Golden Jubilee
We come now to a debate on motion S1M-3103, in the name of the First Minister, on the golden jubilee, and one amendment to the motion.
It is my privilege to move the motion of congratulations to Her Majesty the Queen on the occasion of her golden jubilee and, in doing so, to pay tribute to her work over the years and to the significant contribution that she has made to the society in which we live.
Fifty years ago, this was a very different country and a very different United Kingdom. Seven years had passed since the end of the second world war and, in 1952, national identity cards and the utility clothing scheme came to an end. This was a country that was coming to terms with the pain and damage of a war that had cost so much. It was a country that was coming to terms with the impact of that war on attitudes and expectations and that was taking the early steps to rebuild the economy and to improve the quality of life of its citizens.
Today our economy is more than three and a half times larger than it was in 1952. Productivity has more than doubled and the number of women working has risen by two thirds. Our country has changed in other important ways, too. Significant medical advances, improvements in our diet, the increased choices that are available to us and our standard of living have driven down infant mortality by a remarkable 79 per cent. Life expectancy has risen by more than eight years for both men and women and medical technology and the growing skill of our health workers has brought us the keyhole and transplant surgery that we now take as routine but that in 1952 were unheard of. The illness and disease that were commonplace in 1952—tuberculosis, smallpox and polio—have largely been eradicated by national inoculation programmes.
The 50 years since the Queen's accession have brought change and progress in every aspect of our lives—changes that our parents and grandparents could not, and did not, imagine. There has been change in the work that we do and how we do it. There has been progress in our health and education. Fifty years ago, no one had orbited this planet or set foot on another. Today, we have our first space-travelling tourist. Fifty years ago, television was a novelty that very few families had seen. Indeed, the first real rise in the number of televisions available was the result of ordinary people wanting to watch the coronation of Her Majesty in 1953. Today, we have more than one television per household, video recorders and players, digital versatile discs, mobile phones, palmtops and—curse it though we do—the pager.
The progress of democracy has continued, too. Here in Britain and in this Parliament we have evidence of the significant progress that has been made in our democratic arrangements. We have moved from a United Kingdom that in 1952 still had colonies around the world to a United Kingdom that is playing a critical role both in a democratic European Union and in a Commonwealth of nations that have moved through terrible years of bloodshed towards prosperity, increased tolerance and mutual support.
I remember clearly the speech that Her Majesty made when opening this Parliament. She spoke of the trust and faith that she had in the Scottish people and in devolution. Her gift of the mace is a permanent symbol of that faith. The Queen drew confidence from the respect and admiration for Scotland that exists throughout the United Kingdom. She also reflected on the grit, determination and humour that characterised the contribution of Scots to the life of the United Kingdom. It was clear that Scotland holds a special place in her affections and those of her family.
Throughout the 50 years of massive and significant change that I have described, Her Majesty the Queen has provided this country and the Commonwealth with a constancy of purpose, a stability and a clarity of leadership that have proved invaluable. No one is immune from change. At different times in our private and public lives, all of us find the changes that we face difficult and challenging. For Her Majesty the Queen, it can be no different. However, by holding fast to the values of public service, commitment to duty, responsibility and compassion for others, she has shown that we can not only manage significant change, but embrace it and build from it renewed understanding and commitment to achieving our goals.
Today in the Parliament, it is important for us to reflect on the Queen's achievements over the years, to recognise the important and valuable contribution that she has made to our lives and the lives of people here and across the world and to congratulate her on the part that she has played in leading this country into a new century.
I move,
That the Parliament congratulates Her Majesty the Queen on the occasion of Her Golden Jubilee; expresses its gratitude for Her Majesty's outstanding public service and steadfast dedication to duty over half a century of immense change; affirms the respect that is held for Her Majesty the Queen in Scotland, and looks forward with anticipation to the continuation of that long and close association on the occasion of Her Majesty's Golden Jubilee tour of Scotland later this month and Her visit to the Parliament in Aberdeen on 28 May.
