Chamber
Plenary, 29 Nov 2007
29 Nov 2007 · S3 · Plenary
Item of business
St Andrew's Day
Before I speak to the motion, I will deal with the point that Robert Brown made. He suggested that the SNP is somehow trying to hijack the saltire and use it for itself. I find that interesting, because I hold here a postcard with the Scottish saltire on it, emblazoned with the words "It's about freedom." It is produced not by the SNP youth wing—the Young Scots for Independence—but by the Scottish Young Liberal Democrats. It is not only the SNP that lays claim to the saltire. I welcome the Scottish Young Liberal Democrats trying to use it as well.
I am delighted that our national Parliament is able to have this debate on the eve of our national day, St Andrew's day. It is surely an opportunity for Parliament to speak with one voice and send out a signal to the country and the world that our national day is of huge importance to us, that we value it and that we want to make the most of it. However, with all the amendments that are before us, it remains to be seen whether we will speak with one voice. I suppose that we will find out at decision time.
The debate is important, because Scotland still has work to do to establish St Andrew's day as a national day that is as significant as those of many other countries. National days around the world have different meanings and different historical roots. St Patrick's day on 17 March is a broad celebration of culture that has close ties to the religious significance of the feast, as it usually falls during Lent, which means that those observing Lent can abstain from their Lenten abstinence. However, St Patrick's day now offers huge commercial and tourism possibilities not only for Ireland itself, but for places wherever parts of the Irish diaspora find themselves, be it Boston, New York or our country. American independence day on 4 July has different origins from St Patrick's day but is just as significant to the American people. It marks the foundation of a nation and the values of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness that its founding declaration boldly set out.
I look forward to the day—which is coming soon—when we are able to celebrate our national independence day, too. However, in the meantime, Scotland has yet to establish for itself a national day that has anything like the significance of St Patrick's day, American independence day or many of the other national days around the world. Nobody seems to celebrate devolution day with much fervour, although I like to imagine that, every 12 May—the date on which the Scottish Parliament was reconvened in 1999—wherever he is in the world, Lord George Robertson raises a toast to devolution and the Parliament killing the SNP "stone dead". Perhaps not.
We still have to establish a national day that has the same significance as those of many other countries. Burns night unites Scots and other lovers of the bard's works around the world in a celebration of the life, poetry and song of Robert Burns. However, it lacks the potential for the wider exploration and exposition of our culture and society that is found in the national days of other countries. I welcome the opportunity that is provided by the Scottish Government to mark as best we can our national day, St Andrew's day. The wealth of activities that are being undertaken by the Government and others to celebrate St Andrew's day build on what has gone before, and serve to make this year's series of events bigger and better than ever before.
We have to build on that and strive for yet more—St Andrew's day has so much unharnessed potential. The debate this morning was about tourism, and the tourist potential of a bona fide national day hardly needs explaining. I have already referred to it, but we need only look at the experience in Ireland: tourists pour into Dublin on St Patrick's day for a glimpse of what is possible.
We are moving in the right direction in that regard. The utilisation of St Andrew's day to kick-start a Scottish winter festival is a welcome step. Used properly, that festival can run from St Andrew's day tomorrow, through Christmas and hogmanay to Burns night in January. Taking in those traditional holidays, as well as modern events such as Celtic Connections, provides much-needed coherence and focus, with a continuous celebration of Scottish heritage and culture. St Andrew's day should properly be the launch pad for that. Such a winter festival will go some way to making it the sort of national day to which we aspire.
Noting the context of the debate—Ted Brocklebank mentioned this—it is interesting that Gordon Brown is desperately scrambling around for a date to designate as Britain's national day, although we already have days for each constituent part of the UK, with which people always identify more readily. Gordon Brown would give his eye teeth for a British equivalent to St Andrew's day, St David's day or St George's day, although St Gordon's day does not quite have the same ring to it, I am afraid. Instead of desperately clambering about to create a synthetic British national day, let us get on with the business of establishing St Andrew's day as Scotland's national day. I commend the Government for working towards that aim, with the events that it has set up this year.
