Report to the People
Fox Tales
With the press and public galleries full to bursting; protestors outside shouting abuse; and amendments, amendments to amendments and counter amendments to amendments flying across the chamber, you would be forgiven for thinking that the Scottish Parliament was an exciting place to have been during Wednesday’s fox hunting debate.
But, to be frank, despite that afternoon’s well-timed announcement from the BBC that Basil Brush is set for his TV comeback, the feeling among many MSPs was more of relief than celebration.
Partly because it is such an emotive issue and partly because the deep pockets of the bill’s opponents allowed them to mount a major publicity campaign, fox hunting has been a recurring theme in the Parliament for the past two and a half years.
This gave, wrongly, the impression that banning hunting was all MSPs were doing. In fact, this was the 32nd bill to be passed by the Parliament and was only considered once key bills on health, education, housing and transport were enacted.
I do, though, appreciate that animal welfare is hugely important to many people, including those in Greenock & Inverclyde who urged me to support the bill. It is also reassuring to see our young, democratically elected Parliament withstanding extreme pressure from the most powerful and wealthy vested interests in the country. Nevertheless, it was a relief to finally complete the process and get back to pursuing issues which more directly affect our daily lives.
Indeed, one such issue was debated the very next morning.
Water. The most basic of needs. Sadly, though, the clear, fresh (not to mention abundant) Scottish water of which we are so proud is in danger. As a result of decades of neglect, our water and sewerage infrastructure now needs around £2 billion just to meet the standards demanded by European and national legislation.
The Water Industry Bill, therefore, is being brought in to tackle these problems by completely restructuring the industry. The main change for us is that West of Scotland Water, along with the two other regional water authorities, will be replaced with a single, more powerful, authority – Scottish Water.
The atmosphere, though, could not have been more different.
Gone were the public, the press and the protestors who watched a six hour debate on a bill which will only affect 10 hunts (and of course some foxes). Instead, legislation which will affect every single one of us was passed before some security guards, tourists and visiting school children.
Such, I’m afraid, is politics. Tally Ho!
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