Review 2001 - July to September

Henry McLeish and Jack McConnell

In the third of a four-part series, BBC News Online Scotland's Brian Ponsonby looks back on some of the major political stories in 2001.

The summer recess in the Scottish Parliament brought some respite for Henry McLeish but even this was not enough to keep him from the firing line.

On 8 July, the first minister faced criticism from opposition parties, farmers and the tourist industry when it emerged that he had taken a holiday in Italy, when the state of Scotland's troubled tourist industry was a major issue.

The situation was remarkably similar to that faced a few months earlier by his Tourism Minister Alasdair Morrison but unlike his Scottish Labour colleague Mr McLeish did not return home early or apologise.

Instead, his official spokesman said that he had already taken several short breaks in Scotland and would do so again later in the year.

This, said the spokesman, was proof enough that Mr McLeish supported domestic tourism and put in perspective the criticisms being levelled.

Henry McLeish was criticised for taking a foreign holiday

It appeared that the row did little to damage the first minister - mainly because foot-and-mouth now appeared to be coming under control - but it was yet another incident that ate away at his credibility and provided more ammunition for his critics.

Another of his colleagues was also grappling with negative headlines at this time. On 10 July it was announced that 1,000 jobs would be cut from two shipyards on the Clyde.

Although BAE Systems had recently been awarded a government contract to build six Royal Navy destroyers it said a short-term gap in order books necessitated the cutback.

Strictly speaking, shipping contracts are a matter for Westminster, but the news was another bitter blow for Scotland's Enterprise Minister Wendy Alexander who seemed to be firefighting an increasing number of redundancies north of the border.

After much behind the scenes work by Labour MPs the redundancy rate at the Scotstoun and Clydebank yards was eventually reduced to 500.

'Housing bribe'

For Ms Alexander though this was a case of making the best of a bad lot. Just two months later a terrorist attack more than 4,000 miles away would plunge the world economy into a new period of doubt and the knock-on consequences would result in more job losses.

As we moved into August and parliamentary business returned to normal the firefighting pendulum swung back towards Henry McLeish.

The first minister was forced to deny reports that he had to go cap in hand to Westminster for cash to pay for free elderly care and the controversial Glasgow housing stock transfer.

Wendy Alexander had to cope with major redundancies

On 18 September Mr McLeish announced that a deal had been agreed with the London Treasury to pick up the £1bn shortfall in Glasgow's housing budget but only if tenants voted for a stock transfer.

The Scottish National Party branded the announcement "a bribe" to tenants while the Scottish Socialists said the move would lead towards privatisation of public sector housing.

Before this happened, the Scottish Executive faced two of its most awkward moments of the year.

On 30 August Health Minister Susan Deacon announced that NHS waiting times would be the new "performance indicator" for patient treatment as opposed to waiting lists.

Ms Deacon said the move made sense as it was the length of the wait that mattered to patients and not where they were on a doctor's list.

'Troubled waters'

It followed a similar announcement by Westminster Health Secretary Alan Milburn just days after the general election but also provoked an equal level of criticism.

The SNP seized on the announcement as a complete "U-turn" on policy and accused Labour of trying to "change the rules" after it had "failed miserably" to bring down waiting lists during its first two years in control of the NHS in Scotland.

One day after this announcement, one of Ms Deacon's cabinet colleagues found herself crossing "a bridge over troubled waters".

Tolls were suspended on the Erskine Bridge

In an embarrassing late night admission, Transport Minister Sarah Boyack said that tolls on the Erskine Bridge, linking Renfrewshire and Dunbartonshire, had been suspended.

Apparently the minister's own civil servants had failed to renew some basic paperwork which governed the legality of tolls and motorists had been charged unlawfully for the past few months.

Opposition parties had a field day and accused Ms Boyack of incompetence as her civil servants hurriedly drew up retrospective legislation which was rushed through the Scottish Parliament.

Tolls were back in place by 13 September but a considerable amount of political damage had already been inflicted on Ms Boyack coming on the back of January's decision to award road maintenance contracts to private firms.

Several national newspapers were now openly speculating that she would be replaced in a forthcoming cabinet reshuffle being planned by Mr McLeish.

Racial tension

The newspapers concerned were right but they did not anticipate who would be shuffling the pack.

When Social Justice Minister Jackie Baillie was given responsibility for asylum seekers in September it marked the latest chapter in a depressing line of events to unfold in Glasgow.

The previous month, Turkish Kurd, Firsat Dag, was stabbed to death near the Sighthill estate where he and hundreds of other asylum seekers were staying.

Jackie Baillie was given responsibility for asylum seekers

His death ignited a tinderbox of racial tension in the area and exposed a number of perceived inadequacies in the city's approach to housing asylum seekers.

One day after his death, hundreds of other asylum seekers and anti-race hate campaigners marched on the council headquarters in George Square to demand better treatment for those seeking refugee status.

The march was followed by a 'counter-demonstration' the same evening by some local Sighthill residents who said they were being made scapegoats for the trouble and that asylum seekers were being given preferential treatment.

As the tension eased, another asylum seeker was stabbed but not fatally, and several families fled to London amid claims of racial harassment.

Mr Dag's killer was eventually brought to justice but not before the troubled area had been visited by royalty and senior politicians and the city council had appointed a troubleshooter to handle asylum-related problems.

Political nightmare

Still in September, Mr McLeish announced detailed plans for 18 new laws in the coming term of the Scottish Parliament.

The package included provisions for free personal care for the elderly, reform of mental health laws, a clampdown on serious violent and sexual offenders, land reform, freedom of information and new moves to protect children.

That same month, the first minister also threw his weight behind efforts to bring the 2008 European football championships to Scotland.

Mr McLeish joined national team coach Craig Brown and members of the Scotland squad at Hampden stadium to boost a Tartan Army T-shirt campaign supporting a bid for the championships.

The T-shirt read: "Make the Dream a Reality". Ironically, the first minister would soon be living his worst nightmare as the threads of political office unravelled around him.