The First Minister demonstrated his knowledge of current business issues and was keen to hear about matters of interest to Ayrshire business. Topics raised included planning delays on renewable energy projects, the agricultural economy and the dairy industry, the new ferry terminal at Cairnryan and the Maybole bypass.

The First Minister affirmed his general support for the Maybole bypass, although he stressed at present there were no firm plans or allocation of funds.

The First Minister also talked about initiatives of the Scottish Government to generate business with other countries and in particular spoke of his recent visit to China.

Norman Geddes gave to the First Minister a letter congratulating him on his initiative with China, and told him that Elite Ayrshire Business Circle members JB Management had been represented on the China visit.

He told the First Minister about the recent meeting jointly promoted by South Ayrshire Council and the Elite Ayrshire Business Circle which had been addressed by the Chinese Consul General, Mr Li and which had attracted over 60 delegates.

The letter invited the First Minister to accept an invitation from Ayr Racecourse to attend the Scottish Grand National, and indicated that a similar invitation had been extended to Mr Li.

The First Minister thanked the Chairman and indicated that, subject to any diary commitments, he hoped to attend the Scottish Grand National. It is hoped to extend the connections between Ayrshire and China. Wuhan Racecourse in China have indicated that they are seeking a link with a UK racecourse, and this initiative is being considered by Ayr Racecourse.

LINKS:

Frazer Coogans Commercial Solicitors

Elite Ayrshire Business Circle

From Fame Publicity Services of Ayr, Ayrshire, Scotland. Web: www.famepublicity.co.uk

Ayrshire Scotland Business News

After a rather dull game of Westminster-Holyrood constitutional ping pong, Alex Salmond has named his (rough) date.

The destiny of a nation, as dictated by the constitutional will of the Scottish people, will be decided in the autumn of 2014.

What a year to pick. The 700th anniversary of Bannockburn, the year of Glasgow’s Commonwealth Games, the year of Scotland’s Ryder Cup, the second running of the Homecoming celebration.

The perfect stage for a yes vote on independence.

Maybe. As Severin Carrell has pointed out on The Guardian website, Bannockburn might not be a massive crowd pleaser.

The Commonwealth Games is rather second rate these days and carries the risk, as a trip back to the 1986 hosting of the event in Edinburgh would show, of throwing up costly organisational chaos.

The Ryder Cup is a fine tournament but it could be that this is golfing jamboree in the home of golf that will have very little Scottish involvement where it really matters.

And I’m still not quite sure what the last Homecoming event was all about.

No, these aren’t guaranteeing ways of securing the feelgood factor that will send us on our way to nationhood.

It needs something else, something bigger.

It needs football.

Scotland at the 2014 World Cup in Rio: carnival time from Pilton to São Paulo.

But Alex Salmond needs Craig Levein to get him there.

And Craig Levein might well need Steven Fletcher to get him there.

Time for the First Minister to stop goading Gideon, dissing Dave and to get on with the job of marriage counsellor to the stubborn national manager and his recalcitrant striker.

What better backdrop could Salmond have than a resurgent Scotland, – led by a benevolent Levein, inspired by the prodigal Fletcher and celebrating a spirit of inclusion with the English-born Jordan Rhodes – cutting a dash in Rio?

Start banging heids together Eck.

And, if you really want to win the vote, you might look at scheduling the referendum some time between the days of blind optimism engendered by our second group game and the inevitably humbling failure of our third group game.

More seriously, if you’ve got any views at all on how football could be affected by the independence debate I’d be delighted to hear them

The Scottish Football Blog

As a result of his five-day tour of Qatar and the UAE this week, the First Minister (FM) has agreed plans with the alternative energy company Masdar to draw up plans for a partnership with Scotland that will boost university research into renewable energy sources and promote other initiatives.

The discussions between the FM and Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, Masdar’s chief executive, took place during a visit by Mr Salmond to Masdar City, a ground-breaking initiative in the desert which showcases advances in the development, commercialisation and deployment of renewable technology.

