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| Orangemen mark Union anniversary | Orangemen mark Union anniversary |
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| Up to 10,000 Orangemen are due to take part in a parade to celebrate the 300th anniversary of the Union between Scotland and England. | Up to 10,000 Orangemen are due to take part in a parade to celebrate the 300th anniversary of the Union between Scotland and England. |
| Orange Lodges from across the UK will march alongside 80 bands through Edinburgh to mark the event. | Orange Lodges from across the UK will march alongside 80 bands through Edinburgh to mark the event. |
| They will commemorate the old Scottish Parliament voting itself out of existence and politically coupling Scotland with England in 1707. | They will commemorate the old Scottish Parliament voting itself out of existence and politically coupling Scotland with England in 1707. |
| They also warn the Union could be under threat in May's Holyrood elections. | They also warn the Union could be under threat in May's Holyrood elections. |
| Ian Wilson, the Grand Master of the Orange Order in Scotland, said he had seen many politicians use the Union as a campaign tool this year but criticised them for doing little to mark its tercentenary. | Ian Wilson, the Grand Master of the Orange Order in Scotland, said he had seen many politicians use the Union as a campaign tool this year but criticised them for doing little to mark its tercentenary. |
| It is ironic in this historic year where we celebrate the Act of Union, we also face an election where that Union is under threat Ian WilsonOrange Order in Scotland | |
| "I believe the unprecedented number of members taking part is an indicator of how strongly our members feel about preserving the Union," he said. | "I believe the unprecedented number of members taking part is an indicator of how strongly our members feel about preserving the Union," he said. |
| "I am sad that there was so little organised by anyone other than ourselves to commemorate and celebrate this event and the benefits it has brought us all as individual nations and to the United Kingdom as a whole. | "I am sad that there was so little organised by anyone other than ourselves to commemorate and celebrate this event and the benefits it has brought us all as individual nations and to the United Kingdom as a whole. |
| He will warn the marchers that the Scottish National Party's plans for independence would be the "beginning of the end" for the Union. | He will warn the marchers that the Scottish National Party's plans for independence would be the "beginning of the end" for the Union. |
| "It is ironic in this historic year where we celebrate the Act of Union, we also face an election where that Union is under threat," Mr Wilson said. | "It is ironic in this historic year where we celebrate the Act of Union, we also face an election where that Union is under threat," Mr Wilson said. |
| "In just over a month's time there is the real threat of a Nationalist victory in the Scottish Parliamentary elections. | "In just over a month's time there is the real threat of a Nationalist victory in the Scottish Parliamentary elections. |
| "We will be sending a clear message to the separatists that whilst we may all want to see a stronger, better government in Scotland, we won't tinker with the Union to achieve it." | "We will be sending a clear message to the separatists that whilst we may all want to see a stronger, better government in Scotland, we won't tinker with the Union to achieve it." |
| A commemorative £2 coin was launched in January to mark the unification of England and Scotland into Great Britain. |