SSP leader urges executive to help free whistleblower Vanunu - The Herald THE Scottish Executive was asked yesterday to help put pressure on the Israeli government to secure the freedom of Mordechai Vanunu, the Israeli whistleblower.
Colin Fox, leader of the Scottish Socialist party, asked Jack McConnell, the first minister, what representations he would make to allow Mr Vanunu to visit Scotland to take up his role as rector of Glasgow University.
In December last year, the former technician, jailed for 18 years for leaking Israel's nuclear secrets in 1986, was elected to the role at the institution.
He was freed from prison last April but is forbidden from leaving east Jerusalem or speak to foreigners.
Last week, he was indicted – three days after giving an interview to The Herald – for violating the terms of his release. The charges relate to his interviews with foreign media and defying a travel ban.
Mr McConnell said the executive had had no representation from Glasgow University on the issue, but that any response to such a representation would involve consultation with the Foreign Office.
The Socialist party leader told the chamber Mr Vanunu's bail conditions were up for review on April 21 and asked the first minister if he would make representations to UK and EU parliaments, urging them to make every effort to ensure Mr Vanunu's human right to return to Europe is recognised.
Mr Fox said of the first minister's response: "I'm disappointed he can't be more forthright. This is the second time he has opted out of an opinion on the matter."
Looking ahead to July's G8 summit in Perthshire, the Lothians MSP said there could be "no better sight to greet the arrival in Scotland in July of thousands of visitors to these shores" than to see Mr Vanunu at the head of the protests expected to target the event.

The Herald

The M74 inquiry put the brakes on – but the link goes ahead

THE Scottish cabinet drove their ministerial Mondeos through a forest of stop signs and into hostile territory yesterday, pressing ahead with the M74 link in the face of a critical report from an official inquiry.
In a move which could yet end in court or with protesters chained to bulldozers, the Scottish Executive provoked the fury of the environmental movement and opposition MSPs by deciding to ignore the detailed case for scrapping the road plan...

But Rosie Kane, Scottish Socialist MSP for Glasgow, who entered politics on the back of early protests against the M74, said the executive had treated MSPs with contempt, holding back publication of the report until the eve of the Easter recess, six months after it had received it.
"This road will be a five-mile, six-lane monster defacing Glasgow. The M74 campaigners will now be looking at a judicial review, and we warn the executive that its contempt for the democratic process will cost it dearly."

The Scotsman

BBC NEWS: "Scottish Socialist Party MSP Rosie Kane was 'furious' at the announcement.

She said: 'This is an absolute outrage.

'The Scottish Executive has driven a coach and horses through the whole concept of independent inquiries.

'The Reporter has recommended that the M74 should not proceed and yet the Scottish Executive has treated his report with contempt.'

Vanunu cause to be raised at Holyrood - The Herald: "Colin Fox, leader of the Scottish Socialist Party, said last night he would be asking Jack McConnell, Scotland's first minister, what representations the Scottish Executive would make to the Israeli government to allow Mr Vanunu to visit Scotland to take up his role as rector of Glasgow University"

Sunday Herald Scottish Socialist Party convener Colin Fox said it was outrageous that ministers were meeting politicians from the US right. “Tom McCabe appears to have taken leave of his senses. Scottish taxpayers are funding a Labour minister to pay his respects to the vilest form of right-wing, anti-abortion zealot. The meeting should be cancelled,” he said.

Scotland on Sunday THOUSANDS of anti-war protesters took to the streets of Glasgow and London yesterday to demand a return of British troops on the second anniversary of the start of the conflict in Iraq.

The Glasgow rally, organised by the Scottish Coalition for Justice not War and the Justice for Gordon Gentle Campaign, followed a march by up to 1,000 demonstrators through the city centre to St Enoch Square.

The names of some of those who have died during the conflict were read out, along with a so-called "name and shame" list of Scottish MPs who gave their backing to the war.

Maxine Gentle, the sister of 19-year-old soldier Pte Gordon Gentle, a Royal Highland Fusilier who was killed in a roadside bomb attack in Basra in June last year, called on the Prime Minister not to send any more troops.

The 15-year-old said: "I miss my big brother very much and think Tony Blair should be put out because I don’t want him to send in any more troops to help George Bush. My brother died for no good reason."