to have a contingency plan, philip says the department for elections, etc, has said it's been the most successful and 4th free election in modern history as a fanatic and a failure. finally, sally says, oh my dear america listened. trump is not a politician and he destroyed american political system and he destroyed the american election system. don't forget, of course, as ever, things are fast moving in the us of a i'm president. tom has of course, conceded the transition process. now penn, mr. johnson may be self isolating and dining street, but this is not doubt his talent for commanding the headlines. he provoked by claiming in a call with north of england m.p.'s, that the scottish parliament has been a disaster and the worst mistake that 20 blair ever meet. so was a so rallying call to scottish unionism or another boris born us 1st, got to independence campaigners. this is how he defended his position, the prime minister's questions. i may say the whole season won't wake up

our results year. we will see this only really broke easy on the right to shift for an alternative viewpoint, alex turns to former m.p. on m.s.p. . i'm presiding officer of the scottish parliament security and that's a charge read that bothers johnson demolitions. a disaster of the worst mistake that tony blair ever made. what do you reckon really trying to connect? and of course, by saying it was really a jolly good st. apart from when the people of scotland heard it or not, party committed to independence. i think they damage is done. you can see that, for example, letter in the times, the other may saying the biggest disaster since the 2nd world war. well as some

claim, when you taken the susan invention, poll tax the iran war and so on. but what really concerns me alex is on the no longer work in conflict resolution as international zone servant. and later since mark come up, where we with the full backing of the form of assad be pushing these constant evolution model as a means to end conflicts at our local control of affairs and see where it goes to. opponents will certainly same our wire doing that because the british prime minister has made it clear it's a disaster. our mission don't think it's a disaster. so we have a contrast between the prime minister's somewhat sketchy knowledge, perhaps of the of the goings on in the parliament and her majesty the queen, who all was surprised observer selling myself a big perhaps even yourself that when she addressed the parliament,

she seemed to have done a fair amount of homework, which was quite impressive. well, the inventor of the moment coming from early isn't a great secret. the chance to go backwards and forwards between the palace and the presiding officers office, a number on a confidential basis. and maybe i just allowed them some of these speeches, though what she should offer to help the prime minister out of a vase. but what's the reaction in scotland been to the, the prime minister's attack when he says, look, he was really attacking the s.n.p. wasn't really attacking the, the concept of devolution. after all, he was a spectacularly successful mayor of london and by his own rights as a lower point there that you really was just making a political attack. this could a wee bit twisted out of perspective. well, i know of use only distinguished per columnist to serve the problem of boris's, he suffers from verbal incontinence. and he was speaking to

a small group of brakes and minded tory members from the north. he shouldn't have said that the feeling in scotland is, i think fairly, i write and politically, it was very strange because there is detail polling and analysis of the stocks public and only about 7 percent. 8 percent. want to see the parliament done away with. so it's not terribly good politics to caucus sites are a minuscule group where one starts on burma. it's like parliament. they like a sense of decision making, you know, member of the better for international audience that this phrase i write that the scots were thinking were exactly, does that mean soldiers really were listening to you, but were only thinking elsewhere there was in the, i seem to remember that some walter scott said that scots like to have

a parliament because they can fling chuckie stains at the parliamentarians as a in essence and wear a parliament may get criticized. but that doesn't mean that it's not held in the affection of the people. it just means a like some because to criticise. well, the oldest one reference of courses to the writing of the parliament are where members are to walk through drew's treats of unburned on a royal mile. and if people don't buy them the appellate stones of them, i had a very real hound and bring me that tradition back regular. if you look at the summer that record of achievement of the scottish parliament, it really is quite positive. and again, i give it a merit, but my comics we've heard free personal care. we have no fees at universities. we've had care for people who are disabled or learning difficulties. we've our marketable record of land reform, where the people of this country can start buying that man back. we've heard

a ban on smoking before anybody else. we have excellent record of human rights. i could go on and on. these are solid, practical achievements and the mood of scotland which going back to both of the opening ceremony at the opening of emphasised the a gun and in nature of scott society which goes right through the professional classes on my own them as well as the people at large there's a feeling that something more of scandinavian, scandinavian social democracy is perhaps where scotland finds itself comfortable. and i think over 20 years there's been very solid progress towards being a more scandinavian social democratic scotland. and a deeper level, the panelist, the might have a point because given,

