ARE THE SNP BUYING VOTES TOO?
Ed West in his Independent blog discusses how the Westminster government is paying Muslims to vote labour and the most noticeable difference since 1997 is the change in women's fashion. Not so noticeable in Scotland I agree, but once he details the monies paid to Muslim organisations in England he states:
"It is not just the Labour - the SNP are at it as well. Last week the Christian Institute revealed that the Scottish Executive's ironically named Equality Unit gave £1.5m to Muslim groups last year, and £137,500 to Christians. Christians make up 66 per cent of Scotland's population, Muslims account for 1 per cent. So the SNP-controlled Executive favours Muslims to Christian by a ratio of roughly 726 to 1."
I have to accept the figure is correct but I don't have to accept the principle. I don't. To buy votes in this manner is something I didn't expect from the SNP. My desire is to see equality for all religions and cultures in an independent Scotland and not such obvious favouritism. Although I've made several google searches I can't find any mention of monies being given to Hindu, Sikh, or any of the other religious groups who make up the remaining 33% of our population. Hopefully someone will enlighten me.
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20 comments:
It's obvious isn't it?
Hindus, Sikhs, Jews and Zoroastrians, etc don't crash vehicles into the entry doors of Glasgow Airport in an attempt to kill as many Scottish people as they can.
What on earth is the Scottish Executive thinking? If this is how they are spending my money I think I need to question the level of power devolved to them by the British Parliament based in Westminster!
As far as I can see the last labour/libdem executive gave substantials sums also but I don't like the party I vote for doing this.
Don't you dare question the level of power devolved unless you support Scottish independence!!
u seen this
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/interactive/2009/jan/21/unemployment-map
I dont agree with any Gov giving money to any religion/group but i doubt what the article is saying is true in that the SNP are buying votes. The % of muslims in Scotland is around 1% amd outside of Glagow and Edinburgh it even lower. What the article does not tell you is those christian groups are not main stream like the church of Scotland or the Catholic church, they are your jahovest, Mormons (summit like that) etc who have onoly a few thousand followers.
Ted Foan
Are you going to condemn all Muslims because of the actions of two maniacs?
Subrosa,
I cannot agree with the concept that the SNP are trying to buy votes. If that were to be the case then, given that there are infinitely more Christians than Muslims in Scotland, it would make sense to provide much more for them as there are potentially more voters in the Christian community.
I should imagine that the SNP could, if asked, justify this on the grounds that the Muslim community are more needy than the others mentioned.
Brownlie, the Christians will be the core vote of any Scottish party (or English for that matter) and it's been that way for ever and a day. Therefore parties can rely on their core vote. In today's changing society votes naturally have to be found elsewhere.
Are you suggesting it's only Muslims who are needy? You don't think the Hindu communities or others may be in need of help (there's a large one in Dundee but they quietly integrate).
Spook I'm a bit lost here. Are you saying the 66% of christians who make up the UK population are made up of small groups and not the major Christians such as CoE and CoS? I would think of the 66% a very small percentage of that would be attributed to the these minority christian groups.
Niko that map's really interesting. I wonder what it'll look like in another 6 months. Do hope the Guardian keep it updated. Thanks for that.
subrosa,
No, I did not say that the Muslims are the only ones that are needy - I am not that naive or insensitive and am surprised that you think that may be the case. Most Muslim are, indeed, quietly integrated.
What I am suggesting is that they were able to convince the Scottish Government, and the previous one, of their need. For example, those forced to flee Iraq are among the most needy in the world.
If other organisations feel that they need money they should put up a similar case to the Government. If that is then refused they have grounds for accusations of unfair treatment. Is it not clear from your posting whether that is the case or not?
No money for religion - end of. It is not the government's job to take money from tax payers to fund religions.
Agree 100% with Scunnert, let them fund their own flocks.
Subrosa, What i meant was i thought the £167,000 that went to christian churches was to minority groups like the Mormouns and jahovest wits etc.
subrosa,
Was this money to propogate their religion or was it to aid help to be integrated into the Scottish community?
