Douglas MacQueen's blog

This week Ex-British Prime Minister and Scottish Labour member of the UK parliament Gordon Brown announced that he would not be standing for re-election in next years UK General Election. This came as no surprise. During the Scottish referendum he was wheeled out by the British media and given unprecedented coverage in their shameless propaganda campaign against Scottish independence. He played his part in the deceitful No campaign.

Nicola Surgeon address to SNP Conference 

The Scottish government's support for the Gaelic language has seen a big rise in speakers of that language in Glasgow. This reflects a growing trend in other parts of Scotland. Glasgow Gaelic School currently has 505 primary pupils, 237 secondary pupils and almost 60 nursery children – and the numbers are increasing every year. Plans for a second Gaelic school in the South Side to cater for 200 children have been announced with work due to start in 2015. There has been a significant rise in the number of children whose entire school day is spent talking in Gaelic. 

Skye or the Isle of Skye (Scottish Gaelic:An t-Eilean Sgitheanach or Eilean a' Cheò EileanI) are the Gealic names for that beautiful Island located in the Inner Hebrides (Na h-EileanaG a-staigh) of Scotland (Alba). This coming Friday 5th December Glasgow Skye Association is holding their Annual Gathering of pipes, music and dance. The guest of honour is John Norman MacLeod, Vice Principal and  Director of Studies at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig. This event is not to be missed. Concert begins at 7.30pm and Dance from 10.30pm - 2am.

Having experienced the dreadful deluge of anti-independence propaganda that spilled from newspapers and the BBC during the Scottish referendum campaign it is clearly high time to try and redress the balance. This being the case a pilot has been started with the aim of launching new pro-independence daily national newspaper for Scotland - The National. 

As reported in University of Aberdeen News: 'A project to develop an international world-leading framework for the teaching and learning of Scottish Gaelic is being launched at the Universities of Glasgow and Aberdeen.

The project is part of the Soillse research network, the National Research Network for the maintenance and revitalisation of Gaelic language and culture.

There has been worldwide condemnation in regard to the revolting murders undertaken today by the cult known as ISIS. This dreadful organised band of murdering thugs that call themselves Islamic State  are a bunch of evil killers. Nothing should be said to excuse their disgusting behaviour. There is no excuse. We all need to think of those minorities who are being abused, murdered and displaced by this gang of killers. All support from the Celtic peoples goes to the the Kurdish fighters who stand against this murdering scum.

At the Scottish National Party conference in Perth, Scotland Nicola Sturgeon, Member of the Scottish Parliament for Glasgow Southside, was appointed as the new party leader. She paid tribute to Alex Salmond, who has just stood down saying: "We owe him the most enormous debt of gratitude. Lets us thank him from the bottom of our hearts."

Nicolas Sturgeon, who will become Scottish First Minister next week, told delegates that although the SNP had seen a surge in support and increase in membership, there was still much to do. She said:

Alex Salmond undertook his final session of First Minister's questions at the Scottish Parliament today. There can be no doubt that his achievements have been staggering since he became leader of the Scottish National Party in 1990. At that time there was not a Scottish Parliament, Scotland was ruled by Malcolm Rifkind the Tory Secretary of State and the Scottish National Party had only four MP's (Members of Parliament) in Westminster, the UK Parliament. 

New research has revealed how Scottish Gaelic is an economic and social asset to Scotland.  A partnership project led by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) development agency collaborated with Bòrd na Gàidhlig, Scottish Natural Heritage, Creative Scotland, The Highland Council, Argyll and Bute Council, and Comhairle nan Eilean Siar to commission the research.