The First Minister said: “I firmly believe this agreement will yield great results for Abu Dhabi, great results for Scotland, and I do believe it will lead to significant advances that will benefit this entire planet. That’s the importance of what’s been talked about.

“Dr Al Jaber insisted that he doesn’t want just a memorandum of agreement, he wants a framework for action. He’s looked at two areas in particular: cooperation over research into renewables technology between universities, and direct investment and partnerships for specific projects.

“This is the first time Masdar will have had an agreement with a government agency – a country. Masdar’s previous agreements have been with individual companies, so this is quite a breakthrough for us both.”

Dr Al Jaber said: “Masdar is pleased to partner with Scotland on a number of upcoming renewable energy initiatives. We discussed a number of areas of collaboration and I look forward to working closely with him over the coming months to move these ideas forward.

“Scotland is a leading player in the renewable energy field and we are delighted to combine our knowledge and experience through this mutual and beneficial partnership.”

Details of the deal will be drawn up by Masdar and Scottish Enterprise, with a view to an agreement being signed in January.

During the course of five days, The FM met Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani, emir of Qatar, and Sheikh Hamad Bin Jassim Bin Jabr Al Thani, prime minister and foreign minister of Qatar; and Sheikh Hamdam bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the deputy ruler of Dubai.

He also opened the new Doha headquarters of Scottish international law firm McGrigors, took part in a low carbon technology transition discussion and toured the present premises for Weir Oil and Gas in Dubai while viewing their new plans for expansion in the area.

[Pictured: First Minister Alex Salmond chats with technicians during a tour of the Weir Oil and Gas facility in Dubai. While visiting, the FM also saw plans for the company’s new HQ which will be at the heart of expansion plans in the region.]

The opening by the First Minister of Heriot-Watt University’s new showpiece £35m campus in Dubai was a major highlight of the visit, and further testament to Scotland’s dynamic role in producing students equipped with the skills to become future leaders, managers and innovators in the business world.

[Pictured: First Minister Alex Salmond takes a tour of the new campus of Heriot-Watt University in Dubai.]

Mr Salmond said: “Throughout this visit and in discussion with key dignitaries in Qatar and UAE, both countries have expressed their confidence in Scotland’s economic strategy. The meetings I have had have given me the opportunity to talk in more detail about some of the unique opportunities Scotland can offer. From oil and gas to renewable energy, infrastructure investment and education, our country is rich in resource and opportunity.

“Worldwide market forces also make this an attractive time to invest in long term viable capital projects. I am confident that the Scottish Government’s commitment to capital investment for long-term growth will make Scotland an attractive partner for our friends in the Gulf.”

Lena Wilson, chief executive of Scottish Enterprise, said: “Opening up new opportunities with other nations is vital to secure Scotland’s long-term economic growth.

“The UAE offers real possibilities for Scotland and its companies in a variety of key industries including education, low carbon and renewables. Our five-day visit was all about strengthening trade relations to proactively make it easier for Scottish companies to trade there. Many Scottish businesses are already successfully active in the region and by further nurturing our relations with the UAE we can not only enhance our own ways of working but can ultimately generate increased growth for the Scottish economy.

“Our message is clear – Scotland is very much open for business and is ready to compete on a global stage. We look forward to working in the region on future projects.”

The First Minister also contrasted the positive outlook shared by Scotland, Qatar and the UAE with the failed economic strategy of the UK Government. He said: “The economies of Qatar and the UAE continue to perform well as they seek to diversify. They share Scotland’s commitment to sustainable capital investment which will secure the long term future of our respective economies.

“In the current economic circumstances, capital investment must be a priority in both the public and private sector. Scotland offers many attractive business opportunities, particularly in renewables and infrastructure, which offer the prospects of good returns for substantial investors and this has been borne out by my discussions in the Middle East.

“I am now looking forward to our nations building on these dynamic new relationships for the greater benefit of us all.”

From Fame Publicity Services of Ayr, Ayrshire, Scotland. Web: www.famepublicity.co.uk

Ayrshire Scotland Business News

First Minister Alex Salmond will attend next week’s William Hill Ayr Gold Cup Saturday at Ayr Racecourse for the second year in a row and for the third time in the last five years.

