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Salmond in sports university vow | |
(about 5 hours later) | |
A new Scottish university for sporting excellence will be based at Stirling University, the first minister has announced. | |
Alex Salmond made the statement in Holyrood as he outlined the SNP's achievements during its first year in power. | |
The institution will support elite sportsmen and women. | |
It follows the Scottish Government's decision to abolish the Institute of Sport, which was based in Stirling. | |
Mr Salmond said the SNP's minority government had achieved a lot in its first year, from abolishing the graduate charge to cutting prescription charges. | |
He said the core aims for the year ahead included action on climate change and on working in partnership with local government. | |
The first minister also promised a referendum on independence - but not before 2010. | |
This government will press ahead with a bill providing for a referendum on Scottish independence in 2010, just as we always planned Alex Salmond | |
He said: "This government's ambition for Scotland is well known; for this country to take on full responsibility for our destiny, allowing our people, our economy, our society to flourish. | |
"So I'm delighted to confirm that this government will press ahead with the national conversation on Scotland's future and thereafter with a bill providing for a referendum on Scottish independence in 2010, just as we always planned." | |
Critics said Mr Salmond was struggling to meet several manifesto promises. | Critics said Mr Salmond was struggling to meet several manifesto promises. |
Looking back over his first year in office, Mr Salmond picked out Scotland's successful bid for Glasgow to host the 2014 Commonwealth Games as his "biggest single moment" of exhilaration. | Looking back over his first year in office, Mr Salmond picked out Scotland's successful bid for Glasgow to host the 2014 Commonwealth Games as his "biggest single moment" of exhilaration. |
Scotland, he argued, had emerged with credit from events such as the Glasgow Airport bombing, the consequences of the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Surrey, and the Grangemouth refinery strike. | |
"Nobody would say we would want any of these things to happen, and it was deeply disappointing that they did," he said. | "Nobody would say we would want any of these things to happen, and it was deeply disappointing that they did," he said. |
"But in some ways these challenges have been the most substantial successes, not just for the government but for the country. | "But in some ways these challenges have been the most substantial successes, not just for the government but for the country. |
"The way that the country, Scotland - not the government, but Scotland - responded to the Glasgow Airport attack was exceptional." | "The way that the country, Scotland - not the government, but Scotland - responded to the Glasgow Airport attack was exceptional." |