-Caveat Lector- >From Irish Times Wednesday, April 7, 1999 SNP strategy to win power in Scottish parliament ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- By Douglas Fraser, in Edinburgh Britain: The historic battle for the future of Scotland's place in the United Kingdom began formally as the Scottish National Party set out an audacious strategy to win power in the first Scottish parliament for nearly 300 years. Mr Alex Salmond, the 44-year-old economist who has led the SNP for nine years, has embarked on a high risk strategy for the May 6th ballot of promising higher tax than the Labour Party and also being strongly critical of the NATO action in Yugoslavia. Having faced flak for describing the bombings as "unpardonable folly" in an official broadcast statement last week, he used the campaign launch in Edinburgh yesterday to back Mr John Bruton's initiative on a ceasefire, urging the British government to give it full consideration. Although the SNP remains firmly committed to a referendum on independence within the first four-year term of the Scottish parliament, its 10 election pledges published yesterday put independence as lowest priority. Instead, the party is flying in the face of conventional political wisdom by featuring its promise to reinstate a one penny in the pound tax cut made last month by Chancellor Mr Gordon Brown. The "Penny for Scotland" campaign attempts to place the SNP to the left of Labour as the party of public services, with �230 million sterling per year of additional spending for schools, hospitals and housing. This is in addition to a �50 million per year promise to abolish student tuition fees, which were introduced last autumn for the whole of the UK. The stress at yesterday's campaign launch was on the choice between "A penny for Scotland", or London Labour's "tax bribe", in an attempt to portray the governing party as under the tight control of Prime Minister Tony Blair and his team. Labour, which was due to launch its campaign this morning, brought its counter-attack forward by a day, having latched on to a campaign theme intended to stress the costs of "divorce" from the UK. This must be the first time in political history that a separatist party tried to hide its separatist intentions - a single plank party trying to hide its one plank, claimed Mr Donald Dewar, the Scottish Labour leader. Although the SNP has only six seats in the House of Commons, and Labour has 55, the SNP surged in the polls, peaking last summer 14 points ahead of Labour. But recent polls have shown a very clear lead opening up in favour of Labour. However, in a new proportional voting system, it is likely no party will have overall control, making it likely that the Liberal Democrats could hold the balance of power. Rachel Donnelly adds: Launching its latest slogan promising "a new beginning for Wales" the nationalist Plaid Cymru party fired the first shot in the campaign for the Welsh Assembly elections which began yesterday, claiming public support for the party was the highest in its 75-year history. The Plaid Cymru president, Mr Dafydd Wigley, warned Labour the election campaign would not be a one-horse race. "We have made up tremendous ground since the general election," he said, "and have fully established ourselves as the only credible alternative to Labour in Wales." Recent opinion polls show that Plaid Cymru is gaining popular support in Wales. It has steadily increased its support among voters from 10 per cent at the election in May 1997 to 29 per cent on the latest figures. >From http://www.manxman.co.im/cleague/index.html#aims Aims of The Celtic League The fundamental aim of the Celtic League is to contribute, as an international organisation, to the struggles of the six Celtic nations to secure or win their political, cultural, social and economic freedom. This includes: - fostering co-operation between Celtic peoples. - developing the consciousness of the special relationship and solidarity between them. - making our national struggles and achievements better known abroad. - campaigning for a formal association of Celtic nations to take place once two or more of them have achieved self-government. - advocating the use of the national resources of each of the Celtic countries for the benefit of all its people. These aims are pursued by non-violent means. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- The Role The Celtic League in Our National Struggles On an internal level, the role of the Celtic League is secondary to that of the national organisations which work for the rebuilding of our respective nations as fully integrated communities. At an inter-Celtic level we should promote exchanges and facilitate acquaintance of people from different Celtic countries with one another to strengthen our solidarity. On the external level, we should let other peoples know that the Celts are determined to assert their nationhood and that they have original contributions to make to the achievement of more satisfactory relations between individuals and Nations. We are non sectarian. Each Celtic nation is conditioned by a different history and so we must not expect uniformity of thought but insteadf allow diversity to express itself within the Celtic League. In this way, we may better recognise those areas of possible co-operation and eventually formulate a detailed common policy. With this we can work out which kind of relations between our communities will enable them to enjoy freedoms and liberties at both individual and community level. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- For more information, contact: Bernard Moffatt, General Secretary to the Celtic League, 11, Hilltop View, Braddan, Mannin, British Isles. IM2. e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] or Mark Kermode, Assistant General Secretary, e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] >From http://www.indigo.ie/egt/celtcong/const-en.html The Celtic Congress Constitution English translation, as amended 1994 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- NAME "The Celtic Congress" or its equivalent in any Celtic language or languages. OBJECTS To perpetuate the culture, ideals, and languages of the Celtic peoples, and to maintain an intellectual contact and close cooperation between the respective Celtic communities. METHODS The holding of an annual international congress in one of the six Celtic countries, if possible according to a fixed rotation. Such other methods as may prove practical and desirable. NATIONAL COMMITTEES Each Celtic country or area shall have a national committee consisting of representatives of national cultural societies, and others. Each National Committee shall formulate its own constitution according to the objects of the Congress, and shall submit same to the International Committee for approval. These six committees shall elect two representatives each on the International Committee annually, who may be represented by deputies. The National Committee shall be responsible for organizing and financing the Congress in its own area. THE INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE shall consist of The President, Vice-President, The International Secretary, The International Treasurer, and the Twelve representatives of the six National Committees. The International Committee shall conduct the current business of the organization and control its own finance. The International Committee shall be financed by a minimum subscription of �100.00 Sterling (amended 1994) annually from each of the six national committees, this sum being subject to periodic review. The accounts shall be audited annually by calendar year by two members of the International Committee, and shall be submitted to the Congress by the International Treasurer. The Chairman of the National Committee of the country holding the Congress shall be ex-Officio Chairman of the International Commitee, and he shall hold office for the calendar year (amended 1950). Officers of the International Committee shall serve for a maximum period of three years, in the same office, and shall not be eligible for re-election until after an interval of two years. The International Secretary shall attend the Annual Congress. His expenses shall be paid by the International Committee. This also applies to the International Treasurer and President. By cheapest route (public transport). Changes in the Constitution can only be effected at the Annual General Meeting. Two months notice in writing of any proposed change must be given to the International Secretary whose duty it will be to notify each National Committee of the proposed change. The Annual General Meeting shall be open to all members of the Congress and all shall have a right to speak and make recommendations. Only accredited delegates shall have the right to vote. Emergency Motions. An Emergency Motion for the agenda of the Annual General Meeting must first be submitted to the International Committee and be accepted unanimously by the International Commitee. No branch of the Celtic Congress shall have power to put a motion affecting an area of territory of another Branch of the Celtic Congress unless that Branch is satisfied that it would be beneficial to the area in question. All motions put forward to the Annual General Meeting must therefore be communicated to all Branches in advance of the Annual General Meeeting and in time for each Branch to present its considered views on such motions. The Minutes of the International Committee Meeting and of the Annual General Meeting shall be read in the Celtic language of the country where they are being presented. It shall be the duty of the International Secretary to send copies of the minutes to the six National Committees before the next General Meeting. There shall be official versions of the Consititution in each of the six Celtic languages. Should any variation in interpretation arise, the version in the Irish language shall prevail. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- Go to the Celtic Congress index. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- Michael Everson, [EMAIL PROTECTED], Everson Gunn Teoranta, Dublin, 1997-07-30 ~~~~~~~~~~~~ A<>E<>R The only real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes. -Marcel Proust + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + Every great advance in natural knowledge has involved the absolute rejection of authority. -Thomas Huxley + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + Forwarded as information only; no endorsement to be presumed + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, this material is distributed without charge or profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving this type of information for non-profit research and educational purposes only. 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