[Pictured: First Minister Alex Salmond at Ayr Racecourse last year, congratulating jockey Frankie Dettori on winning his second Ayr Gold Cup in successive years.]

A keen horseracing fan, Mr Salmond will appear live on Channel 4’s Morning Line from the track at 8 o’clock on Saturday September 17 before spending the remainder of the day taking in Scotland’s biggest flat race meeting of the year.

He will be a guest of Racecourse owners Alan Macdonald and Richard Johnstone and watch the big race, the William Hill Ayr Gold Cup, from a Private Box in the Princess Royal Stand.

Mr Salmond will be hoping for a Scottish winner of the Gold Cup which hasn’t been won by a home-trained horse since Roman Warrior’s memorable win 36 years ago.

The best chance of that happening lies with the Jim Goldie trained Hawkeyethenoo which is currently priced at 14/1 with sponsors William Hill.

Advance ticket sales for the three-day meeting are selling well and it is expected crowds of more than 22,000 will take in the meeting which runs from Thursday until Saturday and features Ladies Day on Friday when one lucky lady will drive off in a Vauxhall Corsa Limited Edition courtesy of Kerr & Smith.

Ayr Racecourse ales and marketing manager Lindsey Smith said: “It’s a great boost that the First Minister’s Office have indicated that Mr Salmond will attend again this year. You can have no greater endorsement for your race meeting than your country’s leader stating he wants to attend.

“We are happy with advance sales and as ever will hope for some good weather to give us an added edge. We have a saying at the Racecourse that summer in Ayr doesn’t end until after the Gold Cup is run, so let’s hope for some real summer weather next week.”

For more information or to book tickets call 01292 264179 or go online at www.ayr-racecourse.co.uk

Advance bookings discounts apply until 7 days before the day of the meeting.

For further information please contact Iain Ferguson on 07795 565691.

Ayr Racecourse and the associated Western House Hotel are Founder Members of the Elite Ayrshire Business Circle.

From Fame Publicity Services of Ayr, Ayrshire, Scotland. Web: www.famepublicity.co.uk

Ayrshire Scotland Business News

In addition, the 23,000 fall in economic inactivity in Scotland is equivalent to 100 per cent of the fall in economic inactivity UK-wide.

Scotland’s unemployment level increased by 1,000, while the rate remained unchanged at 7.7 per cent in the three months to June – compared to a UK-wide increase of 38,000, and an increase of 0.1 per cent in the UK unemployment rate to 7.9 per cent.

Over the year unemployment in Scotland fell by 15,000 – compared to a UK-wide rise of 32,000.

Scotland has a lower unemployment rate, a higher employment rate and a lower rate of inactivity than the UK as a whole.

Scotland’s employment rate (for the population aged 16-64) increased by 0.6 percentage points to 71.9 per cent, while the UK rate remains unchanged at 70.7 per cent.

The figures also show that the economic inactivity rate in Scotland fell by 0.7 percentage points to 22.0 per cent over the three month period April to June. This compares to a UK rate of 23.2 per cent in the same period.

Scotland’s claimant count rate increased by 0.1 percentage point to 5.4 per cent in July – the same rate of increase as the UK as a whole.

Commenting on the labour market statistics, First Minister Alex Salmond called on the UK Government to take urgent measures to strengthen recovery, and published a three-point action plan setting out the priorities of increased capital investment, access to finance, and measures to boost economic security and consumer confidence.

First Minister Alex Salmond said: “In Scotland, the recession was both shorter and shallower compared to the UK as a whole, and the labour market figures show that 96 per cent of the UK-wide increase in aggregate employment – 24,000 of the 25,000 – has occurred in Scotland, while the 23,000 fall in economic inactivity in Scotland equates to the entire drop across the UK.

