GREAT EVENING AT STEPS THEATRE

A brief post on a hugely successful and motivating evening spent in the company of some excellent speakers last night in Dundee.

The sage at the Steps Theatre

Organised by Yes Dundee and chaired, once again, by the estimable Stuart Fairweather (Trade Unionists for Independence) there were Robin McAlpine (Common Weal), Chris Law (Spirit of Independence), Libby McArthur (actress and writer), Jim Sillars (politician, trade unionist, writer and speaker) and Craig Murray (diplomat, writer, broadcaster and human right activist).

The atmosphere fair bristled with emotion as all the participants spoke, with passion, to their strengths. 

Munguin was pleased to welcome
 Mr Murray to Dundee

Craig talked about how corrupt the current UK state is and cited examples drawn from his own experiences as a top level diplomat in the FCO. The most compelling were about the UK's involvement in torture in Uzbekistan, a state many times more corrupt and repugnant than Iraq, and yet close friends of the UK (now, I think, being advised by none of than Blair, who it appears will do anything, no matter how disgusting, for money). He also pointed out that when the Uk went to war illegally in Iraq, in the sure knowledge that the UN would have forbidden it had they been consulted, everyone in government knew perfectly well that there were no WMDs. Hundreds of thousand of people died, were maimed, lost their livelihoods and indeed their country thanks to that deceit. Blair got a congressional medal.

Libby McArthur

Libby brought levity and comedy to the evening. Having met Tris's mum in the ladies' room prior to the meeting she referred a couple of times to her during her talk. Amongst many other topics she talked about how we no longer have many shows made here in Scotland; everything is done from London and most of her friends have had to leave Scotland to get work in theatres in London. Indeed the big shows that come to Glasgow and Edinburgh originate in London and star English actors. 

Chris and his Spirit of Independence, the Big Blue Goddess

Chris Law explained his crowd funded project of the big blue fire engine and its journey around Scotland taking information to people in towns, cities, villages and hamlets around the country. I love the slogan "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed it's the only thing that ever has."

Robin McAlpine

Robin McAlpine has to been seen to be believed. I've never hear a man pack so many words into such a short space. But he talks my language. Common Weal is so appealing to me. The thing that struck me was his comparison with Norway. Now he admitted that there are a lot of variables to consider when you look at the comparison of life styles between two different countries with different tax systems and prices etc, etc, but none the less He pointed out that the average wage in the UK is £25,000  and the bottom 10% average on £6,000. In Norway the average wage is £45,000 and the bottom 10% average out at around £25,000. We dont have to live under a horribly imbalanced regime where 1 in four kinds is living in poverty but there are 100 + billionaires in the country.

Jim Sillars... and Margo

Jim Sillars is an inspirational speaker. There's no nonsense about him. He wants a decent society, one his generation, he admits, failed miserably to provide for Scots. He sees (as Robin does) a huge opportunity to re-industrialise the country. He talked with such passion about some of the dreadful wastelands in the west, North Lanarkshire, Dunbartonshire, South Lanarkshire... areas around Glasgow, where people live under awful conditions, beaten down by the utter hopelessness of terrible housing, bad health, no suitable jobs that pay enough money that you don't have to claim benefits just to pay the rent, and then be called a benefit cheat by some toff from the House of Lords.

The emotion Jim put into his piece spread out across the audience through countless bursts of applause. And of course he paid a tribute, with a catch in his voice, to Margo.

The place was pretty packed and like every other meeting like this that I've been to, the friendliness and warmth of the crowd was something to be marvelled at. New friends were made.

We are creating a new Scotland here.  

We can do this. 

We just need to redouble our efforts over the next few weeks. The reward will be a much better life for our kids adn hopefully for us too.
**********

For fellow Dundonians, tomorrow promises a visit from Blair Jenkins, Spirit of Independence  and our own group, the Libations will be busking around Dundee promoting Caledonia. If you can get out and see the lads, I'm sure they will be happy so say hello. Munguin and I are hoping to get out to meet them.... and you. Say hello if you see us.
**********

Finally, I have no time for Jim Murphy. In fact I can't stand the bloke. He is a red Tory who has gone around his 100 streets lying through his teeth, refusing to answer awkward questions, and whining about a bit of barracking that any kind of a politician should be able to handle, but (although I take the point that eggs are really pretty inoffensive weapons...unlike the ones that Jim voted to be used on Iraqis), we should all be able to speak our minds without being assaulted. 

So because I feel strongly about any kind of violence, like Easy Peasy blog, I publish this picture of the person who is alleged to be the egg thrower in the hopes that some of the thousands of readers of Munguin's Republic will recognise him and dob him in. If he is not, then he should come forward and clear himself.

We can do this without eggs you half wit.