if we accept that the prime minister blair's motivation for having a reconvening of the scots parliament was to stop in the pan. this was to stop the s.n.p. to kill the s.n.p. stone dead as one of his cabinet ministers put it as the ball is just and right to be a bit of that mess that, that hasn't succeeded. that was really a disaster in the sense and the fulfil tony blair's objectives for it. well, your remember, well, i center the conference were drawn from a summit, is dead remark only 3 words her of her of her i hold as being one of groundedness persuasion. i don't like, great moment. i was always very clear as was my great colleague, new mccormick, of the professor of law at the university of edinburgh who wrote the constitution

for a new stop. i was always clear. we did taken steps. you can have a glade moment forward from nothing and don't independent state. and it isn't surprising at the end of the day. it's the people of scotland who decide if they don't like the move towards independence, then they can vote otherwise. the real problem and the real challenge, of course, is a country, is that more or less $5050.00 1 has to make sure if one's talking about new countries the, there's a general understanding general support for the pleasure of information before you go forward. i was struck by the fight that was johnson when he was explaining, as the march said, well of course i'm a big devolution us that i was, i was mayor of london for 2 taverns or stop the no dice that by the vote on the very obvious point in the london capital, a great capital because a country and therefore it was in the interest in the prime minister didn't

appreciate the difference between being the mayor of a capital city important know that and the layers and being there, they 1st minister of a country is not a speaks volumes for the prime minister's attitude, the london, we toss the centralism of london, the concentration of resources and mom. and of course, in that respect that many of the grains you hear from scotland are perfectly reasonably articulated these days from the north of england and the midlands of england in search of british drama. but, you know, the problem is much bigger than that. i think the liberty state as presently our spirit is largely broken. after bragg's it, though, there is no great appetite, i think, drive the whole of the u.k. united kingdom to gauge in a boom, buccaneering britain. you know, as it says on the british passport to let america possibly the lead car and runs

through a question across my european friends, look at that and say, hey, who do you think you are bedsit? of course, bro, scott, i'm good to $2000.00 to remain in the european union, is frankly a major turning point in my view here in the future of the british state, a finalist, such as they've been, you've sat in the chair of the scots parliament, have been a member of parliament, a west mostly been m.s.p. in hollywood. where do we go from here? what's going to happen? i bought us johnson all know. but i think everything in scotland depends on the outcome of this hellish elections in may next year. if the polls are right there will be of a large majority for independents, that may be the scotia national party, having an absolute majority or, and maybe the scottish national party, backed by the greens, having a majority in

a friendly it's about democracy. if it is, if the prime minister and westminster simply says no, then i suppose there is a 1st step, a reference to the course and stop them then reference to the supreme court. and we'll see where we get to. but as i say, like most, like most commentators these days, posit lisa, this fight is clearly on route independent. so let me just make a final point here. i've never believed in federation. i don't think foundations work if you got in on making up over 80 percent of the land mass of population of the united kingdom. but i have really didn't come federation where scotland is an equal partner in coming to common decisions. and i think curious that if you could come to is it true asian were scotland as independent

only to quite freely admit zone will agree on a whole series of common agreements on travel, on work, on culture, on overseas representation. but to do serve from the position of only we decide something rather can to the knowledge of union or the benelux. so just leave the former presiding officer of the scots pound at thank you for joining me. and they'll examine, show and happy santander's there. this coming monday and here in turkey, join us after the break, when we find out just how you fit and you became the paid to think of a country he had never even basic to join nothing

but a pandemic? no, certainly no borders just flying to nationalities as a marine. we don't observe the we don't like seeing world peace, sick people judging us, coming very close asleep, listening to we can do better. we should be everyone is contributing. it's your own way. but we also know that this crisis will not go on forever. the challenges create, the response has been masked. so many good people are helping us. it makes us feel very proud that we're in it together.

he'll welcome you. don't hold up. no real world will you know? well, you know, but what if in your vocal critic, peter was a mortgage holder, said some of you up on the board was to be with the bushnell you when you just knew he was losing you, but i'm still leave you to surround us. but i wanted something new. there are these, but i hoard them. del, i don't like the largest city in the local, which is that based on what go well, to start your own work or one with your leanings that there's a chance to start to look at your bullshit to look at. you look as i watch you, every word that you do, if you like,

it was careful because humans were good for you know, millions of years to build up an emotional one. when the communication happens within 10 milliseconds in stipends zoom and all that destroyed that because it takes about 160 milliseconds. just what i asked you to talk. now if we are together in the same room, you know, this emotional bond between us is very different and it's fine. she will bring this back and welcome back. the salt car isn't much use these days with the skull as men football team, enjoying a resurgence. and independence campaigner thinking to take to the streets again. but time exactly. did it become the flag of scotland? alex speaks the david williamson chair of the scottish flag trust an author and