I am delighted that our national Parliament is able to have this debate on the eve of our national day, St Andrew's day. It is surely an opportunity for Parliament to speak with one voice and send out a signal to the country and the world that our national day is of huge importance to us, that we value it and that we want to make the most of it. However, with all the amendments that are before us, it remains to be seen whether we will speak with one voice. I suppose that we will find out at decision time.
The debate is important, because Scotland still has work to do to establish St Andrew's day as a national day that is as significant as those of many other countries. National days around the world have different meanings and different historical roots. St Patrick's day on 17 March is a broad celebration of culture that has close ties to the religious significance of the feast, as it usually falls during Lent, which means that those observing Lent can abstain from their Lenten abstinence. However, St Patrick's day now offers huge commercial and tourism possibilities not only for Ireland itself, but for places wherever parts of the Irish diaspora find themselves, be it Boston, New York or our country. American independence day on 4 July has different origins from St Patrick's day but is just as significant to the American people. It marks the foundation of a nation and the values of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness that its founding declaration boldly set out.
I look forward to the day—which is coming soon—when we are able to celebrate our national independence day, too. However, in the meantime, Scotland has yet to establish for itself a national day that has anything like the significance of St Patrick's day, American independence day or many of the other national days around the world. Nobody seems to celebrate devolution day with much fervour, although I like to imagine that, every 12 May—the date on which the Scottish Parliament was reconvened in 1999—wherever he is in the world, Lord George Robertson raises a toast to devolution and the Parliament killing the SNP "stone dead". Perhaps not.
We still have to establish a national day that has the same significance as those of many other countries. Burns night unites Scots and other lovers of the bard's works around the world in a celebration of the life, poetry and song of Robert Burns. However, it lacks the potential for the wider exploration and exposition of our culture and society that is found in the national days of other countries. I welcome the opportunity that is provided by the Scottish Government to mark as best we can our national day, St Andrew's day. The wealth of activities that are being undertaken by the Government and others to celebrate St Andrew's day build on what has gone before, and serve to make this year's series of events bigger and better than ever before.
We have to build on that and strive for yet more—St Andrew's day has so much unharnessed potential. The debate this morning was about tourism, and the tourist potential of a bona fide national day hardly needs explaining. I have already referred to it, but we need only look at the experience in Ireland: tourists pour into Dublin on St Patrick's day for a glimpse of what is possible.
We are moving in the right direction in that regard. The utilisation of St Andrew's day to kick-start a Scottish winter festival is a welcome step. Used properly, that festival can run from St Andrew's day tomorrow, through Christmas and hogmanay to Burns night in January. Taking in those traditional holidays, as well as modern events such as Celtic Connections, provides much-needed coherence and focus, with a continuous celebration of Scottish heritage and culture. St Andrew's day should properly be the launch pad for that. Such a winter festival will go some way to making it the sort of national day to which we aspire.
Noting the context of the debate—Ted Brocklebank mentioned this—it is interesting that Gordon Brown is desperately scrambling around for a date to designate as Britain's national day, although we already have days for each constituent part of the UK, with which people always identify more readily. Gordon Brown would give his eye teeth for a British equivalent to St Andrew's day, St David's day or St George's day, although St Gordon's day does not quite have the same ring to it, I am afraid. Instead of desperately clambering about to create a synthetic British national day, let us get on with the business of establishing St Andrew's day as Scotland's national day. I commend the Government for working towards that aim, with the events that it has set up this year.
In the same item of business
The Presiding Officer (Alex Fergusson):
NPA
The next item of business is a debate on motion S3M-946, in the name of Linda Fabiani, on St Andrew's day. You have 11 minutes, minister, but I would be grat...
The Minister for Europe, External Affairs and Culture (Linda Fabiani):
SNP
I want consensus in the debate, which is being held on the day before St Andrew's day. It is important that we celebrate Scotland together. Indeed, we should...
Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab):
Lab
Will the minister give way?
Linda Fabiani:
SNP
No.When the winter festival was launched at the beginning of the month, some Labour members said that sending supplies of the saltire to pre-schools and coll...
Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con):
Con
I welcome what the minister says on the subject. However, does she accept that, when SNP candidates are out on the street during election campaigns, it is un...
Linda Fabiani:
SNP
There is absolutely nothing to stop any Scottish political party handing out the saltire to Scots people.I welcome the amendment in Ted Brocklebank's name, d...
The Presiding Officer:
NPA
I am very grateful to you, as it happens. Thank you very much indeed.
Malcolm Chisholm (Edinburgh North and Leith) (Lab):
Lab
I am very pleased again to be taking part in the celebration of St Andrew's day and the winter festival that will follow. I am also happy to support the moti...
Margo MacDonald (Lothians) (Ind):
Ind
Does the member think that Russia and Greece remember that St Andrew is the patron saint of Scotland? Perhaps they concentrate on the fact that he is their p...
Malcolm Chisholm:
Lab
I am not in a position to answer that question, but I hope that the answer is the former.As with last year, many different events will be supported across th...
Ted Brocklebank (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con):
Con
This is perhaps the fifth time that I have spoken in a debate about St Andrew's day. It is a subject dear to me, as a native and resident of St Andrews. I am...
Tricia Marwick (Central Fife) (SNP):
SNP
I am sure that, as a fellow Fifer, the member will also recognise the status of Dunfermline as a city and royal burgh.
Ted Brocklebank:
Con
I fully take that on board.For newcomers to the debate, the usual form is for speakers—before getting down to the economic nuts and bolts of St Andrew's day ...
Iain Smith (North East Fife) (LD):
LD
For those of us who have been in the Parliament for a number of years, this may seem like a debate more on groundhog day than on St Andrew's day. Debates on ...
Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP):
SNP
I thank Iain Smith for reiterating the SNP's and this Government's commitment to St Andrew's day. I also remind him that if this country had full independenc...
Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD):
LD
Does Sandra White regard St Andrew's day and the saltire as the property of the whole of Scotland, regardless of political belief, or of only part of Scotland?
Sandra White:
SNP
I believe that the saltire can belong to anyone in Scotland or elsewhere—whatever they like. It is a flag and we, as a political party, are identified with i...
Bill Butler:
Lab
Will the member give way?
Sandra White:
SNP
No. I am sorry, I will not take an intervention. Suffice it to say, you were in majority Government and you could have delivered a bill instead of pretending...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Alasdair Morgan):
SNP
I did not deliver anything.
Sandra White:
SNP
Sorry, Presiding Officer. The Labour Party and the Lib Dems were in Government and could have delivered if they so wished. They should stop using that white ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
SNP
We are tight for time, so members must stick to their time limits.
Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab):
Lab
I speak to the motion in the name of the minister and will say a few words in support of the addendum amendment in the name of my colleague Malcolm Chisholm....
Bill Butler:
Lab
Very well.Does the Government not understand that such a reversal of the position that it took in March is considered widely to be unfair and that pandering ...
Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
Before I speak to the motion, I will deal with the point that Robert Brown made. He suggested that the SNP is somehow trying to hijack the saltire and use it...
Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab):
Lab
I welcome the opportunity to speak in the debate. The St Andrew's day holiday gives Scots the chance to celebrate Scotland's culture and all that is good abo...
Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con):
Con
Along with the rest of the Scottish Conservative group, I am genuinely excited and looking forward to St Andrew's day tomorrow. I hope that it is a big succe...
Keith Brown (Ochil) (SNP):
SNP
Will the member give way?
Gavin Brown:
Con
Yes, it would be a pleasure to take an intervention from the man who, I believe, invented phonics.
Keith Brown:
SNP
I would love to claim credit for that, but I did not.If Gavin Brown is asking the minister to ensure that the SNP Government does not use St Andrew's day for...