Tomorrow, Tuesday, sees the long awaited publication of a White Paper on Scotland's constitutional future. "Long awaited" is a bit of an understatement. I, like so many others (although my mum thinks it's just me!) have worked my entire adult life for Scotland's Independence. I have always been aware that not everyone agrees. When I was much younger I felt a lot of anger towards people who "just couldn't see it". Now I don't. Everyone is entitled to their views and what would I have done with my life if everyone else had agreed :-)
I realise now that there is a multitude of opinions out there - all equally valid. And I'm really looking forward to hearing them being expressed as part of the National Conversation Alex Salmond has called for. It's good to talk so let's do it - whatever conclusion we come to, we'll all be talking about how we think we can make our country a better place to live. That can't be a bad thing now can it?
You can watch the launch on Tuesday morning live by video link from around 10.15am.
Click: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/News-Extras/anationalconversation
And you can join the conversation at: http://www.snp.org/
In March I had a party to formally adopt me as the Springburn candidate. Nicola Sturgeon was one of my speakers. In my own speech I announced that I was resigning ... resigning myself to the fact that I would be seeing very little of one of my best and oldest (she'll hate me for saying that) friends in the future. I knew that she would win Govan first past the post and she did. But little did I know just how much her life would change.
How could I have known then that we would win the election, Alex Salmond would become First Minister (yep, still teary over that one) and Nicola would become a government minister charged with the onerous task of transforming the health of one of Europe's sickest nations?
In covering the appointments Alex Salmond has made to his cabinet, some journalists referred to Nicola's role as a "backward step". How mealy mouthed? And how far off the mark? I guess they had to find something to have a dig about. Nicola did a brilliant job of leading the opposition in the Scottish Parliament over the last four years - on that I agree with those journalists. But she made it clear from the start, that Alex Salmond would be First Minister should we win the election.
And now, at the age of 36, she is the Deputy First Minister of her nation. And she's in charge of health for the whole of Scotland. How can that be seen as anything other than a stunning success? She has a huge task ahead of her. Scotland has some of the worst health records in the developed world. She must make a big difference in a very short period of time.
At the same time, the hopes of the Scottish Independence movement rest largely on the shoulders of Nicola and her colleagues. We have said we're out to prove ourselves so that people support Independence. That's a lot of pressure and a tremendous challenge but one that she will rise to as always. I think it would be a little churlish of me to make too big a fuss if I don't see that much of her over the next few years. A backward step? No. Nicola, both in terms of her personal success and in terms of her ability to change things for the better in Scotland, has taken a huge leap forward and I, for one, am extremely proud of her.
I grew up in a large family - siblings and cousins all roughly similar ages. One of the things we loved to do when either my dad or my Uncle John had an estate car, was to sit in the "boot" - the estate bit of the car. (It was the 80s, less safety conscious.) We children loved that so much that it became commonly known as the "very best back". I bet you my cousins, like me, still find themselves referring to it as such.
When Jim Mather MSP won Argyll first past the post on 3rd May I emailed to congratulate him. I told him it was one of the best moments for me (and it was) to which he replied "prepare yourself for more best moments".
And today, I think I experienced what will turn out to be one of the best moments of my entire life. Today I sat nervously in the public gallery of the Scottish Parliament watching the election of First Minister. I know I will never forget bearing witness to the election of the first ever SNP First Minister and our first ever government. History has been created in Scotland today.
For those of us who've spent most of our lives working towards Scotland's Independence, it's an emotional time and a few tears have been shed. We now must run this country better than it's ever been run before - and then we must convince the people of Scotland that the best is yet to come - and the best will only be achieved when we are fully Independent, and truly free.
For great coverage go to http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/6659531.stm
"Friends, including long time Labour supporters talk of being astonished by their own elation at the result of this election. There is an unmistakable air of excitement, of optimism even ..."