It may be hard to believe, but the Queen and I have certain things in common. Some members may recall that a number of years ago I was condemned as a tax dodger because I refused to pay my poll tax. Now the Queen has launched her own, one-woman, mass non-payment campaign by refusing to pay the £20 million inheritance tax that is due on her estate. I am sure that MSPs—particularly those who condemned me as a tax dodger for refusing to pay a £300 poll tax bill—will join me in condemning the Queen as a tax dodger and support my amendment, which calls on her to stump up the tax that she owes.
I am also sure that many MSPs—especially on the Labour and SNP benches—are squirming with embarrassment at the sycophantic, servile, forelock-tugging motion that their party leaders are asking them to support. Jack McConnell and John Swinney proudly describe themselves as modernisers. However, any genuine moderniser in the Parliament would back my amendment, which is about rejecting a feudal institution that is based on blood, ancestry and inherited privilege and power.
I will quote what a Scottish Labour politician said about the Queen's jubilee. He said:
"The throne is the symbol of oppression ... The throne represents the power of caste. Round the throne gather the unwholesome parasites. The toady who crawls through the mire of self-abasement to enable him to bask in the smile of royalty is ... the victim of a diseased organism".
Those are strong words. They are the words not of Tony Blair but of Keir Hardie, the founder of Mr McConnell's party. They come from his speech in 1897 on Queen Victoria's jubilee. Keir Hardie might have worn a cloth cap and sported a big beard, but he was a real modernising politician.
Keir Hardie was some 80 years ahead of Johnny Rotten and the Sex Pistols and more than 100 years ahead of Scotland's four main leaders today, who in the 21st century still fawn after an institution that was already well past its sell-by date in the 19th century. The royal family has a place in modern society, but I suggest that that place is in Madame Tussaud's or perhaps in the National Museum of Scotland next to the dinosaurs.
In the Parliament, we have heard moving renditions of songs that are anthems to democracy and egalitarianism: "A Man's a Man for a' that", which lampoons royalty and aristocracy, and "The Freedom Come All Ye", with its vision of a Scottish republic in which all are equal. Let us not just sing songs about democracy and equality but stand up for genuine democracy and equality. I ask members to support the amendment.
I move amendment S1M-3103.1, to leave out from "congratulates" to end and insert:
"believes that the position of Her Majesty the Queen and the monarchy represent the worst excesses of the extreme inequality of wealth and power which undermine society as a whole; calls on Her Majesty the Queen to pay full inheritance tax on the estate left to Her by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, and believes that Scotland's future is as an independent republic where the people are sovereign and are recognised as citizens, not subjects as is the case currently under our archaic and outdated monarchy arrangement."
Today, Parliament places on record its respect for Her Majesty the Queen's 50 years of public service through a motion of congratulations to mark her golden jubilee.
As the First Minister rightly said, in those 50 years there has been profound change in this country, in the United Kingdom and in the wider community. The British empire, which spanned the globe in the 1950s, no longer exists. The Commonwealth has emerged to draw democratic countries together in equality and in mutual respect. The United Kingdom has changed utterly and has pooled sovereignty with the European Union. Significant powers have been devolved to Assemblies in Cardiff and Belfast and to this Parliament in Edinburgh.
The Queen has recognised that change and has adapted to it. She has also recognised that change will be a constant. In her address to the Westminster Parliament last month, she signalled her desire to continue to adapt to that change.
All the changes to which I have referred have come about because of the democratic will of the people. We are privileged to meet in this Parliament and to have been brought here by the democratic will of our people. That democratic will is at the heart of our country, which is rooted in the sovereignty of the Scottish people. That principle gives the people of Scotland the power to decide how they should be governed both today and in future.
All of us who had the privilege of attending the Parliament's official opening on 1 July 1999 will never forget that historic and moving day. The Queen recognised the momentous significance of the occasion when she told the Scottish people:
"It is a moment rare in the life of a nation when we step across the threshold of a new constitutional age."