“Scotland has lower unemployment, higher employment and lower economic inactivity rates than the UK as a whole – which indicates that the measures the Scottish Government is taking to strengthen recovery and boost economic activity are working. But the rise in unemployment and the claimant count shows that more needs to be done in the key areas of capital investment, access to finance, and measures to boost economic security.

“While unemployment in Scotland fell by 15,000 over the year to June – against an increase of 32,000 across the UK – the latest figures show that there are absolutely no grounds for complacency.

“Uncertainty surrounding the global economic outlook means that we cannot rely on external factors to boost our economy, and we are setting out the action needed from the UK government to boost recovery.

“The priorities are increased capital investment to boost economic activity, access to finance to help small and medium sized businesses, and measures to boost consumer confidence and economic security.

“The action taken by the Scottish Government has had a positive impact. We accelerated capital investment at the height of the recession and over the year to March workforce construction jobs were up by 19,000, or 11.6 per cent, in Scotland – compared to a fall of 5,200, or 0.2 per cent, across the UK

“Our no compulsory redundancy policy for staff under our responsibility is helping to boost consumer confidence, and our commitment to the social wage – including the council tax freeze, no tuition fees, free prescriptions, and free concessionary travel – is giving Scots households maximum protection at a time when other bills and inflation are on a sharply rising curve.

“We now need the UK government to follow this lead and introduce an action plan to drive recovery.”

From Fame Publicity Services of Ayr, Ayrshire, Scotland. Web: www.famepublicity.co.uk

Ayrshire Scotland Business News

Making a law – and I mean making it, drafting it, ensuring it is an informed and workable piece of legislation – should not be a process that can be easily bypassed.

The kneejerk, easy fix solution is beloved of politicians because the only real dialogue it involves is the media soundbite that is now their sole means of communication.

But it rarely leads to long-term solutions.

So I’m cynical about the Scottish Government’s latest proposals for new sectarian laws.

Here’s a snippet of Alex Salmond this week:

“In the age of Twitter and texts, the dreams of a free-speaking world are contaminated by strains of bitterness. 

“Technology has given fresh energy to old hatreds and viral sectarianism again seeps across our land.” 

“It will be stopped. I will not have people living in fear of some idiotic 17th-century rivalry in the 21st century. 

“Sectarianism travels at least in part hand in hand with another scourge of our safety and happiness — the booze culture. 

“Thus the first legislation this parliament will see in this term shall address bigotry and booze.”

Booze and bigotry. Twin blights on modern Scotland.

Salmond has been consistent on the problems of our “booze culture” and his new parliamentary majority now gives him the latitude to enact laws that oppositions politicians stymied before the election.

On bigotry he’s been less sure footed. The SNP actually seem quite muted in their defence against claims that they have stalled progress on Scotland’s sectarian problem by failing to back initiatives started by Jack McConnell when he was First Minister.

That’s important here not for political point scoring but because the actions McConnell’s government were taking to look into sectarianism would have undoubtedly left the SNP’s new found evangelicalism for legislation better informed and better prepared.

Here’s Salmond explaining the new legislation:

“I am determined that the authorities have the powers they need to clamp down effectively on bigotry peddled online. The Internet is a force for good in so many ways – but it can also be abused by those who seek to spread hatred. That’s why the Scottish Government will bring forward legislation as soon as we can to make such online behaviour, including posts on sites like Facebook and Twitter, an indictable offence with a maximum punishment of five years in jail. 

“In addition, threatening and abusive behaviour inside a football ground would similarly become an indictable offence, again with prison sentences of up to five years available to the courts for anyone found guilty.”

As the recent case of a footballer and a former Big Brother contestant shows, the law’s relationship with the internet is somewhat cloudy. It seems unclear how that easily that piece of legislation will be enforced.

And, as Alex Massie points out, “threatening and abusive behaviour inside a football ground” covers such a manner of ills that players and managers might also be worried about the consequences.