Not quite as it may seem, the Christian Institute (whose website you should visit to see where they're coming from http://www.christian.org.uk/news/ ) picked up on a story Labour MSP George Foulkes ran in a mud-throwing exercise.
George totted up the grants to everything that could be described as a Muslim organisation. That means that organisations which are culturally specific but not religious were included - organisation like Amina http://www.mwrc.org.uk/ set up to address the isolation from society of Muslim women and address domestic abuse aimed at them, but organisations like Hemat Gryffe which performs a similar task with black and ethnic minority women were ignored.
It also picked up grants to the YCSA http://www.ycsa.org.uk/ycsa.swf
although the YCSA doesn't just work with Muslim youths.
Then there was the Council of British Pakistanis http://www.ukfirst.com/cbp/ who got a grant for a democratic participation project.
The Scottish Islamic Foundation http://www.scottishislamic.org/ funded to help with Islamfest which is a cultural rather than religious effort to try to bridge a gap in understanding. You can read the proposal here - http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/People/Equality/18934/Islamfestproposal
Sorry I don't know how to make hyperlinks in comments.
George's question wasn't about whether the Scottish Government funded religious events, of course, it was:
S3W-15005 - George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab) (Date Lodged Monday, July 14, 2008): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list those organisations representing the Muslim community that have received Scottish Government grants since May 2007, also showing the value of grants received.
You can look it up by searching on http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx
The story George spun out was different, though, he wanted to point out that SIF is run by nationalists. He's a bad lad.
Ah I see Spook, thanks for explaining.
Sorry brownlie I perhaps misinterpreted your first comment. It's very difficult for me to find out exactly where the money has gone. As Calum says it's know to which organisation but for what isn't clear.
I'm aware the UK government has given a certain amount to the Iraqi interpreters who have come here and under these circumstances I fully approve.
Brownlie I don't know if the money is used to promote their religion or not. That's not what concerns me really. I'd rather money wasn't given to religious groups at all but that will never happen.
Calum, thanks for your post. I've never visited so many religious sites in my computer life!
I see where the details are from now and anything Lord Foukes has his fingers in always have as much spin as possible.
It would be interesting to see the figures from 1999 to 2007 about such expenditure.
Giving money to the SIF I was against as were many of my pals. Why on earth should we be paying for people to integrate with our society when we're a friendly bunch on the whole? It's a nonsense when there are elderly people living in freezing conditions. (I've just been to visit one today and glad to see she's survived the winter, although only just. Her pride keeps her from asking for help because she said there are far more worse off than her).
The SNP have to be careful with giving money to religious groups. There's plenty money spent in Dundee but little of it targeted to specific religious groups, it's usually 'ethnic minority groups' - a title which makes the likes of me easier because it doesn't mention religion although of course, that's involved.
subrosa,
Good morning,
"I'd rather money was not given to religious groups at all" - ahem, does that include the Salvation Army?
It doesn't include the Salvation Army for me so I expect I've deceived you. But my money goes towards the Salvation Army 'Elderly Care' section which I don't think uses any religious bias. I know in Dundee they do help the Indian community for example.
I simply do not understand why people have such a problem with te government putting in a relatively small amount of money to support the Expo being organised by SIF.
When most of the rest of the world is reeling from the recession the sovereign fund states have money coming out of their ears and are looking for places to invest it.
If the work being undertaken by SIF on the Expo pays off they will invest some of it here, helping to fund the vital renewables sector among others. If they invest even the tiniest fraction of what is available we will recoup millions for the thousands that have been granted to SIF.
Why is that such a problem for people?
The problem with the SIF funding is the way in which it was handled Indy and that was badly to say the least. The papers got hold of it even before the SIF was registered.
Also the frontman for the SIF isn't trusted by the public. You know as well as I do that any organisation or political party can rise or fall by having the right/wrong front person.
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