broadcaster telling too far they volume some the bottle, the origins of the, the salt i was a national flag to scold them to do some time to scotland's national. saying, tell us about that. well, there are all relates to the battle, the battle in the 2000 for the new slowly and the story has it that the scots and picks it was a joint army, had been punitive read into of somebody and they were returning with their booty and they were being chased by a bunch of angles and saxons under a one called us. and they were caught surrounded just to the north of the present, a village of our host. and for the nic, if you have the worse, the thought, the thought that all was lost and the story has it, that it's there, prayed for deliverance, and he was rewarded by

a white cross. the cross of which of course said that would be martyred, appearing in the blue sky above the fighting, and he was inspired. his troops were inspired. it won the day and angus voted that having secured the victory that he would make sense to the patron and assault the flag and that, and that's the story that we tell this to dear ethel's input. but they were into this mess, cut out the fallen chairman, is that what actually happened back in a 52 or is that going to be them broida later on to justify the, the patron saint and the flight? well, of course, there's no written evidence documentation from the one sent to the pic disputed in scotland. there is nothing but what we do have in terms of evidence is all the airlie mediæval. there are writers from birth to be a major leslie to disport. it would, but half a dozen of them,

they all are fair to the event. i think the evidence is very clear. and stanley, the, there isn't even any record that we found a lot, and the transcript refers to the battle under the fair to the, the participants, angus and the apples. and i think there's a great deal of documentation to support it like a how important was the deal to start when the managing from the dark ages into their limited will period to claim this patron saint. and indeed to claim a national symbol in the flight. well, the declaration of a proof is one of the 1st declarations of national sovereignty. and then it twitter fan to mythic autogenic in giving the silvia if sent down to repeat. and as maybe one of the reasons why russia and scotland ship the same peter and st. orson dandridge and in that document to a very much state national sovereignty. and i document eventually influenced other

nations. i don't know what will, but the russian commission is fascinating because as evilly as the 16 ninety's people begin to eat, made the russian naval flag listen don to his cross that have asked of us and the end of his cross. and a lot of people think it's just because the ship a patron saint, but evidence says that the patron saint titan really been celebrate that bit much in russian tradition until a lot of scottish jacobites. i lived at the court, the peak of the gate in the 609700. people like odd little gordon and dave patrick got an awful lot of cookies and it looks as if this stuff thing all of the, the russian a or all of sent down to the beast on the scottish orbit of the festival, was the period where the send down to this cross, the russian naval flag was begun and it lasted through to the communist era. and then it was say, it was set down and then it reappear when communism was defeated. so it still used

as the russian naval flag to date. and i had wonderful experience of being in moscow a few years ago to make a programme of on this and day i visited and spoke at the caledonian club of more school. and i get a point to go out all of the middle and off and to meet if it goes off, who's a great russian historian who's done loads in the subject of him. and i standing beside this, getting a huge flag which is half that russian naval fly and half this and gunners cross. so russia is fine. anything from up point of view, other places the up tick in all this and gondolas course include the american south . the battle flag of the confederacy. a is this in done to risk or society a knowingly sibenik a was that knowingly styled on the spot? the saltire was a scottish connection to the confederacy and dauntingness alter their wards, but it was mainly mot tween called the so said walter scott plant. and it was

a big influence of walter scored in the south bay that i think that the plant doctor said the people who lead the south. there's also a scottish ethnic element to bismillah, this remind ticket element of so well, the scots novels that influence the south you get plantations called bonnet bachmann, was doing things like that. but fascinatingly, when the so succeeded the 1st state to secede from the union was south carolina. and the document was signed in this intended a society of charleston, south carolina, which is the oldest senate and to recite in the what will that be the spot, the 17th 29th so that they have an endlessly yet another better of a story. a happy story. and i ended my school as black history cities with a win, i'll update it recently, jimmy cup, we had a main 962 as they discussed, a fly off that independence minister called that evidence william and eat it was

friends with said alexander bustamante, a bit influential jamaican at the time and they discussed a trickle up. but the reverend suggested that because of the christian tradition in jamaica, they should use this old guy. so he used the green golden blot colossus and developed at this same the end of the sole god flag. and that was adopted, and i interviewed the son of william mcgee, join mcgee, who lives in, in this group, but i'm just from memory. and he remembers the celibate. jamaican independence in kingston in 1962. and the great, he felt to see all these jamaican soul tiles all over the cliques and his wish is that you'll see scotland celebrate this wouldn't depend on this of the next few years. they will use a just told us a story about the ex-pats starts on the run from the heart of aliens and they $0.18, they saw a took the some 105 to russia in a sense. isn't that still the,

