Labour panic over loss of Scottish Catholics

-06/11/06

A behind-the-scenes move has beg


Labour panic over loss of Scottish Catholics

-06/11/06

A behind-the-scenes move has begun by the Labour party to persuade the leader of Scotland’s Roman Catholics that his controversial backing for independence was wrong, reports the Scotland on Sunday newspaper.

Chancellor Gordon Brown is among senior Labour figures who have met Cardinal Keith O’Brien in recent weeks, as part of a coordinated effort to heal relations, after the churchman caused a political storm by praising the benefits of Scottish autonomy.

The comments, originally revealed by the newspaper, caused panic in Labour ranks, prompting fears that his words could persuade thousands of Scottish Catholics to back the SNP at next year’s Holyrood elections. Now senior party figures are beating a path to the door of Scotland’s Catholic leaders, seeking to persuade them that Labour still offers a voice to churchgoers.

Brown met O’Brien for talks two weeks ago and raised the Cardinal’s backing for independence. The Chancellor has however also disappointed many Christians in Scotland with his backing for a replacement for Trident.

One of the Chancellor’s closest allies, Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander, has also had private talks with one of O’Brien’s bishops, Philip Tartaglia of Paisley, in another attempt to heal divisions.

And last week a delegation of Catholic Labour MSPs had further private talks with O’Brien, where they set out their claims that Labour represents the Catholic community best.

However, one source described the charm offensive as “more offensive than charm”.

Catholic Church insiders confirmed that Brown and other Labour leaders had stepped up their discussions in recent weeks. They described the various talks as “cordial”. They said that discussions, particularly those with First Minister Jack McConnell, “had gone a long way to settling nerves”.

But a source close to Brown said that the Chancellor had used his meeting to pressurise O’Brien over his comments on independence. “There was a question of whether he [O’Brien] had really thought it through,” the insider said.

Defence Secretary Des Browne is also expected to meet Cardinal O’Brien, having agreed to collect a petition, signed by O’Brien, calling for the scrapping of Britain’s nuclear deterrent.

These meetings are in addition to talks which the Cardinal held with First Minister Jack McConnell last week, when he visited the Scottish Parliament to meet all party leaders.

Commentators suggest that the activity by some of Labour’s most senior national figures offers a clear sign of the party’s growing fear that the Cardinal’s comments on independence, alongside his opposition to nuclear weapons, could spark a flood of support for the Scottish National Party (SNP).

The row began last month when the Cardinal declared that, if it was the wish of the people, he would be “happy” to see Scotland become independent. Referring to countries such as Norway and Denmark, he also acknowledged the “prosperity which self-determination can bring”. He expressed his frustration with the powers of the Scottish Parliament, arguing that many Scots “have no wish to pay for or host these evil weapons, yet we have no power to remove them”.

The comments were greeted warmly within the SNP, which has long sought to coax the largely Labour-voting Catholic community in Scotland away from its traditional political home. Labour politicians reacted with fury, however, believing that their support for Catholic Church demands, especially on the future of Catholic schools, had been thrown back in their faces.

One Labour insider added: “We’re pointing out to him that many of the things that Labour has sought to do, the SNP wouldn’t. We have backed Catholic schools. We have also listened to their concerns on gay adoption. Does he really think all the other parties do that?”


Labour panic over loss of Scottish Catholics

-06/11/06

A behind-the-scenes move has begun by the Labour party to persuade the leader of Scotland’s Roman Catholics that his controversial backing for independence was wrong, reports the Scotland on Sunday newspaper.

Chancellor Gordon Brown is among senior Labour figures who have met Cardinal Keith O’Brien in recent weeks, as part of a coordinated effort to heal relations, after the churchman caused a political storm by praising the benefits of Scottish autonomy.

The comments, originally revealed by the newspaper, caused panic in Labour ranks, prompting fears that his words could persuade thousands of Scottish Catholics to back the SNP at next year’s Holyrood elections. Now senior party figures are beating a path to the door of Scotland’s Catholic leaders, seeking to persuade them that Labour still offers a voice to churchgoers.

Brown met O’Brien for talks two weeks ago and raised the Cardinal’s backing for independence. The Chancellor has however also disappointed many Christians in Scotland with his backing for a replacement for Trident.

One of the Chancellor’s closest allies, Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander, has also had private talks with one of O’Brien’s bishops, Philip Tartaglia of Paisley, in another attempt to heal divisions.

And last week a delegation of Catholic Labour MSPs had further private talks with O’Brien, where they set out their claims that Labour represents the Catholic community best.

However, one source described the charm offensive as “more offensive than charm”.

Catholic Church insiders confirmed that Brown and other Labour leaders had stepped up their discussions in recent weeks. They described the various talks as “cordial”. They said that discussions, particularly those with First Minister Jack McConnell, “had gone a long way to settling nerves”.

But a source close to Brown said that the Chancellor had used his meeting to pressurise O’Brien over his comments on independence. “There was a question of whether he [O’Brien] had really thought it through,” the insider said.

Defence Secretary Des Browne is also expected to meet Cardinal O’Brien, having agreed to collect a petition, signed by O’Brien, calling for the scrapping of Britain’s nuclear deterrent.

These meetings are in addition to talks which the Cardinal held with First Minister Jack McConnell last week, when he visited the Scottish Parliament to meet all party leaders.

Commentators suggest that the activity by some of Labour’s most senior national figures offers a clear sign of the party’s growing fear that the Cardinal’s comments on independence, alongside his opposition to nuclear weapons, could spark a flood of support for the Scottish National Party (SNP).

The row began last month when the Cardinal declared that, if it was the wish of the people, he would be “happy” to see Scotland become independent. Referring to countries such as Norway and Denmark, he also acknowledged the “prosperity which self-determination can bring”. He expressed his frustration with the powers of the Scottish Parliament, arguing that many Scots “have no wish to pay for or host these evil weapons, yet we have no power to remove them”.

The comments were greeted warmly within the SNP, which has long sought to coax the largely Labour-voting Catholic community in Scotland away from its traditional political home. Labour politicians reacted with fury, however, believing that their support for Catholic Church demands, especially on the future of Catholic schools, had been thrown back in their faces.

One Labour insider added: “We’re pointing out to him that many of the things that Labour has sought to do, the SNP wouldn’t. We have backed Catholic schools. We have also listened to their concerns on gay adoption. Does he really think all the other parties do that?”