 | 'I think that there is a risk if you spend half of what other people spend of your Gross Domestic Product on health care, and actually practically speaking that's what we do in Britain.' Health Expert and Labour Peer, Lord Winston, 25 th January 2000. |  |
First Minister Donald Dewar and Sir David Steel were involved in a furious behind-the-scenes row amid Opposition accusations that the Prime Minister has announced he would address the Scottish Parliament without first being invited.
Angry Nationalist MSPs complained that Mr Blair was treating the Parliament "like a parish council" by choosing to visit it in the week before the Ayr by-election when Labour will defend a tiny majority.
Tory leader William Hague also aroused cross-border controversy by stating he would campaign in Ayr, where the Tories and SNP are seeking to topple Labour's majority of only 25, the smallest in the country, and becoming embroiled in the Section 28 row with an attack on the Scottish Executive.
Before taking his place in the distinguished visitors' gallery during First Minister's Questions in the Scottish Parliament, he told reporters the Ayr contest would be an opportunity for Scots to tell the Executive to get back to work on issues which really mattered to voters.
Suggesting that the row over Section 28, which bans the promotion in schools of homosexuality as acceptable, would feature in the Ayr campaign, Mr Hague said voters were amazed at Ministers trying to repeal the law "against the wishes of the great majority of the people of Scotland".
The Scottish Parliament should not be blamed for the behaviour of the Executive, he said. Asked if he was presenting himself as the saviour of the Scottish Parliament, Mr Hague replied: "Well, someone has to."
SNP leader Alex Salmond accused Mr Blair of "blatant electioneering" and claimed the Prime Minister would be unable to resist "abusing the hospitality" of the Scottish Parliament during his planned address.
Labour responded by saying Mr Blair was coming to Edinburgh for the party's annual Scottish conference.
Mr Dewar scolded Sir David, the Presiding Officer, for saying he trusted the Prime Minister would not "abuse the hospitality" of the Parliament and for letting it be known he had told the Prime Minister of his "disapproval" of reports that he would "address" MSPs.
Sir David last night softened his stance after reportedly tetchy exchanges with the First Minister. The Presiding Officer turned his wrath on Mr Salmond for distributing copies of a private letter revealing apparent doubts about the arrangements for Mr Blair's visit.
The dispute is rooted in a briefing last Thursday in the Commons by Mr Blair's press secretary, Alastair Campbell, who told journalists the Prime Minister would "address the Scottish Parliament in the not too distant future". To the annoyance of senior MSPs from all parties, this was interpreted by one newspaper as Mr Blair flying to Scotland to "reassure voters that devolution is working" despite recent crises in the Executive.
Mr Campbell's announcement was made before an invitation had been issued and before a date had been fixed. But he also emphasised that the visit was not intended as an attempt to bolster Mr Dewar's standing or the performance of the Executive.
Dates were discussed on Tuesday by the Scottish Parliament's cross-party business bureau which sets the Holyrood agenda. According to the SNP, no decision was taken although March 9 - the eve of Labour's conference, one week before voters go to the polls in Ayr - was mentioned.
SNP business manager Michael Russell insisted: "At no time have I or any, in my view, of the bureau agreed to the visit being on this date."
Other sources say a decision was taken to invite Mr Blair on that date. Last night those conflicting statements could not be reconciled.
On Wednesday, Sir David wrote to Mr Blair with a formal invitation, six days after Mr Campbell let it be known the Prime Minister was coming. Sir David expressed his surprise at press reports that Mr Blair already had plans to "address the Parliament" and he wrote: "I suggest that our two offices arrange a suitable date."
During First Minister's Questions, Mr Salmond spoke of "the gall of the Prime Minister using this Parliament as a political plaything before a by-election". He told The Herald: "You do not just invite yourself to address a Parliament. The Parliament has to invite you. We are not a parish council."
Meantime, in his first act as Shadow Chancellor, Michael Portillo rewrote Tory policy on the national minimum wage and Bank of England independence. He said the next Conservative government would "respect" the independence of the Bank to set interest rates and announced the Opposition now favoured retaining the minimum wage, which Tories had bitterly opposed.
4 th February 2000
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