During that speech, she praised the qualities of the people of Scotland: co-operation, learning, entrepreneurial flair and national pride. She said that those and other Scottish traits ensured that Scotland enjoyed a special place in her affections.
The Queen's association with this country stretches far beyond the Parliament. She is currently patron of 620 charities and organisations, many of which are based here in Scotland. Therefore, it came as no surprise that public service and voluntary endeavour were chosen as one of the six key themes to characterise the jubilee celebrations. A record of public service has been implicit in all the work that the Queen has undertaken.
Throughout the past 50 years, the Queen has carried out her duties with dignity and dedication. I am sure that she has looked forward with warmth and anticipation to her golden jubilee, but we should recall that, for the Queen, this year will be touched with personal sadness. Parliament pays tribute to the Queen's many years of public service and recognises the respect in which she has been held over those 50 years.
I would very much like to associate the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party with the First Minister's motion of congratulations to Her Majesty the Queen on her golden jubilee.
I am a pure Elizabethan, having lived all my life during the reign of Her Majesty. Indeed, I hope to celebrate my own golden jubilee in a few months' time—although I do not expect that to be an occasion for national rejoicing. However, the golden jubilee of Her Majesty most certainly is such an occasion.
In the past 50 years, Her Majesty has at all times carried out her constitutional role with unerring good judgment. The Queen has been, in every sense, a model constitutional monarch. Our living democracy owes much to her instinctive understanding of that rule and her deep love for our country. We therefore celebrate with gratitude 50 years of service to the people of Scotland, the United Kingdom and the wider Commonwealth.
Over those 50 years, the Queen has touched millions of lives through her visits and engagements, through her recognition of people of achievement and courage and through the hard work that she has carried out on behalf of the many charities and other organisations of which she is a patron. Her Majesty has set an admirable example of service to all generations and our regard for her outstanding service to our country has never been higher. Throughout the 50 years of profound social and economic change that the First Minister identified in his speech, her constancy has symbolised the strength, stability and unity of the United Kingdom.
The Queen has a special connection with Scotland thanks to her mother's Scottish ancestry and her obvious affection for Scotland and its people. Indeed, she carried out her first official tour of Scotland with her parents back in September 1944 and performed her first opening ceremony in October of that year at the sailors home in Aberdeen. It is perhaps entirely appropriate that she will return to Aberdeen later this month to address the Scottish Parliament on her golden jubilee tour of Scotland.
Her Majesty's love of Scotland's countryside is demonstrated by her obvious enjoyment of annual holidays at Balmoral. She seems to thrive on our Scottish climate, which goes a long way towards explaining the warmth of feeling that people in Scotland have always had for her.
That high regard for Her Majesty is shared around the world because, through the Commonwealth, the Queen has made an enduring contribution to the lives of hundreds of millions of people around the globe. To Her Majesty, the Commonwealth has never been just another duty or the relic of an imperial past; it has been a deep and abiding personal interest founded on a conviction that that community of countries can be a force for good in the world in addressing some of the major issues of our time.
Throughout her reign, Her Majesty has lived with constant media interest, often at difficult times for her family. However, at all times, she has conducted herself with dignity and honour in a way that has won her our admiration. Never has that been more evident than this year, which saw the particularly painful loss of her mother and her sister. However, even when confronted with personal sadness, the Queen has never flinched from her public duty and has put her country and her people first.
Earlier this year, some critics predicted that there would be no interest in the golden jubilee, which they said would be a flop. I happily predict today that the Jeremiahs and the carpers will be proved utterly wrong by the scale of the celebrations that will take place throughout Scotland and the rest of the United Kingdom—a joyous demonstration of the loyalty of our people and the affection in which Her Majesty is held.
We in this chamber will always remember the central role that Her Majesty played in the opening ceremony of the Scottish Parliament. Her Majesty honoured us with her presence that day and will do so again when we meet in Aberdeen. I thank her for her service and devotion to our country over the past half century. Long may she continue to reign over us.