the way things are that's the news day is often more celebrated around the world by ex-pat scots that, than sometimes as a home, or do you think that is changing? you know, it better, right. so the ex-pats didn't have a lot of scotland that we are past lacking here is what's fascinating is that until he had a prominent in, in 1908, there was a lot more activity in its intended societies in scotland. and it's almost as if once we establish parliament, the scots became less desirous of having to demonstrate their scottishness through some thunders, they advance into, under the balls and dinners in like we have to receive the intelligence societies. these are the big events of the year. the new york city and thunder society, for example, one of the oldest in the window is a massive event that they hold to celebrate our national day. and it's, i mean, is wonderful doing that. i just wish more people in scotland perhaps would get back

into the same track. so they will have some tell me for the restoration and renewal project. what's the work that you do? but we have, we have a adelson for 2 main structures and in the church are the 1st is the memorial. the sort of memorial, which is dates from 1965 consists of a major, a massive concrete plinth and a plaque within it. and showing the battle scene and attaches a toll flag pull flag flies. apparently. i'm meant to be read of the church. we have a flag heritage center $1583.00. they eat be listed ducat. and that was made into an interpretive center in which people can come from all over the world. and they do have a 4 star visitor attraction, stated, we reckon there's over 100000, people have visited over the last 20 years, and people can hear the story of the, the flag in 7 languages. now both these structures are somewhat dated. no,

the duke is the howling is coming off it. the memorial 55 years old this year is starting to crumble. and we have issues as well with the access from the military through the church art. and the technology of for the audio visual sure that we have is deaf, desperately need an upgrade. so we launched an appeal, an international appeal at the design raise 100000. so billy kane, i mean obviously the flight of the patron saint was really important to us back in the 9th century, but in the 21st century is flying some patron saint. something we should be wanting about knows all about passing. well, i've been lonesome tundras cross i bought a coming my final exams every university and i took to germany for the what'll come up. 6 feet along magnificence and dundas cross. so i'm still flying the flag. i stewed on that. i'm going never since in time to discourse, we're not to base this in under sight of the state of new york. they're 264th

banquet last year. i think a, the same time discourse is still a magnificent symbol and a symbol of the future. a great quote by my dad, but he thought scotland's had been the presence the but all of the past and future . i'm looking to the peach and the cross of sometimes the flying above or the independence quilt, and leave me dusting that one cup flying undone for the unit in championships most times sceptically. well, if i can got ticket me and the flag and the femal, it will be that they will use and have the modern leave as a really so much and fast on national symbols and flags. and things certainly has alec and country in the world. you could ask the same question to and you would get the same answer and i'm mad i was reminded of denmark has its flag been done abroad, which is incidentally also right from a cross appearing in the sky above a bottle when inspiring the troops to victory if you go to denmark or you go to

norway, you go to any of these countries, you see the flag flying throughout the land, and we had scotland should be flying as we will be this weekend, just as vigorous the. then williamson good lot. we arrest mission 5. good luck be a football fly next year. thank you for joining him, alex of until. thank you. thank you. what's in their name and what's in a flag? obviously quite a bit given they sustain to 10 to 12 frantic years to clean the flag on the saint as their own. nowadays, see, i'm just is just as likely to be marked by rainbow of cultures and religions and by scots approach as much as it will. but the point is that rather like to patrick's day for ireland, it is celebrated. in contrast, of course, to st. george's day in england. this would seem rather dangerous. ted, a challenge tightening into a change of might fear to tread, but not apparently the prime minister. it's very easy for the bar. he now claims to

be aimed at the a st. p. to be taken as an attack on the status and thickness of the parliament on phoenician. the national flag of scotland is the so far, the national plant is a prickly fissile. and that is an old school thing, which a prime minister may wish to reflect upon. you may set on earth, but you can a set or nothing. and so from alex myself and all of the sure it's goodbye for a night, stay safe. and we'll see you all again next week. you

so what we've got to do is identify the threats that we have. it's crazy confrontation, let it be an arms race. in theory, dramatic developments only mostly exist. i don't see how that strategy will be successful. very time to sit down and talk it's been decades since the fall of spain's fascist regime, but old wounds still haven't healed me from your do you are to me on the bus at us is mean older than just the same question which we know of newborn babies were torn from their mothers and given away and forced adoption. i don't know

to this day, mothers still search for grown children. hope for their birth parents for teenagers are reportedly charged in connection with the beheading of a teacher in france. last month, after he showed students the controversial cartoons of the prophet mohammed to come this hour going cold turkey. americans are worried that restrictions will spoil their thanksgiving celebrations. i guess debate where the festivities ought to be canceled during these current guidelines that there are more health thanksgiving in your life and those faces were.