Press Release By Kenny Macaskill. MP.
MACASKILL CONDEMNS CORPORATE BODY DECISION AS “SHAMEFUL”
SPCB MUST THINK Again.
ALBA Depute Leader and Former Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill MP has written to the Scottish Parliament Presiding Officer, Alison Johnstone MSP who convenes the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB) strongly urging the SPCB to think again on their “shameful” decision to request draconian powers from the Home Secretary in Whitehall to limit peaceful protest on the Parliamentary Estate. Mr MacAskill who was himself a member of the Corporate Body under Sir George Reid has also condemned the move as “an affront to our democratic traditions” and a “threat to civil liberties”.
In a statement Mr MacAskill said:
“ Like many people in Scotland who campaigned long and hard to see our Parliament re-established I am appalled at this request for draconian powers from the Home Secretary in Whitehall which if granted would empower police to remove protestors from the surrounding area of the Scottish Parliament under threat of criminal prosecution.
“ This is a serious error of judgement by the SPCB and should be reversed now before any further damage is done to the reputation of our national Parliament.”
In his letter Mr MacAskill states:
“Restricting the right to peaceful protest in the wider Parliamentary Estate is deeply worrying, as is the request for draconian powers, from the Home Secretary in Whitehall, who has no jurisdiction whatsoever over the criminal justice system in Scotland. Police already have sufficient powers to allow them to police protests and are able to act appropriately to protect the safety of both members and public.
“It is shameful that these spaces are potentially put out of bounds to gatherings and protests. This is a retrograde step isolating the people from those they elect. It is an affront to our democratic traditions and a threat to civil liberties.
“I strongly urge you to defend the right of the people of Scotland to protest without fear of prosecution outside their Parliament. I hope that you will think again and that a proportionate and common sense approach will prevail.”
Letter To Presiding Officer.
Alison Johnstone MSP
Presiding Officer
Scottish Parliament
EDINBURGH,
EH99 1SP
13 September 2021
Dear Presiding Officer,
I write to you with regard to the decision by the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB) to apply to the Home Office to designate the Scottish Parliament building and its grounds as a “protected site” in the interests of national security. As I understand matters, this would empower the police to remove protesters from the surrounding area of the Scottish Parliament under threat of criminal prosecution. This would allow officers to remove people from grounds outside the building, including the grassy area and ponds opposite Holyroodhouse, and the public and staff entrances.
As a former Justice Secretary and indeed past member of the Corporate Body under Sir George Reid I strongly urge you and your colleagues to reconsider this decision. Restricting the right to peaceful protest on the wider Parliamentary Estate is deeply worrying, as is the request for draconian powers, from the Home Secretary in Whitehall, who has no jurisdiction whatsoever over the criminal justice system in Scotland. Police already have sufficient powers to allow them to police protests and are able to act appropriately to protect the safety of both members and public.
Scotland has a strong democratic tradition of the peaceful demonstrations, including during the long struggle for the Scottish Parliament itself. Since the re-establishment of the Scottish Parliament, the right of the people to protest against the decisions made by the MSPs they elect has been of fundamental importance to upholding the principle of the sovereignty of the people. Indeed one the ironies of the action being proposed is that peaceful protest such as the Vigil which took place outside the Royal High School Building and close to St Andrew’s House, following the 1992 General Election and other peaceful demonstrations outside that building would not have been possible under these provisions.
Enrique Miralles, the architect of Holyrood, specifically envisaged the area in front of the building for public gathering, protest and debate, echoing the Greek amphitheatres where democracy was born. It is shameful that these spaces are potentially put out of bounds to gatherings and protest. This is a retrograde step isolating the people from those they elect. It is an affront to our democratic traditions and a threat to civil liberties.
I strongly urge you to defend the right of the people of Scotland to protest without fear of prosecution outside their Parliament. I hope that you will think again and that a proportionate and common sense approach will prevail.
Yours sincerely
Kenny MacAskill MP
Member of Parliament for East Lothian
I would say the reason is precisely because it is an attack on Scots sovereignty that they are doing it. Just as they did with taking Indycamp to court in an attempt to remove the fundamental rights of the Scots to peacefully demonstrate on their land. When you add these to the colonial outpost in the capital of Scotland which houses more English establishment staff than the so called “Scottish” administrative parliament at Holyrood which has English government and establishment representatives within it then it is even worse. It is an all out assault on Scotland and will only get worse unless Scots proclaim their statehood with immediate effect.
