From the archives…
December 30, 2009 by David Torrance · Leave a Comment
Some interesting coverage in today’s newspapers of what has been released under the 30-year rule at the National Archives in Kew. Not much, however, on Scotland, although David Perry of the Aberdeen Press and Journal has obviously been through what must be one of the last Whitehall files on the Callaghan government’s plans for devolution in 1979.
History repeats itself?
December 26, 2009 by David Torrance · Leave a Comment
I have an article in today’s Times, detailing a hitherto unknown offer from the SNP to prop up Ted Heath’s faltering Conservative government following the inconclusive result of the February 1974 general election. In the context of next year’s general election, which could also produce a hung Parliament, might history be about to repeat itself?
Tories destroy Hampden
December 13, 2009 by David Torrance · Leave a Comment
Well, not quite, but yet another story to confirm everyone’s worst prejudices about Margaret Thatcher and Scotland – not only did she want to destroy the country, but the wicked woman wanted to bulldoze its national football stadium. Marc Horne of the Sunday Times (Scotland) has obviously been trawling through recently-declassified Scottish Office files at the National Archives and has come across a curious proposition from the former Shadow Scottish Secretary Teddy – now Sir Teddy – Taylor to demolish Hampden after Glasgow District Council withdrew funding for a planned revamp. Cue all the usual predictable nonsense about Thatcher and Scotland: “It says it all for the Tories’ attitude to Scotland that they seriously considering scrapping the national stadium,” says Alex Salmond, “just as they bulldozed jobs and industry during their 18 long years in power.” While Iain Emerson, editor of the Famous Tartan Army Magazine, said “It is well known that Thatcher had little love for Scotland”. Sir Teddy, however, is unrepentant and still thinks it “would have been terribly good to replace Hampden”.
Shereen
December 13, 2009 by David Torrance · Leave a Comment
I was on BBC Radio Scotland’s ‘Shereen’ programme this morning as a guest pundit. You can listen to it on BBC iPlayer for the next week:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00pbmsn/Shereen_13_12_2009/
Devolution debates
December 12, 2009 by David Torrance · Leave a Comment
Interesting stuff in yesterday’s papers about Justice Secretary Jack Straw vetoing the publication of Cabinet minutes of a debate on devolution just after the 1997 election victory. Straw was a well-known, and articulate, opponent of the constitutional reform agenda which was then Labour orthodoxy. You can read more in either the Scotsman or the Herald.
Lord Forsyth
December 7, 2009 by David Torrance · Leave a Comment
Another new onslaught from the former Scottish Secretary, Lord Forsyth, this time about the Calman Commission’s proposals on tax (“crazy”) and the prospects for an independence referendum (bring it on, in short). BBC News online has more details.
Scotland’s Conspiracy Files
December 7, 2009 by David Torrance · Leave a Comment
A couple of interesting programmes currently showing on BBC iPlayer, the final installment of Neil Oliver’s A History of Scotland and something from last Wednesday called Scotland’s Conspiracy Files. The former covers the 20th century and takes the rather conventional Thatcher-destroyed-Scottish-industry approach to recent political history, while the latter never quite articulates what the conspiracy was supposed to be.