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Orangemen mark Union anniversary Orange warning over Union danger
(about 2 hours later)
More than 12,000 Orangemen have taken part in a parade to celebrate the 300th anniversary of the Union between Scotland and England. Scotland's most senior Orangeman has warned that the Union is under threat at this year's Holyrood elections.
Orange Lodges from across the UK marched alongside 80 bands through Edinburgh to mark the event. The Grand Master of the Grand Orange lodge of Scotland, Ian Wilson, said voters would have to be "careful" if they wanted to keep the Union together.
They were commemorating the old Scottish Parliament voting itself out of existence and politically coupling Scotland with England in 1707. His comments came at a march through central Edinburgh to celebrate 300 years of the Union with England.
They also warned the Union could be threatened by May's Holyrood elections. Mr Wilson also said he was "concerned" that there had been little celebration to mark the anniversary.
Orange Lodges from across the UK marched alongside 80 bands through the capital on Saturday afternoon.
We're saying that the Union has been good for Scotland and will continue to be good for Scotland Ian WilsonOrange Order in Scotland
Speaking at a rally in the Meadows beforehand, Mr Wilson outlined the reasons for holding the march.
"We were a wee bit concerned in the Grand Orange Lodge of Scotland that there didn't seem to be much in the way of celebration about the 300th anniversary of the Act of Union," he said.
"We felt as a Unionist organisation that there deserved to be.
"It surprises me that the best that seems to have been done is that a new £2 coin has been struck, apparently a train has been named, and beyond that there hasn't been anything exciting at all.
"The other factor is with having a parliamentary election this year and the Scottish National Party apparently riding so high in the polls, this has put an extra impetus on this event."
'Be canny'
Mr Wilson said that part of the message from the event was that people also needed to "work for the Union".
He added: "We're saying that the Union has been good for Scotland and will continue to be good for Scotland.
"I think Scots people have to be a wee bit canny and a wee bit careful on 3 May as to how they vote in the parliamentary election."
More than 12,000 Orangemen were commemorating the old Scottish Parliament voting itself out of existence and politically coupling Scotland with England in 1707.
A commemorative £2 coin was launched in January to mark the unification of England and Scotland into Great Britain.A commemorative £2 coin was launched in January to mark the unification of England and Scotland into Great Britain.
However, 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. Lothian and Borders Police said the proceedings passed without incident.
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 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 warned 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.
"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."
Lothian and Borders Police said the proceedings passed withoutincident.