From clear liability for a looming health disaster in 2001 to a media transferring the blame to an innocent party in 2017

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By stewartb

The full transcript of this debate in the Scottish Parliament on 17 January 2001 can be read here: https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/official-report/search-what-was-said-in-parliament/meeting-of-parliament-17-01-2001?meeting=4278&iob=28854

What is abundantly clear from the record is substantial cross-party discontent with the nature of and response to the public consultation undertaken by the health board regarding options for the proposed new south Glasgow Hospital, including in particular its location. The issues concerning location included but went much further than proximity to a sewage plant!

The government reply to the debate was given by Labours’s Deputy Minister for Health and Community Care, Malcolm Chisholm MSP. Addressing the Chamber, the minister noted:

“.. as we have said on numerous occasions, decisions affecting local communities are best taken by those who provide the services locally in partnership with those who use the services. Therefore, it would be inappropriate for me to become too embroiled in the details of the Glasgow situation.“ Now there’s a line present Scottish Government ministers would get away with – aye right!

I believe the health minister at the time was Labour’s Susan Deacon MSP. The BBC News web site had this article dated 26 December, 2001: ‘Scottish politics review 2001 – January to March‘. In it we learn of another choice remark made by a Labour health minister: ‘Health Minister Susan Deacon had less luck in dealing with NHS doctors. The physicians and opposition parties aimed a barrage of criticism in her direction after newspapers alleged that she accused doctors of “sniping from the sidelines”!

(And off-topic, from the same BBC Scotland article, something I did not know: ‘The New Year was barely days old when a political identity crisis grabbed the headlines and caused untold grief for Henry McLeish who was just two months into the job of first minister. One of his most trusted lieutenants – Minister for Parliament Tom McCabe – had apparently suggested that the Scottish Executive could change its name to the Scottish Government in a bid to clear up any confusion over its responsibilities.’

And: ‘The Scottish National Party (SNP) seized gleefully on the statement and used it to press further claims for independence amid mutterings of disquiet in the ranks of London Labour. After much embarrassment the issue was finally put to bed when Henry McLeish insisted that the executive was a government and did not need a name change to justify this.’)

Help Talking-up Scotland keep going

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Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code – 08-91-04 Account – 12266421