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azzuri · 'Our Scotland' Fossil Joined: 12 Sep 2005 Posts: 3776

see - http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=2312942005

Academic reveals election ambitions -

A leading academic is in line to stand as an SNP candidate for the Holyrood elections in 2007.

Professor Chris Harvie said that frustration with the Labour Party at the Scottish Parliament had prompted him to announce his intention.
He was a founder of distance learning in the Open University and has been Professor of British Studies in the English department of Tübingen University, Germany, since 1980.

Professor Harvie, 61, said: "I decided to act after meeting a growing number of people who realise that the malfunctioning of Holyrood is due more to the decay of Labour than to any Scots incapacity for self-government.

"Major problems and opportunities confront Scotland. Coupled with independence we can tackle these by using Scottish intellect and experience, but also drawing from other traditions, chiefly in Europe, and co-operating with them."

Since the mid-1990s he has been Honorary Professor of Politics at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth, and Honorary Professor of History at Strathclyde.

SNP leader Alex Salmond welcomed his decision to put himself forward for candidate selection.

Mr Salmond said: "Chris has been one of the leading intellectual forces in Scottish academic circles and politics for the last three-and-a-half decades.

"His decision to put himself forward for SNP candidate selection shows there is a mood for change and that mood is going towards the SNP as we prepare to win in 2007."

Dr Harvie has written twelve books, including Scotland and Nationalism, and Fool's Gold: The Story of North Sea Oil.

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Abieuan · Posted: Fri Dec 16, 2005 7:24 pm Post subject:

Good news, but i hope he can speak the language of the average punter too, or he will have to come in as a list MSP.

azzuri · 'Our Scotland' Fossil Joined: 12 Sep 2005 Posts: 3776

I think you'd be surprised.

My pro-indy scottish politics professor at uni was a very down to earth and nice man. spoke the language well and if you didn't understand anything was always eager to explain and always tried to break it down so everyone could understand things. I've found that to be the case with most academics actually. It's the MSPs themselves who put themselves on this pedastal and walk around in a 'mightier than thou' fashion. I have to watch one walk into Rugby Park every fortnight with a club blazer on - looks at the average punter as if they were s**t on his shoe. Stand up Gordon Jackson QC MSP.
_________________
"Every single person on this planet is unique. Just like everyone else..." - Random Guy in Edinburgh Pub

Possibly the funniest site in the world, 'The Daily Mash' - http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/