SNP NORTH AMERICAN NETWORK NEWSLETTER

Issue 5, September 1998

UPDATE

NOTE-- due to regulations set by the Labour party in London

Welcome to the fifth edition of the Scottish National Party's North American Network Newsletter.

Since the August Newsletter requests and ideas to promote the SNP in North America have continued. Douglas Boyd of Maryland has offered us the opportunity to convey a message of support to Clan Boyd members in their US newsletter and we have had similar requests from David Brannan of the Milwaukee Burns Club and James Morrison for the Virginia Scottish Games.

James is also involved with organising the Tartan Day celebrations for the town of Alexandria in Virginia next April and there are plans to organise a political forum to discuss the political and constitutional future of Scotland. It is expected that representatives from the major parties of Scotland will be invited to sit on a panel for this forum.

SNP NORTH AMERICAN NETWORK ADVISORY COMMITTEE

As outlined in the last edition the SNP have established an advisory committee to assist our North American members and supporters in organising events to promote and assist the SNP in North America.

However one of the original members Ian Moar has had to withdraw due to work reasons. We are indebted to Ian's involvement with the group to date and wish him all the best for the future.

Nevertheless the breech has been filled by Alison Duncan - another lawyer from Washington. Therefore any supporters with ideas they wouldlike to put into action please contact the updated advisory group by e-mail on the following addresses:

David Young - dyoung@bobcat.ent.ohiou.edu
Alison Duncan - amduncan@worldnet.att.net
Garth Edwards - edward@un.org
Ewan Innes - EIAlba@world.std.com

DEATH OF DR ALLAN MACARTNEY MEP - SNP DEPUTY LEADER

It was with great sadness that the SNP announced the death of Dr Allan Macartney MEP, SNP Deputy Leader and Euro-MP for North East Scotland. He died suddenly and without warning of a heart attack on the morning of Tuesday 25 August. He leaves behind his wife Anne, three children and four grandchildren, and his father.

Dr Macartney (57) had been unanimously re-selected on Sunday (23 August) by the North East Euro-region as prospective candidate for next year's European Parliament election.

SNP President and Allan's colleague in the European Parliament (Euro-MP for the Highlands & Islands) Dr Winnie Ewing MEP said:

"Allan was a valued friend and colleague, and his loss is a shocking personal blow. He commanded enormous respect in the European Parliament for his commitment, knowledge, and dedication to the cause of Scotland. Allan will not live to see the first sitting of the Scottish Parliament, or the free Scotland which he campaigned for all his adult life, and that is a source of particular sorrow amid the shock of this terrible news."

Allan Macartney was elected Euro-MP for North East Scotland in June 1994, with a majority of 31,227, having been narrowly defeated in the same seat in 1989. He was a noted academic and author of several books including "The Referendum Experience", "Islands of Europe", "Self-Determination in the Commonwealth", "Towards 1992", and "Asking the People - the Referendum and Constitutional Change".

On behalf of the SNP we would also like to thanks Father Tom Moffatt of Flagstaff, Arizona who commemorated Allan in prayers.

LATEST OPINION POLLS - THE RACE NARROWS

The latest System 3 poll in the Herald showed Labour moving into a three point lead ahead of the SNP in the constituency Scottish Parliament vote. However this was offset by an SNP lead of 1 point in the party preference vote. Commenting on the poll SNP Chief Executive Mr Michael Russell said:

"This is a very satisfactory poll for the SNP, showing what we have always maintained and previous polls have illustrated - that the race for the Scottish Parliament election is neck and neck between the SNP and New Labour. Historically System 3 polls have always shown a late summer dip in support for the SNP.

"Furthermore, we have established an excellent base for campaigning, while Labour are increasingly consumed by internal disputes and mounting economic problems.

"In local by-elections, the SNP are hammering New Labour - having taken six seats from them in central Scotland since last year's Referendum, with an average swing of 23%. In Glasgow Possil, Labour's majority was cut from 1,400 to just 34, with an extraordinary 33% swing to the SNP."

Despite a narrowing in the polls for party preference support for independence remains strong. An NOP poll for The Sunday Times Scotland found 50% of Scots would back independence in a referendum with 45%. Also 44% thought Mr Salmond would make the best First Minister of the Scottish Parliament, compared with 40% favouring Labour's Donald Dewar.

And in an ICM poll for the Scotsman support for independence increased from 49% to 51% whilst opposition dropped from 44% to 38%.

PRINCE CHARLES SET TO MEET ALEX SALMOND

The Prince of Wales is set to meet Scottish National Party leader Alex Salmond amid growing support for the SNP. The initiative came from Charles's office and no date or venue has yet been set.

Mr Salmond said he had been a "wee bit surprised" by the idea but would be "delighted" to meet the prince to talk about his party's plans for a slimmed-down monarchy. He added that although it would be the first such meeting he had held with the Prince, he regarded it as nothing more than "the Royal Family doing what they normally do, which is to stay in contact with all political parties".

VISIT THE SNP's 1998 NATIONAL CONFERENCE

The SNP's Annual National Conference for 1998 is to be held in Inverness between the dates of Wednesday 23 September and Saturday 26 September. The Conference is expected to be one of the most important for the party with an unprecedented level of business and international interest.

