JUST GET O'ER IT!

The above is a statement that one of my UNISON chums uses when something has happened that hasn't gone your way. Its his trademark saying.

I thought of this phrase whilst watching the coverage of the Royal opening of the Scottish Parliament. Brian Taylor reported that the Labour MSP'S are complaining about the First Ministers reply to the Queens address, because our FM mentioned the "I" word.

Well michty me! an SNP leader mentioning Independence what ever next!

In addition to this Labour MSP'S did not applaud Alex Salmond's speech.

This just typifies the attitude of New Labour in Scotland since the election, talk about denial!

Its been 9 weeks since the election, and they still haven't accepted that they have lost power in Scotland. Last week whilst visiting my mum, I read an article in the Sunday Post by Roy Hattersley stating that Scotland was being borrowed to the SNP. All SNP MSP'S will tell you that this is the reaction amongst Labour in the Parliament too.

How long is it going to take New Labour to accept that the Scottish people rejected them in large numbers in May, accept that they are in opposition, accept that the SNP are in Government, and there is at the very least an appetite to extend the powers of the Scottish Parliament.

As an instinctive Republican, i find it amusing that Brenda and officials at Buck House seem to have embraced the new reality far better than New Labour has done.

In other words - New Labour - JUST GET O'ER IT!

SAVE THE HERALD

One of the most pressing issues to emerge from National Council was the resolution on Newsquest the UK operating arm of Gannet CO.Inc., who own The Herald, Sunday Herald and Evening Times, and a special thanks should go to Aileen Campbell, Jamie Hepburn and Malcolm Balfour for their contributions on this issue.

The future of these newspapers is under threat.

In the words of Murray Ritchie, former Herald Journalist, "Gannet has a reputation in the industry for profiteering at the expense of editorial quality, and for being the worst employer in British journalism. This explains why the National Union of Journalists has been in more industrial disputes than with any other management."

The Herald's position as a National newspaper is seriously under threat, and the Sunday edition's role as an award winning title is at risk. For the 3rd year in a row profits have increased at Newsquest, but for the 3rd year in a row management have demanded job cuts across the board. The Herald is fast being reduced by an asset stripping management to the status of a local paper with a skeleton staff. Further redundancies can only further damage editorial quality.

This threat of job cuts smacks of corporate greed. The future of these newspapers must not be sacrificed.....

For more info http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/heraldandtimes/

Read Murray Ritchies views online at

http://www.scottishindependenceconvention.com/

Also visit the link for the SNP Trade Union Group.

THE 2ND BEST NATIONAL COUNCIL EVER!

Yesterday i attended National Council, where 400 SNP members, Councillors and MSP'S gathered for the first time since "the giant step forward" on May 3.

It was very pleasing to see so many Party comrades, many of them elected for the first time, although i am becoming concerned at the obsession of our Glasgow Council group who are now referring to me as "the employee"!

Some excellent motions were debated especially on a Citizens Initiative, The future of the Herald Newspaper and sister titles, and Dawn Raids to name a few. In addition, there was some fantastic barnstorming speeches from the First Minister and the Cabinet Secretaries.

Spent a memorable evening in the pub afterwards, with comrades in SNP controlled Edinburgh, but as always Angus Brendan McNeill steals the show with his observations of the so called Mother of all Parliaments.

Everyone in the Party is upbeat, positive, and looking forward to gains at Westminster and European elections. I hear many New Labour M.P.'s are worried, in particular a certain gentleman who has still to provide me with a bottle of Vodka, after betting with me on the number of SNP MP's at the 2005 election - New Labour = Broken promises!

You may be asking why this one is the 2nd best National Council, well simply really, we are saving the best one for after the Independence Referendum - that will be one to look forward too.......................

ROSE GENTLE WINS RIGHT TO TAKE IRAQ CASE TO HOUSE OF LORDS

One of the most humbling moments being a Candidate in Pollok during the elections in May was meeting Rose Gentle, who lost her son Gordon 3 years ago in an attack on British soldiers in Basra.

Law Lords have ruled that Rose, and fellow grieving mum Beverley Clarke, who lost her son David, can Appeal an earlier decision by an Appeal Court to force the Government to conduct a full public inquiry.

The case will raise the question of whether the Iraq war was lawful under International Law.

Papers released by Law Lords will focus on the Human Rights right to life provisions to initiate an independent public investigation in to the deaths of these 2 soldiers.

In addition the case could force the Government to hold an independent inquiry into the way Lord Goldsmith, the Attorney General, reached his conclusions that the war in Iraq could be lawful.

More information on this and Rose's campaign can be found by clicking the link on the Military Families against War website.

I still find it incredible that despite 3 years of requests, Mr.Bliar has yet to meet Rose or the Gentle family.

Keep the faith Rose, one day you will obtain justice, and answers. You and your family are in our prayers.

AN OFFER FROM THE DARK SIDE ?

I have been reading today that a Conservative spokesperson (pictured), supports a referendum on Scottish Independence in order to maintain the Empire!

Coming fresh from attempts in Wales to seduce Plaid Cymru into a Rainbow/Dark Side Coalition - depending on your point of view, it appears that the Tories will go to any lengths to restore themselves as a serious political force, but what are they up to?

Are these dangerous developments? Are these attempts by the Tories to kill off civic nationalist forces in Britain as they know that doing a deal with either Plaid or the SNP will set back our movements with left of centre voters for generations a la 1979 (in the case of the SNP)? Or are these genuine attempts to move forward and banish any memory of Empress Thatcher?

With the Lib Dems in self imposed exile, and the forces of New Labour in denial about the sea change in Scottish politics, is this a trap for the SNP or a glorious opportunity to kill off the Tories, embrace their support for a referendum on Independence or at least do it holding our noses, and be confident of victory?

These questions deserve a proper hearing within the Party...... my own view? In order to win a Referendum we need to exercise a famous line in The Return of the Jedi.......Patience my friend Patience!

WELCOME TO MY NEW BLOG

Hi everyone!

I have decided to start off a new blog. Its been about 7 weeks since the election.

Having debated in my head what to call this, I settled for the giant step forward as a tribute to the greatest result in SNP history, leading to an SNP Government, a giant step towards what will ultimately lead to Independence for Scotland.

Hope you enjoy my ramblings from now on!

Chris