I posted this comment on Grouse Beater’s blog a couple of days ago when this request from SPCB was made and think it is pertinent repeating here:
“This does not come as a surprise. Control and coercion have become the defining hallmark of this supposed Scottish government.
Imagine: OUR government – and with 3 delegates on the SPCB being members it is OUR government – pleading with one of the most morally repugnant members of a frothing British Nationalist government, allegedly the sworn enemy, to impose the law of another land on ours and to shut down the right to protest!
One of the main reasons for having our own government is that they would be accountable to the people and that we could give them a rhetorical kick up the backside when they deserved it. Now they are the untouchables or at least they wish to be.
Orwell’s dark allegorical retrospective on the betrayal of the Russian revolution is pertinent to Sturgeon’s Scotland. It’s hard to credit but there it is – the elitist pigs are now fully attired in suits, shirts and ties right enough.”
Look at what has happened to democracy within the SNP Party and this is no surprise.
All roads lead back to Sturgeon and when someone shows you who they are – believe them.
The use of Westminster legislation is an even greater insult.
The People of Scotland are Sovereign – I never thoight we would have to remind the FM of Scotland of their own countries history.
Alison Johnstone is the puppet. Do not let the puppet master escape scrutiny.
“When you tear out a man’s tongue, you are not proving him a liar, you’re only telling the world that you fear what he might say.”
Tyrion Lannister (Game of Thrones)
Sturgeon obviously hasn’t watched GOT.
‘The Auld Enemy’ – is STILL against Scotland’s sovereign people!
I was involved in the campaign for a Scottish Parliament in the 1990s. The whole point of having our own legislature was that it would NOT copy the anti-democratic practices of Westminster, with it’s “I Spy Strangers” call to clear the public galleries. As noted in this letter, the very design of the space is to encourage the public in.
I noticed the Sturgeonistas are hiding behind the idea that the SPCB did this all on their own – as if the seatwarming minions of the SNP and the Greens ever do anything without the agreement of their party leaders. They obviously just want to hear from lobbyists rather than the great unwashed. Strange who politicians who talk about “inclusivity” are so keen to exclude those who disagree with them. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that this decision was made within days of two anti-government protests by (mostly) pro-indy activists.
I understand there is to be a demo opposing this – I hope it will be well publicised on the blogosphere for those of us who don’t use social media.
AnneDon: spot on. Lobbyism is the new democracy. Consultation? Aye, consult government-funded institutions instead of the people. These are the ways in which you get the answers you want. Then you press ahead with policies that very few want, but which suit you for ideological/finance reasons. ‘The People’ only discover when it’s too late that they are burdened with a policy that they would never have voted for in a million years. SNP MSPs and MPs had better get it through their noodles that ‘The People’ will withdraw their votes if this goes on. Och, why would they care? Fat pensions the rest of us can only dream of and shunted sideways into some lucrative sinecure, and another government to carry the can in the future. They are worse than Westminster. We knew what Westminster was; we only thought we knew what Holyrood was; and how wrong we were – and that goes for all the parties. They are all tarred with the same brush. A**e-lickers and lardy a***s in suits. In the UK (and probably everywhere else, too) things change only so that nothing changes.
This is what the so-called party-of-independence has become: wed, in every respect, to the British state. Thankfully, we still have people of Kenny’s vast experience and moral courage within our number. This kind of deference to a foreign government is beyond-the-pale and is ultimately, treasonous in every possible respect.
I note that a special question submitted by a Green MSP has been accepted for this afternoon.
The spin has already started that “it would never be used”/ “ it only puts Holyrood on a par with Westminster”
Let this legislation stand and the Police and the Courts will decide your freedom. We have all seen how that has turned out recently.
That’s the whole point though. We never wanted to be on a par with Westminster. We wanted to be Better.
On this topic.
An emergency question at Holyrood to day will be asked over why the SPCB wants to ban demos outside Holyrood.
“Scottish Parliament Corporate Body (SCPB) have been asked to reveal the private papers behind the law change set to come into force next month.”
This is the question.
“To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body for what reason it applied for designated status for the Scottish Parliament under the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005, and whether it will publish the background paper upon which this decision was based.”
https://archive.is/ZGY6J