On behalf of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, I add my support to the motion and offer our congratulations to Her Majesty on the occasion of her golden jubilee. In doing so, I am conscious that the Parliament has met twice in recent months to offer condolences to the Queen on the deaths of her sister, Princess Margaret, and her mother, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. However, in the face of personal sadness, the Queen has been steadfast in her commitment to duty and service, which have been a hallmark of her long reign.
As others have said, 50 years is a remarkably long time. The Queen came to the throne two and a half years before I was born. In 1952, Winston Churchill was Prime Minister and there were still features of post-war austerity, including rationing. Who could have foreseen the dramatic changes that would take place in the half century that lay ahead? In 1952, the Queen reigned over colonies in almost every continent. Today, we have a Commonwealth of independent nations whose individual respect for the Queen is a reflection of her personal interest in and commitment to the idea—indeed, the ideal—of a Commonwealth. In 1952, the very thought of the President of Malawi or South Africa coming to address a Scottish Parliament lay in the realms of political dreams and visions.
When the Queen addressed us at the opening of the Scottish Parliament on 1 July 1999, she referred to the
"pragmatic balance between continuity and change".
Surely her ability to achieve that pragmatic balance in political and constitutional relationships over half a century of dramatic change cannot be overestimated.
In that address, she also referred to the special qualities of Scotland, which occupy a special place in her and her family's affections. As the jubilee visit approaches, I recognise the special affinity between Scotland and the Queen. Her love for Balmoral and Deeside is renowned. It was at an early age, as Princess Elizabeth, that in 1944 she made her first official visit to Scotland. Later this month, she and the Duke of Edinburgh—whose own lifetime of service must surely also be recognised—will travel more than 1,000 miles around Scotland. That follows years and tens of thousands of miles of travelling around and visiting all parts of Scotland.
I well remember one of the earliest times that I saw the Queen, which was in 1975 when she visited my native town of Annan to open the police station. Twelve years later, as a member of Parliament, I had the privilege of meeting her in Kirkwall when she came to unveil a new stained glass window in St Magnus cathedral. On both visits, substantial crowds turned out to greet her—a feature common to all such visits. Another notable feature of such visits over the years has been the number of people who have met her and have commented on her pertinent remarks, her informed observations and the real interest that she showed. Let us be honest—as politicians we know how difficult that can be at times. The fact that she has engaged with people and communities for more than 50 years and has invariably left them feeling much better for her visit is testimony to the gracious manner in which she has fulfilled her role as our Queen.
We now look forward to her coming to address the Parliament in Aberdeen on 28 May and Scotland looks forward to her opening our new Parliament building at Holyrood—whenever that might be. As her jubilee visit to our nation and her address to our Parliament approach, we can say that her qualities of integrity, decency and, above all, duty and gracious service have won in the hearts of so many Scots our affectionate respect for Elizabeth, Queen of Scots.
I associate myself with the motion in the name of the First Minister and add my congratulations to the Queen on the occasion of her golden jubilee. Like the majority of members, I choose to ignore the amendment in the name of Tommy Sheridan. At every celebration there is always someone who goes a bit too far.
I look forward to meeting the Queen when she comes to join the celebrations in Falkirk at the official opening of the millennium wheel. In anyone's opinion, 50 years of service in any job is an achievement of which to be proud. The Queen would probably be the first to recognise the fact that she has led a privileged life, but I am sure that she would be the first to join me in congratulating the less-privileged people from the former mining communities of Croy and Queenzieburn, where in June community groups will celebrate their 50th anniversary. I am sure that she would offer her congratulations to Croy Celtic supporters club, which celebrates its 50th anniversary in June, and I know that she would offer her congratulations to Queenzieburn gala committee, which also celebrates its jubilee.
Those are very different celebrations in different communities, driven by different needs and different people. However, those people have served their communities over 50 years and I am sure that they would join me in congratulating the Queen on her golden jubilee.