If, of course, the laws are actually enforced. We have laws at the moment. Laws covering behaviour at and around football games. Laws that can quite easily be used to cover online crimes. Laws that cover hate crimes:

As of 1st April 2010, the Offences (Aggravation by Prejudice) Scotland Act 2009 class the following as Hate Crimes, with aggravators added to crime reports accordingly. The aggravators are:

• Race

• Sexual orientation

• Religion or belief (replacing Faith)

• Gender

• Transgender identity

• Disability

• Age

A new law is as worthless as an old law if it is ignored, if people can break it knowing that the police will not stand in their way. It may be that there are gaps are in those laws that need addressed. But is haste the best way to move forward?

Salmond also comes no closer to giving us a definition of sectarianism.

Here’s the Oxford Concise Dictionary definition:

adj. denoting,concerning or deriving from a sect or sects > carried out on the grounds of membership of a sect, denomination or other group: sectarian killings (it). n. a member or follower of a sect. (OCD)

And the entry in the third edition of Fowler’s Modern English Usage:

Now almost inevitably followed by the word violence, or other noun suggestive of killing or destruction, in Northern Ireland, the former Yugoslavia or elsewhere in the world.

Quoting a dictionary definition seems a dismal step towards pedantry in a blog post. But rarely are the semantics of a word so devoured as they are with “sectarianism” in Scotland.

As Tom Devine recently wrote in the Scotland on Sunday:

“No consensus exists, for instance, on the definition of the term ‘sectarianism’, a word which platitudinously slips off the tongue of politicians and commentators with little clear understanding.”

You might think that a government that has given a minister the specific brief of dealing with sectarianism would see defining sectarianism as a priority. It seems awkward and unworkable to get the laws in place before we have that discussion.

Thus when Rob McLean broke the news of Celtic fans singing “sectarian” songs at Hampden on Saturday most of us knew the sort of thing he meant. But Celtic fans were quick – and a legal precedent exists here – to say the songs in question were not sectarian.

Here’s Tom Devine again on why that’s the case:

“To understand which followed next it is important to be aware of the specifics of the Act. It states that an offence is aggravated by religious prejudice if: (a) “the offender evinces towards the victim (if any) of the offence malice and ill-will based on the victim’s membership or presumed membership of a religious group, or of a social or cultural group with a perceived religious affiliation; or (b) the offence is motivated (wholly or partly) by malice and ill-will towards members of a religious group, or of a social or cultural group with a perceived religious affiliation, based on their membership of that group.” 

“The key issue therefore was: Could vocal approval of the IRA in a public place be considered not simply a potential breach of the peace but one aggravated by religious prejudice? The sheriff listened to the evidence, including my own statement, and the various submissions on this question both by defence lawyers and the Crown. He concluded that doubtless some members of the public might take offence at songs being sung in support of an organisation which the UK Government considered to be a terrorist movement. 

“Nonetheless, he ruled that the IRA was a republican military organisation, was not sectarian in intent and that those who showed support for it, real or rhetorical, were not showing “malice or ill will towards members of a religious group’’. The charge could not therefore be sustained under the 2003 legislation and the accusation of a religiously aggravated breach was dismissed.”

Note the judge isn’t saying it’s OK. He’s not saying it’s nice. He’s saying it’s not a crime under the legislation.

Will the new laws accept that precedent? Will there be lists of prohibited songs? Will the new legislation criminalise certain songs but deem others acceptable.

Is that even a route down which our modern society would be comfortable travelling?

Here’s the Scoland on Sunday’s Kenny Farquharson on why we might feel some discomfort at what Justice Minister Kenny MacCaskill is planning:

“To say the very least, this is undue haste. MacAskill is about to step into one of the world’s most contentious and morally nuanced areas of law – a perfect philosophical storm of internet freedom, religious freedom and freedom of speech. And he intends to have it done and dusted in the few weeks of parliament that remain before MSPs start packing the Ambre Solaire and picking up a Jackie Collins to read by the pool? So the law can be in force by the time the Wee Red Book of fixtures is published for the new football season?

This is not an issue for bish-bash-bosh government. When it strays into thought crime it’s debatable whether it should be an issue for government at all. Surely MacAskill has learnt a lesson from the anti-sectarianism summit a few weeks ago, which came up with the unworkable idea of adding football stadium exclusions to the sentencing options for perpetrators of domestic violence on Old Firm match days.”