Anyone wishing to keep abreast of the Conference can visit our up-to-the-minute Conference on-line service by accessing our website on "http://www.snp.org.uk". This will coincide with the launch of our new site on Thursday 24 September. So you can join in on the conference on-line on Thursday evening. .

VIASYSTEMS - 1000 SCOTTISH JOBS AT RISK

We would like to draw your attention to the plight of 1000 Scottish workers in the Borders area of Scotland whose jobs are under threat. Viasystems, the company which own the factory, plans to shut down the Borders factory and move production to a Government subsidised factory in the North of England. The SNP opposes this move and is campaigning to convince Viasystems to reverse their decision.

Viasystems' headquarters is based in St. Louis, Missouri and the workers action group have already appealed to the US Consulate in Edinburgh to convince Viasystems to reverse their decision. As part of the SNP's campaign we are calling on all supporters in the US to lobby Viasystems, Scottish-American organisations and US politicians to put the case for saving 1000 Scottish jobs.

SNP Chief Executive Mike Russell Said: "Viasystems in Selkirk and Galashiels is a profitable operation with a strong reputation and a highly skilled workforce. They are central to the economy of the Scottish borders and the SNP is strongly behind the employees to ensure the plant is retained.

"The Viasystems issue is causing considerable concern amongst other inward investors and is in danger of giving inward investment a bad name at a time when Scotland needs more incoming jobs and more involvement with the world economy.

"I have been in touch with the US Consul General to indicate SNP support for the employees and our US members have also been briefed to lobby their Congressional Representatives and Senators."

For further information on this campaign please contact our Advisory Group or myself.

SNP MP TO SPEAK AT IOWA UNIVERSITY ON INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS

Roseanna Cunningham, the SNP's MP for Perth and Kinross and the party's Justice spokesperson, is to visit the United States next month to give a speech at Iowa University to a conference of the International Law Students Association (ILSA). She will be speaking on the 15th of October and will give a key-note speech on human rights and self-determination and also participate on the international environmental policy panel.

The International Law Students Association (ILSA) provides an umbrella organization for student International Law Societies (ILS) at law schools around the world. The conference is organised by the Iowa Society of International Law and Affairs and registration forms are now available through their website on "http://www.uiowa.edu/~iclp/conference"

MORE ARTICLES OF INTEREST

Last month's newsletter carried a feature on an article by Rob Brown highlighting the influence Scottish ideas on the American Revolution and constitution. There was quite a flurry of interest in this article and it was forwarded to several supporters.

This month we can highlight tow more articles that may be of interest to readers. If you are interested in receiving them please e-mail me for a copy.

The first is by Joan MacAlpine of the Sunday Times Scotland and highlights how the economic success of the Republic of Ireland is an example that the SNP can follow in arguing for Scottish independence.

The second article is by Jonathon Freedland whose book was reviewed by Rob Brown in the previous newsletter. This article was in the Guardian and covers his experience of visiting Scotland at the Edinburgh International Festival.

In the article he feels that last year's referendum vote lanced the boil of Scottish ire whilst opening up a new sense of Scottish self-confidence and maturity.

CANADA'S FOUNDING FATHERS

It is not just the American constitution that can be pointed to as an example of Scottish influence but the foundation of the Canadian Confederation was also heavily influenced by Scots.

Before 1867 Canada was a vast region of many fragments. Transportation between the various sections was extremely poor. The vast interior would probably be lost unless it could be joined to a co-operative Canada. The best way to safeguard their trade and commerce was in Confederation.

In an effort to break the stalemate, Liberal leader George Brown and his political foes, Conservative leader John A. Macdonald and Georges-Etienne Cartier, agreed to form a compromise government. The result was the Great Coalition of 1864. A major objective of the coalition government was the creation of a Confederation.

Macdonald and Brown are viewed as providing the great driving force that led to the Confederation of the Canadian provinces. Both, along with Cartier, were conferred with the honour of the Fathers of Confederation.

Macdonald was the dominant figure in the move toward Canadian confederation. He was born in Glasgow, Scotland, and brought to Upper Canada in 1820. Macdonald helped form the Conservative party. Opposing him were the Liberals led by George Brown.

In 1864, he worked with Brown to form the Great Coalition, which sought Canadian Confederation as its major goal. After confederation, Macdonald became the Dominion's first prime minister, serving from 1867 to 1873 and from 1878 until his death in 1891. One of his great aims was to extend the Dominion from the Atlantic to the Pacific.

George Brown was born in Alloa, Scotland. He migrated to the United States in 1838 and later founded the politically influential Toronto Globe. Brown was an early advocate of Canadian Confederation. As a member of the Great Coalition, he played important roles in the two 1864 conferences but resigned from the government the following year. He died of an assassin's bullet in 1880.

Any Canadian supporters with who wish to contribute ideas or funds to the SNP can get in touch with our Canadian organiser, John Webster, on manrex@mb.sympatico.ca.

AND FINALLY - DONATIONS AND SNP GOODS

We are pleased to announce that our e-mail secure server for making donations or payments to the SNP by credit card is up and running. With funds required for our 1999 election campaigns please feel free to help the SNP secure the mandate it requires through making whatever donation you can afford. Find out how to make donations through our website on "http://www.snp.org.uk".

See you next month.

SNP