Carn 142 - 'A rich variety of comment' on its way to you now

Celtic League. Press information

CARN 142 was dispatched to branch secretaries for distribution and should be reaching members and subscribers over the Xmas period. There is a rich variety of comment in this issue and some of the main articles are set out below:

One of the biggest upsets of modern Scottish politics took place over the summer when the Scottish National Party (SNP) took the "safe seat" of Glasgow East from Labour, and overturned a majority of 13,507. However, a by-election held in November, after the death of sitting Labour MP John MacDougall, proved to be for the SNP - albeit there was a substantial swing to them.

TV Breizh, the Breton channel based in Lorient, has stopped producing and broadcast its last programme in Breton, last summer. When this private channel was set up 8 years ago, it raised great hopes amongst the defenders of the Breton language and culture, but they were soon to be crushed by the reality of commercial television. (What now for broadcasting in Brittany this article looks at the options).

Plaid Cymru President Dafydd Iwan called in September on the people of Wales to show faith in the new Welsh democracy and to reject the negative rhetoric of those who say we can't govern ourselves.

In the months since the referendum result there have been a series of suggestions from the pro Lisbon lobby, mainly political commentators in the national print media and pro politicians, on how to the Irish electorate can be saved from themselves. They all have an underlying assumption that there has to be another referendum. (This prophetic article speculates correctly about the Eurocrats next move).

The Cornish Fighting Fund was launched in August 2008 with the aim of funding an ongoing legal battle against the UK Government by the Cornwall 2000 pressure group with the intention of getting the Cornish people included within the Council of Europe's 'Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities'.

There is a split in opinion on the way Manx agriculture should go. "Farmers For Productive Farming", who are against the proposals by the Department of Agriculture, to transfer payments to Manx farmers (subsidies) to care for the countryside, with no need to produce food.

These lead articles and more in each National section. In addition, a full report on the 2008 (Dublin) AGM with the text of all resolutions adopted.

J B Moffatt