A WORD of caution about May Day cavalcade plans, as reported in Saturday’s National. With the counting not starting till Friday May 8 and results not known until later that day or into the Saturday, is that not the time to have cavalcades round our towns, cities and villages – after we know we have won? By all means have as many street stalls, bridge events, mass leafleting events etc before and on May 1, and right up till the 6th. But cavalcades? A bit over the top before actually winning. Triumphalist? And we do understand the need to be able to replace the AUOB marches – we have been to most of them.
READ MORE: May day cavalcades to replace Scottish Independence Movement's marches
In 1992, a few days before the election, Labour held a huge rally in Sheffield, attended by the shadow cabinet and Neil and Glynis Kinnock. It was full of swagger, noise and pomp and looked like a victory rally. Opinion polls had Labour winning and this rally was widely covered in the press. A few days later John Major won and Kinnock was history.
Just a thought – but we HAVE to get this election result right with NO own goals!
Lorne and Maureen Anton
Scottish Borders
THE Scottish Independence Movement is planning May Day cavalcades. This is analogous to the old practice of Riding the Marches to ensure the stability of local boundaries of burghs. It is in the present time an excellent way to prevent unnecessary travel. In The Paix Machine, a novel I wrote in 1996, a similar informal parade happened when Scotland became independent.
There is a long history of such public displays, as when monarchs returned to Edinburgh. It would be pleasant to think the spirit of celebration of such events as the Edinburgh taxi drivers’ outing, which had a charitable purpose, would be integrated into this new phenomenon though in its political slant it will perhaps be more like the Miners’ Gala.
In The Paix Machine, which is in Scots, one onlooker is a politician called Tammie Trout. I did not imagine when I was writing it that Salmond would be still be causing waves after all these years.
Iain WD Forde
Scotlandwell
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