I congratulate the member on her ingenuity in keeping in order.
I rise briefly to support the motion in the name of the First Minister and to oppose Mr Sheridan's amendment.
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth has been a fine role model for the past 50 years. As the motion says, she is held in respect by the Scottish people. That may stick in the throat of the minority in Scotland who are republicans, but it is a fact. All the critics and carpers said that there would be no interest in the recent funeral of Her Majesty the Queen Mother, but the massive public reaction and the queues of people outside Westminster Hall waiting to view the Queen Mother's coffin while it lay in state far exceeded expectations. It is clear that there is a great reservoir of admiration for the monarchy.
The critics might have had a point had the monarchy made no attempt to modernise. However, the monarchy has modernised over the past decade—it is responsive, it has slimmed down and it even pays income tax. The Queen is not paying inheritance tax because that was the agreement that she reached with the Government of the day. It would be quite wrong to call for that agreement to be broken. The monarchy might reflect on the position for some future event, but it would be quite wrong to call for a retrospective imposition of inheritance tax at this stage.
Quite simply, the monarchy is popular. Her Majesty the Queen in particular commands respect throughout Scotland. Mr Sheridan's rather spiteful amendment typifies the politics of envy that are the hallmark of his party. Queen Elizabeth shall be remembered and admired in Scotland long after Mr Sheridan is forgotten. I ask members to reject his amendment.
I rise to oppose Tommy Sheridan's amendment. I am afraid that his amendment is typical of him: he put what he said quite well, but completely irrationally and ridiculously.
Let me highlight some of the ridiculous things that Tommy Sheridan has said in the chamber. He said that everyone who lives in rural Scotland should be connected to the public water supply and sewerage system. That supposedly practical idea displays real ignorance of rural Scotland. He said that the Scottish Socialist Party would have a transport system that connected every part of Scotland together with a maximum travelling time of two hours—
Order.
What ignorance—what a travesty. Now Tommy Sheridan says that Her Majesty—
That is better.
He says that Her Majesty is responsible for undermining society as a whole. The only person who is trying to undermine society is Tommy Sheridan—what ignorance he displays of the Scottish people.
I know that my constituents in West Aberdeenshire value Her Majesty's outstanding record of public service and her dedication to public duty. I have nothing but contempt for Tommy Sheridan's amendment and I urge Parliament to reject it completely.
I am neither by inclination nor in principle the most ardent monarchist in the world, but I thought that there was something quite inappropriate in Tommy Sheridan's amendment and his speech, although it was entertaining. I accept that legitimate discussions can take place about the monarchy, its future and its financial structure, but there is something almost churlish about trying to have that debate in the context of the motion.
I am even older than David McLetchie. Almost my first memory is of the Queen's coronation—members will not be surprised to learn that the lime jelly rings a bell for me. For the past 50 years, the Queen as an individual—never mind the institution—has been a key figure in our national life. None of us can deny that she has conscientiously worked hard at a difficult job over a long period.
I know that Tommy Sheridan will say that she has privileges—I agree. However, it is not for me to balance whether her privileges outweigh her responsibilities. It is clear that she has tried to discharge her duty—as she sees it—over a long period in the best interests of the nation.
For that long shift alone, she deserves our thanks and congratulations. Today's debate is an occasion for saying, "Thank you for that length of service." It is not an occasion for anything else. On that basis, it would be good if Mr Sheridan withdrew his amendment to allow us to say thanks for 50 years of service.
That concludes the debate. The motion and the amendment will be put at 5 o'clock.
On a point of order, Presiding Officer. You started the debate three minutes late and there are members who still wish to speak in support of the amendment.
Order.
You have stopped the debate right on 4 o'clock. You are in danger of making the debate unbalanced.
Even I must obey what the Parliament has decided. The Parliament decided that the next debate would start at 4 o'clock. It is now 4 o'clock and I am simply carrying out the instructions of the Parliament.