to be desired when it comes to forecasting this major Scottish industry. "Before the election, Donald Dewar's priority was talking the Scottish economy down in order to attack the ability of Scotland to prosper under Independence. He must apologise to Scots for trying to mislead them about the prospects for the oil and gas industry. "Prices are now double the level forecast by Donald Dewar back in February, and are professionally forecast to remain above twenty dollars a barrel in the months to come. Oil production is at its highest September level since 1985, and 1999 is on course to be the highest year ever for oil and gas output. "All elected representatives must give full support to the Scottish oil and gas industry. Having got it so badly wrong this year, Labour must never again attempt to use short term fluctuations in this successful industry for party political gain." Details of the Royal Bank of Scotland Oil and Gas Index found that: Oil output is at its highest September level since September 1985 Gas output in September was the highest September figure ever1999 remains on course for the highest oil and gas production ever Average price of Brent in September, at 22.83 dollars, was the highest for 32 months, and over 80% higher in sterling terms than September 1998 Oil revenues up 13% on last month and 81.4% on September last year, and Gas revenues up 11% on the month and 21% year on year Combined oil and gas revenues up 62% on same time last year
"STERLING A MILLSTONE ROUND SCOTLAND'S NECK" SAYS SALMOND
Speaking at the Centre of European Policy Studies in Brussels before his visit to the United States Alex Salmond MSP, Leader of the Opposition in the Scottish Parliament, outlined why he thought sterling was damaging to Scotland. His speech was part of a visit to Brussels for a series of meetings. Mr Salmond visited Scotland House and Scotland Europa, and also met M Giovanni Ravasio, Director General of Economics and Finance for the European Commission, with whom he discussed the issue of Scottish bank notes. In his speech, entitled 'Scotland in Europe', Mr Salmond said: "Scotland is a trading nation and our main trading partner is the EU. At present, over 60% of our manufactured exports are to the EU, and it is to Europe that we must look to secure Scottish prosperity and Scottish jobs. "Businesses in Scotland recognise this simple fact, and that is why Scottish business people are more pro-euro than their counterparts in any other part of the UK. To compete successfully, to protect and develop markets, and to secure Scottish jobs we should join the Euro."At present, sterling is seriously overvalued and according to the Scottish Council for Development and Industry: 'the certainty remains that the continuing strength of the pound is hitting business hard'. A recent SCDI survey of Scottish exporters found that the high value of sterling adversely affected 87% of all businesses surveyed; that 69% lost exports; and 31% said it had led to redundancies. "Parties, like the Tories, that cling to the British fallacy of 'splendid isolation' are not supporting Scotland's economic interests. Indeed by their backward-looking attitudes to Europe and the Euro, the Tories have become the anti-business party in Scotland. "And Scotland's interest involves joining the Euro sooner rather than later. For many years now, the pound sterling has been a millstone round Scotland's neck. Sterling is costing Scotland jobs and prosperity in manufacturing, agriculture and tourism. Yet far from addressing the high value of sterling, the Bank of England push up interest rates to 5.5%, putting more pressure on exports and jobs. "This is economic policy made in the south-east of England by the south-east of England and for the south-east of England. An independent Scotland, positively in Europe and in the Euro, is the real future for the people of Scotland. The SNP want to see Scotland fulfil its destiny and its potential as a full and active member of the EU - we cannot allow ourselves to be held back by clinging on to sterling."