Yesterday thousands of secret files were thrown open to public view in what has been hailed as the start of a new era of openness.
About 4,000 government files, covering the period 1979 to 1983, are now available for public viewing at the National Archives of Scotland in Edinburgh. A further 7,000 files covering subsequent years will be made available between now and next May.
The files, which would normally have been withheld from the public for 30 years, include documents relating to some of the most turbulent issues of Scottish politics, such as the birth pangs of devolution, the development of North Sea oil and widespread closures in heavy industry.
The Scottish government announced in June that the 30 year period is to be reduced to 15 and yesterday - International Right To Know Day - marked the start of that process.
No doubt there will be some juicy titbits within the covers of some of these stoory files, so we can expect some quality investigative journalism in the next few months, can't we?
As for me, I must remember to buy a pair of white cotton gloves before I enter the hallowed doors of the National Archives. They won't supply them will they?
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6 comments:
"quality investigative journalism" ahh you're an awfie wag SR
Dram, I live in hope - what else is there?
Gordon Brown says:
"...we will never allow separatists or narrow nationalists in Scotland or in Wales to sever the common bonds that bring our country together as one."
Never allow...
Interesting. I wonder if Scots might have something to say about that. Funny, I thought power in Scotland lay in the hands of the people--not Whitehall.
Oh, well. As my ol' granny used to say, "Ain't no porridge of mine."
Right then. Fifteen years is it?
Just a minute, whilst ah take aff ma sock.
Aye, right enough, ah make that 1994.
Sooooo ...what was of interest to Forsyth (the empty tube bearing an empty tube), the Scottish Office and in particular, the Scottish Office Development Department, Mr Harold Mills and Prof James Innes.
Then there was a previous year, 1991 to be precise.
When the contracts for the Skye Bridge PFI scam were signed.
So could the shredder possibly have had an off day? ...or more.
Or could the 'Iron Curtain' of commercial confidentiality have been pierced and 'leaked' somewhat?
Can I be next in the queue to borrow yer stepladder, Subrosa?
...and ah'll bring the biggest crow bar ah can find, to prise open their deepest and darkest recesses.
...and ah hope some folk will find that painful. Would that not be so, Forsyth?
....then there was that Hamilton chappie.
.
Jeanne, the unionists have spoken like that since 1979 when the nationalists won quite a few seats in parliament.
We tend to ignore it really, it's the words of intimidation and I don't think Scots are so easily intimidated these days.
Yes power does lie in the hands of the people here.
You mean the Forsyth who bears homage enough to a piece of stone that he walks up the Royal Mile behind it? That one?
Nae time fur the manny, he's no richt in the heid.
I'd love a day out to spend looking at these files wisnaeme, I think I'll phone and see if I can just visit anytime.
You can borrow my ladder and my white gloves, of course you can.
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