Salmond mentions “bigotry” and these discussions are taking place because of the Old Firm rivalry and its traditional religious element.

But will religion be the only focus of the laws?

Here are some figures regarding hate crimes in Scotland:

A report on Hate Crime in Scotland, 2010-11 was published today. This brings together in one publication figures previously published separately on race crime and religiously motivated crime. It also included figures on the three recently introduced categories of hate crime (disability, sexual orientation and transgender identity), legislation for which came into force on 24 March 2010. 

The main findings are 

In total 4,165 charges of race crime were reported to the Procurator Fiscal in 2010-11, 3.6% fewer than in 2009-10. Court proceedings were commenced in respect of 83% of these charges. In total, 92% of charges led to court proceedings (including those not separately prosecuted but where other charges for the same accused within the same case were) 

There were 693 charges with a religious aggravation reported to the Procurator Fiscal in 2010-11, 9.7% more than in 2009-10 and the highest number since 2006-07. Court proceedings were commenced in respect of 85% of charges. In total, 94% of charges led to court proceedings (including those not separately prosecuted) 

In the first full year of implementation of the new legislation, 448 charges were reported with an aggravation of sexual orientation, 50 with an aggravation of disability, and 14 with an aggravation of transgender identity 

Court proceedings were commenced in all 14 transgender identity charges. Court proceedings were commenced in 79% of the sexual orientation charges (86% including charges not separately prosecuted), and 70% of the disability charges (74% including charges not separately prosecuted)

My own anecdotal experience outside the Old Firm bubble is that there is more widespread racism and homophobia – however casual that might be – among supporters in Scotland than there is religious, certainly anti-Catholic or anti-Protestant, bigotry.

Will these new laws also be targeting that unacceptable face of football?

We also have the continual debate about whether football offers a platform for Donald Findlay’s “90 minute bigots” or if the bigots arrive fully rounded from a general sectarian lifestyle to pollute football’s innocence.

To what extent can these problems be traced back to the experiences of our industrial past? How has the destruction of those industries affected the problem? How far has the problem of sectarianism seeped through society from what might be considered its traditional strongholds? If, indeed, there are traditional geographical strongholds.

The government hasn’t shown any movement towards actually getting to the bottom of those issues.

Laws aimed at shutting up the peddler of hate without looking at why he is so filled with hatred are not the way to build a modern Scotland.

Amazingly, there has never even been any public study or analysis of the crime figures I quoted above to discover the nature and patterns of Scotland’s “religion or belief” motivated hate crimes. (A sample made available to the Catholic Church some years ago is reported to have suggested that crimes against Catholics made up the majority.)

We know that figure has recently gone up to as high a level as 2006/07. We don’t why. We don’t know why race crimes have fallen. We don’t know how many of these crime of hate were influenced, however indirectly, by the tribalism of some football supporters. These are important things to understand.

Some of that data will soon be made available. But not until after the June deadline given for pushing the new laws through parliament.

A football manager in Scotland should be able to do his job without being targeted by lunatics with an agenda that most of struggle to understand.

That much is clear.

And the government are not only entitled to act but, given football’s inability to deal with the problem, are perhaps duty bound to act.

The idea that politics and politicians should stay out football is laughable. Many of the songs that feature in these discussions are, after all, political.

On a more hope filled note what is the move towards improved governance, supporters’ trusts, fans co-operatives, if not political?

Politics and politicians have a role to play. But these are big issues, issues that have long festered in our game.

We need solutions and we need answers to a lot of questions. If, as I suspect, the government has simply come up with an impotent solution that answers the wrong questions, then football – and the majority of football fans in Scotland – will be let down.

And so will Scotland.

More:

Alex Massie Blog
Tom Devine, Herald
Tom Devine, Scotland on Sunday
Alex Salmond via SNP website
Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Services website
Lothian and Borders Police response to FOI request
Lallands Peat Worrier on the new legislation

The Scottish Football Blog