UK NEWS

FURY AS MSPS SNUB QUEEN

HOLYROOD: Location of Scottish Parliament

Thursday July 2,2009

By Paul Gilbride and Judith Duffy

Yesterday’s 10th anniversary of the Scottish Parliament was missed by well over a third of our MSPs. Some had genuine reasons – bereavement, the birth of a child, illness – most did not.

Many excused themselves saying they were on holiday. This was a disgrace, and an insult to the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh.

During her speech to those who did manage to get along, the Queen paid tribute to MSPs and their sense of engagement, among other attributes. We wonder if she knew then that so many MSPs considered they had more important business to attend to.

It is not as if the tenth anniversary was sprung on our absent politicians. July 1, 2009 should – we would have thought – have been seared on their minds as a day of some significance.

It clearly was a date of great importance to the Queen, who saw fit to commemorate that momentous occasion in 1999 when so much seemed possible for Scotland and its people.

It is hardly any wonder that the public have a take it or leave it attitude to Holyrood when its own politicians cannot be bothered to ensure they are present for such an event.

Politicians are forever telling the rest of us to become involved and engaged in our communities, in politics and in all aspects of our society. Yesterday, many MSPs cynically demonstrated their own detachment, and showed just how damned rude they can be as well.

What should have been a memorable day turned out to be a shameful low point in Holyrood’s short history.

Job cuts in wrong spirit

Despite talk of green shoots, we remain a long way from a recovery from the recession, as the decision by Diageo to close its distillery at Port Dundas, Glasgow, and its famous Kilmarnock plant, traditional home of Johnnie Walker whiskies, shows.

The tears on the faces of shocked staff yesterday told us all we need to know about the effects of the closures. Alternative jobs are few and far between. This is indeed a hammer blow for the Ayrshire town. Willie Coffey, the local MSP, is understandably bitter over the decision.

Diageo has lost sight of the fact that Johnnie Walker is synonymous with Kilmarnock. Not only is this a crushing decision for the loyal staff, it is a very bad marketing move.

It’s what schoolboys do

R eGARDING Edinburgh’s flood of compensation demands: tell us, what self-respecting schoolboy didn’t come home at some time or another with his trousers torn?

Amazon.co.uk Widgets