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| Scottish debate on Thatcher's legacy moved after objections over timing | Scottish debate on Thatcher's legacy moved after objections over timing |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A coalition of Scottish Green and independent nationalist MSPs has moved a debate at Holyrood on Margaret Thatcher's legacy originally timed to follow her funeral, after heavy opposition from other parties. | A coalition of Scottish Green and independent nationalist MSPs has moved a debate at Holyrood on Margaret Thatcher's legacy originally timed to follow her funeral, after heavy opposition from other parties. |
| To the fury of the Scottish Tories, the Scottish Greens, who have two MSPs, and the two independent MSPs, John Finnie and Jean Urquhart, wanted to use their pre-arranged slot late on Wednesday afternoon to debate the idea that "there is still such a thing as society". | |
| That slot clashed with the day of Thatcher's ceremonial funeral at St Paul's Cathedral, to the dismay of the Tories. | That slot clashed with the day of Thatcher's ceremonial funeral at St Paul's Cathedral, to the dismay of the Tories. |
| That debate has now been switched to Thursday afternoon by Holyrood's business bureau after pressure from the Tories and the Scottish Lib Dems. A debate on business procurement will take its place on Wednesday. | |
| John Lamont, the Scottish Tories' chief whip, said the party had no objection to the debate itself, but staging it during the funeral "would have been provocative, disrespectful and extremely upsetting for many people across Scotland and the UK. That would have reflected badly not only on those behind the debate, but the Scottish parliament as a whole." | John Lamont, the Scottish Tories' chief whip, said the party had no objection to the debate itself, but staging it during the funeral "would have been provocative, disrespectful and extremely upsetting for many people across Scotland and the UK. That would have reflected badly not only on those behind the debate, but the Scottish parliament as a whole." |
| John Finnie, for the independent Green group, said it became clear at the business meeting that the Scottish government and the presiding officer, Tricia Marwick, also objected to the debate's timing. | John Finnie, for the independent Green group, said it became clear at the business meeting that the Scottish government and the presiding officer, Tricia Marwick, also objected to the debate's timing. |
| "By having the debate on Thursday afternoon we can ensure the maximum number of MSPs can take part, and in particular ensure those on the Tory benches answer for the terrible effect on Scotland of 13 years of policies that promoted selfishness over society," Finnie said. | "By having the debate on Thursday afternoon we can ensure the maximum number of MSPs can take part, and in particular ensure those on the Tory benches answer for the terrible effect on Scotland of 13 years of policies that promoted selfishness over society," Finnie said. |
| Patrick Harvie, the Scottish Green leader, said: "Wednesday afternoon hours after the funeral takes place would have been a perfectly appropriate time for this debate. | Patrick Harvie, the Scottish Green leader, said: "Wednesday afternoon hours after the funeral takes place would have been a perfectly appropriate time for this debate. |
| "However, if other MSPs cannot see past the coincidence of timing I wouldn't want that issue to detract from the debate and undermine this opportunity to challenge the failed consensus of free market ideology which the Thatcher legacy represents." | "However, if other MSPs cannot see past the coincidence of timing I wouldn't want that issue to detract from the debate and undermine this opportunity to challenge the failed consensus of free market ideology which the Thatcher legacy represents." |