AGENDA
'_ Total recall
Eighteen months after Democracy for Scotland started a permanent vigil for a Scottish parliament, its supporters plan to step up the campaign by exploiting what they believe to be constitutional loophole.
DFS argues that because the Scottish parliament was adjourned, not dissolved, in l707, the people of Scotland can recall it at any time. And that’s exactly what DFS plans to do next April, two years after the vigil was established outside the proposed parliament building in Edinburgh.
To mark the change of direction, DFS is organising a rally on Calton Hill when it will call on Scottish MPs to sign a declaration which pledges support to recalling the parliament as ‘a modern and democratic body empowering all our citizens‘. Members ofthe public will also be given the chance to support the recall by signing the declaration.
‘The recall committee was formed to
go further than the democracy declaration,’ DFS co-ordinator Mike Ferrigan says. ‘We see the recall committee as a huge step forward for Scotland in asserting democracy for the Scottish people because every issue in Scotland is centred on the fact the people don’t have decision-making power through a parliament.‘
The recall committee, which describes itselfas ‘non-political’, includes representatives of the Scottish National
Party, Scottish Liberal Democrats and the Scottish Greens among its members but it is unclear which MPs will sign the recall declaration. The initial recall would be a symbolic sitting of Scottish MPs that supported the idea who would consider how to establish a permanent Scottish parliament.
Ferrigan acknowledges that the committee needs to establish that there is substantial support for the recall to make it work as a symbolic gesture. it would like to organise a ‘preferendum’, a kind of multiple choice referendum, which would give people the chance to choose from a number of options. Initially this could be done on a sample population by a polling organisation.
‘We are trying to create the new politics required in Scotland to deny this fallacy of Westminster as the Mother of Parliaments.’ says Ferrigan. (Eddie Gibb)
The Recall Rally is on Saturday 27 November, starting at noon, with signing of the declaration at 6pm. Entertainment will provided by local bands including the Robert Fish Band and Mackle Ado. For details call DF S on 664 I400.
I Comedy votes The fourth British Comedy Awards will be broadcast live from the London Television Centre on Sunday 12 December. Two categories in the awards are reliant on viewers phoning in. Far be it from us to show any bias, but we feel we should mention that there is only one Scottish act nominated in the phone-in sections. The Absolutely team are among the nominees for Best Comedy Series and should you feel them worthy of your support, the number to ring is 0891 300306. Lines are open now. I Drive-in Saturday Fancy going to a drive in? On roller skates? The organisers of the Hogmanay event in Edinburgh are looking for volunteers to serve refreshments to the cars during the three-film, all-American, drive-in movie event at New Street car park on I January. Interested? Call Unique Events on 031 557 3990 for details. I Cable TV Edinburgh TV viewers could be watching local news and sports broadcasts within a couple of years after a London company was awarded a cable franchise recently. The consortium, backed by SelecTV and the Daily Mail publisher Associated Newspapers, begins broadcasting in London next year and says it plans to be in Edinburgh by I995. I Film stock The Government‘s Business Expansion Scheme is being used to raise the money to finance an independent film No Regrets. The producers say the film is Iow-budget but commercially viable and are looking for investors to buy shares in the £100,000 budget production. The film sounds like a kind of Scottish After Hours about a night in the life of a young lawyer who is mugged at a cashpoint. I Disabled access An updated guide to disabled access at arts venues and other public places in the Edinburgh area has been published in several formats, including braille and tape. The guide is produced by the Lothian Coalition for Disabled People which can be contacted on 031 220 6855.
'1... £8 million llothes llalls opens
g iinally at the end oi llovember alter
the project was kicked around at the planning stages for nearly twelve years.
Unlike other Scottish new towns, Glentothes has never had any kind oi entertainment venue. The llothes llalls have been built to plug that gap and manager Brian llorsborough hopes the venue will quickly establish itseli on the circuit tor touring music and theatre productions. lie is particularly keen to book rock bands to the 1200 capacity main hall but so tar has not managed to persuade any promoters to take the plunge.
‘My one concern was that we don’t have enough live bands in the opening
programme,’ he says. ‘Fiie is overlooked by some bands but there is a great demand here.’
The venue was lunded by the Glenrothes Development Corporation as its last major project beiore disbandlng in two years’ time. After that, the operation oi the halls is likely to be translerred to local authority control and the venue will also act as a community events centre.
The opening programme ieatures Opera East periormlng la Scheme and The Magic Flute, and the Freddie Mercury and Queen tribute show. (Eli) The liothes lialls opening pageant is on 30 November. Details on 0592 612121.
v ACTION ‘
I Anti-Racist Demonstration While controversy over the violence at the recent demonstration against the BNP in South London continues to detract from the real issues, the annual St Andrews Day anti-racist rally takes place in Glasgow on Sat 27. The rally assembles at Blytheswood Square at 10.30am, marching off at I lam to a meeting at the City Halls, Candleriggs at noon. Besides speakers from the Anti Racist Alliance and political parties, a programme of entertainment is planned for the rally, including the Eurydice Choir and a steel band. The BNP is trying to recruit in Scotland, so this is an opportunity to demonstrate against its racist politics. I Stop The Curlew Does the clubs curfew curb city centre crime? Clubbers say ‘no way!’ Join The Shamen at the demonstration against the restriction on Fri I9, 8—10.30pm, in Glasgow's George Square. I Debating Development Glasgow action for World Development is a new organisation campaigning and educating locally for global change. It is holding a forum to explore issues in world development, both in Scotland and overseas, on Sat 27, IO.30am—l2.30pm, at the Hillhead Library, Byres Road, Glasgow. Speakers include Marie Hearle of Oxfam and Mike Watson MP. Further details from 04] 334 841 l. I Candle-lit Vigil The Women in Black is a network of women who oppose militarism, violence and enforced separatism in former Yugoslavia and elsewhere. In Scotland, a broad alliance of groups including Glasgow Women's Aid, the Scottish Women 's Action Network and Strathclyde Rape Crisis are working together to help bring the subject of violence against women into the public arena as part of the Zero Tolerance Campaign. There will be a candle-lit vigil in George Square, Glasgow on Thurs 25, from 6pm. I TALKS and recrunes: Patrick Macolll Memorial lecture Govenhill Neighbourhood Centre, Daisy Street, Glasgow, Tue 23, 8pm. Free. Writer and poet Freddy Anderson gives this talk organised by the Irish in Scotland History Group. Through a Glass Darkly Royal College of Physicians, Queen Street Edinburgh, Thurs 25, 7pm. Free. Joan Bakewell. writer and presenter of BBCI ‘s Heart ofthe Matter, gives this talk sub-titled ‘Moral Values in a Changing Europe'. as part of the Lothian European Lectures. The Europe Without Values? New Senate Hall, Old College, South Bridge, Edinburgh, Mon 29, 5.15pm. Free. Another Lothian European Lecture, given by Professor Peter Jones, Director of the Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities at Edinburgh University. John Muir's California Portobello Town Hall, Mon 29, 7.30pm. £3. Terry Gifford gives the tenth anniversary lecture of the John Muir Trust about this notable Scottish naturalist.
Iltyou havenewsoianyeventsor courses which you want publicised In this column, please iorward them to ‘Actlon’ at The list, 14 lllgh Street, Edinburgh EH1 1TE and include a day- time phone number.
The List l9 November—2 December I993 5