The Sunday Herald's Iain McWhirter (read his excellent article here http://iainmacwhirter2.blogspot.com/) has been getting a very similar reaction to me. People who dreaded an SNP victory are shocked to discover just how their thinking has changed. I've always said to people that I felt quite confident in promising them they would see one day that we were right all along. I don't mean that in an arrogant way. I just know that all we want is to enable our country and the people living in it to be the best it (they) can. And I've never doubted that once people started trusting us, they would start to feel positive about our future.
Maybe part of their "elation" is because they're thinking "we did it! Scotland did it!" and I'm sure that comes as a surprise to many folk. But I think what's happening is that people are seeing that we CAN make a difference, small country that we are, we CAN make an impact in the world. And if just about electing an SNP government can have that effect, think how we could transform our thinking and our entire attitude if we moved forward to take our place as an Independent nation.
Just back from Scotland's Big Party - the big gig organised by the SNP and headlined by Sandi Thom. I was really pleased to see Martin Compston up on the stage talking about his support for us. He's a Greenock boy (I know his auntie don't you know?) and not only is he a great actor, but he also played for a time for my football team Greenock Morton. The place was packed out and the average age would've been about 22 had I not been there! Awesome atmosphere. Stunning songs. Fantastic feeling.
Nicola Sturgeon got up on stage but thankfully didn't sing (although to be fair, she can actually sing in tune). She was introduced as "the sexiest woman in Scottish politics" which I'm sure she hated - NOT! And she got an extremely enthusiastic response. And Sandi Thom, after a fantastic set, told us she was certain Scotland was moving on to Independence. To paraphrase her last hit "what if she's right?"!
Aries men, they say, are natural leaders. They are passionate and once committed to a cause will throw their heart and soul into it. They are decisive, honest and always speak their minds.
Today, I am happy to celebrate the birthday of three Aries men - all at one time or another a significant part of my life. All true nationalists. All true Arians.
In order of age, from the baby up then ...
Ian McCann, Party Clerk to SNP
Ian is something like 35 today and it's his first birthday as a dad, since his wife Jeanette Campbell, former SNP Press Officer gave birth to his mini-me, baby Theo last November. Ian has all of the aforementioned Arian traits and in particular, the speaking his mind bit. I worked with Ian at SNP HQ for 5 years but unfortunately I cannot give you any examples of him speaking his mind because it'd be too much for you. Trust me :-) But he is also one of the funniest people I have ever met - in a way that you keep thinking you really shouldn't be laughing, but you just can't help it.
John Swinney, Candidate in North Tayside, Former Leader SNP
John was party leader for most of the time that I worked at SNP HQ. He's 43 today. What many people outwith the party don't realise is that John Swinney was the man who oversaw some of the most radical internal changes the SNP had ever seen. Had he not done what he did, we would not be where we are today. He professionalised the SNP. John had his critics but the thing I hated hearing the most was that he was "a nice person". He was and still is, it's true. But he's so much more than NICE. I sat in on meetings with John and very senior oil executives and he was incredible. He was dynamic, open, passionate and he listened. The oil executives were blown away. It's amazing what the press can do to a person's image but the John Swinney I know is one of the best politicans this country has. Which would explain him having the highest majority in Scotland. So happy birthday to John who assured me he would not be taking a day off of campaigning.
The Late Stuart Keir Purdie, my Granda, Founding Member of Greenock SNP
Granda Purdie was, to us grandkids, mostly hilarious. Particularly when he told us to "go and play tig with a hatchett"!! He had an incredibly dry, sharp sense of humour. He didn't say much but it was generally worth waiting for. He didn't smile often, nor laugh but when he did, he really did - to me, he sounded like Mutley from Dastardly and Mutley when he laughed. And he was a nationalist all his life. Believed 100% in Scottish Independence. Loved Scottish culture particularly Rabbie Burns - he had a quote for every occasion and I DO mean EVERY. Don't remember him leafletting much but can definitely remember him toasting Independence :-) He'd have been 94 today and crankier than ever. But he would have been overjoyed with the SNP's performance these days. As they say on all the best postcards, I really wish he was here to see it.
So there you go, happy birthday to all 3 and let's hope you get a fantastic belated birthday present on May 3rd!
