Red face for SNP minister who painted grim picture of Scotland

Published on Monday 23 February 2009 22:51

THE tiny Borders town of Wanlockhead looks like a Scottish version of the American Deep South terror film Deliverance, it is difficult to walk through Glasgow without falling over a drug addict and the Union flag over Edinburgh Castle is an "awful mutant tablecloth".

These were not the opinions of a grumpy foreign travel writer; they were the carefully considered thoughts of Scotland's new minister for arts and culture, Mike Russell.

Mr Russell wrote the book In Waiting: Travels in the Shadow of Edwin Muir in 1998, a little-known publication that has been given renewed exposure thanks to his political opponents, who have delighted in digging up insulting little gems from it.

As a result, despite being in his new job for a week, Mr Russell has already managed to antagonise the people of Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dumfries, Lanarkshire, Aberdeen and, of course, the highest village in Scotland, Wanlockhead.

Last night, the arts minister remained unrepentant, insisting through his officials that his critiques were written ten years ago and, since then, the SNP government has made significant improvements to each place he insulted.

But some of the wounds he has inflicted will be harder to heal, particularly his description of the National Trust for Scotland as "arrogant" and "elitist" – particularly as this body now comes under his remit.

However, it was Mr Russell's withering critiques of Scotland's places that drew most attention – and outrage – from his political opponents.

Glasgow was described as having "closes smelling of urine and rubbish, cluttered with dirt and debris".

Mr Russell added: "The walls are decorated with spray-paint graffiti and it is not uncommon to have to step over a comatose body, with or without a needle by its side."

Of Aberdeen, he said: "It feels no more hospitable than when I first came here – there is still a snell wind that blows through the town, and dark corners by the harbour that make passers-by walk more quickly."

The Union flag over Edinburgh Castle is dismissed as "an awful mutant tablecloth", and of Dumfries he said: "The town centre … has the usual sprinkling of chain stores and the usual complement of skinny, ill-dressed women in their early twenties who seem to hover around cheap Scottish shops like importuning wraiths."

Russell Brown, the Labour MP from Dumfries, was the first to hit back on behalf of his constituents.

He said: "These insults are arrogant and pompous. Mr Russell doesn't live in the area and when he occasionally pops down in his ministerial Mondeo, it is to look down his nose at local people."

Meanwhile, the Glasgow Baillieston Labour MSP, Margaret Curran, hit out at Mr Russell's "shocking attack on the people of Glasgow".

She said: "Yes, we have our problems and challenges, but Glasgow has come a huge way and this attack from the man responsible for promoting Scotland's culture will create real anger."

Murdo Fraser, for the Conservatives, said: "What a red face for Mr Russell and what a slap in the face for Scotland. The SNP should be talking Scotland up, not running Scotland down."

But the SNP hit back, accusing Labour of "scraping the bottom of the barrel" and insisting that all the places Mr Russell had attacked had been improved by the Nationalist government.

A spokesman said: "When the rest of the world is focused on combating the economic downturn, Labour MSPs are poring over a book that has been around for over ten years.

"Scotland has changed significantly since 1998 and the advent of the Scottish Parliament the following year."

And he added: "Labour should remember it was their own first minister and local MSP who branded Motherwell a 'pigsty'. Perhaps Labour should check their own back catalogue before dragging up ancient history."

Harsh words back to haunt their author

ABERDEEN Mr Russell:

"It feels no more hospitable than when I first came here – there is still a snell wind that blows through the town, and dark corners by the harbour that make passers-by walk more quickly." Scots know Doric ... It is hard ... to penetrate it at times, but is has a lilt – and a bluntness – all of its own."

SNP:

"We have delivered a new dental school, for Aberdeen, as well as saving cancer and neurosurgery services."

GLASGOW

Mr Russell:

"Pull over the car (if you dare) and walk into the closes smelling of urine and rubbish, cluttered with dirt. The walls are decorated with graffiti and it is not uncommon to have to step over a comatose body."

SNP:

"The SNP government threw its full weight behind the city's bid for the Commonwealth Games, helping it win the event for Scotland. The government is working to make sure the city capitalises on the Games by securing a lasting legacy of benefits."

WANLOCKHEAD:

Mr Russell (about a pub):

"The scene might have been set for a Scottish version of the Deep South tourist terror movie Deliverance, when we would be pitted against the dark and frightening forces of restless natives turning against the poor, hapless incomers."

SNP:

"The Scottish Government has made sure the local Museum of Lead Mining is eligible for extra funding by designating it a museum of significance."

DUMFRIES

Mr Russell:

"The town centre has the usual sprinkling of chain stores and the usual complement of skinny, ill-dressed women in their early 20s who seem to hover around cheap Scottish shops. These are the marginal people of Scottish society."

SNP:

"Within three months of taking office, the SNP administration intervened to secure the future of Glasgow University's presence at the Crichton Campus in Dumfries, saving a top-class higher-education facility for the south of Scotland."

EDINBURGH

What Mike Russell said about it:

"The flag on Edinburgh Castle is an awful mutant tablecloth and the National Trust for Scotland is arrogant and elitist."

SNP:

"We have given the local authority a capital city fund worth 3.5 million a year, taking account of Edinburgh's special funding needs for the first time ever, after previous administrations had turned a deaf ear to calls for such a fund."