Eyes Of The World On Scotland

As a nation, Scotland has never been slow to remind the world of the influence that we have had in shaping the modern world. Whether through the seemingly endless list of ground-breaking inventions or the philosophical ideas that underpin our society, Scotland has had an impact on the world that is disproportionate to our size.

Yet our relatively small size means that we often forget that people around the world do pay attention with interest to what happens within our borders. In the run-up to the independence referendum there has already been a huge amount of international interest in the future of our country and no doubt that will grow as the date of the referendum draws nearer.

The fact that the rest of the world is watching as we debate and decide our future course is not something that should be feared, but rather should be positively welcomed. Indeed, that was the very point made by Philip Grant the top Scottish executive at Lloyds Banking Group who in evidence to the Scottish Parliament’s finance committee said that global markets are more aware of “the brand of Scotland” thanks to the interest that the referendum is generating.

In a competitive global market place, making investors around the world aware of the great strengths and opportunities available in Scotland can be a challenge, so this positive by-product of the ongoing referendum debate should be welcome to everyone with Scotland’s interests at heart.

A recent survey by Ernst and Young found that Scotland had been the most successful nation in the UK when it came to attracting inward investment in recent years and despite the problems in the world economy, many substantial international companies have continued to invest in Scotland.

The debate and discussion between now and 2014 should be a positive one and allow all Scots to contribute their vision of the future of our nation. It is a fantastic opportunity to shape our future in its own right, but if on top of that it draws the eyes of the world to Scotland and highlights the opportunities that exist here, I am sure that is an outcome we can all be pleased about.

A fantastic endorsement

In my last column I wrote about my hope that people in Banffshire & Buchan Coast would take full advantage of the opportunity offered by the local government elections to shape the future of the council in their area. I am delighted that so many people took that message to heart and delivered a resounding endorsement of the SNP. In every ward within Banffshire & Buchan Coast the SNP gained the most first preferences, with 9 councillors elected in the Aberdeenshire Council part of the constituency along with 2 councillors in the Moray council part of the constituency.

Across Aberdeenshire the SNP won 28 seats making it the largest party on the council by some distance with a similar situation in Moray where the SNP won 10 seats. Across Scotland the SNP topped the poll by getting 424 councillors elected, 30 more than our nearest rivals and an increase of 62 on the last local government elections in 2007.

These are a fantastic set of results, both locally and across the country, and I am looking forward to working with the councillors in Banffshire & Buchan Coast to deliver more progress for the area. Whether new or returning faces, I am sure they will be eager to build upon the endorsement they have received and live up to the trust that the electorate has placed in them.