Scotland: Scots against war

Many Scots are as much against a war as demonstrators in London

The Politics Show in Scotland asks the Scottish people what they think about war against Iraq.

According to a recent poll, just 13% of Scots agree that the UK should take part in a war against Iraq regardless of United Nations support.

Some 27% believe Britain should not take military action under any circumstances.

Local action

Last month Scotland's largest local authority unanimously backed a motion calling on the UK Government not to commit British troops to a pre-emptive strike on Iraq.

Tony Blair may be greeted by demonstrators when he visits Glasgow

Glasgow City Council is now asking people to record whether they support the council's stance via its website. So far, 78% have backed the anti-war stance.

The opposition

Opposition appears to be particularly strong among Scots from ethnic minorities.

At the last Scottish national demonstration against war, several hundred young Asian people from Glasgow's Southside - an area with a high percentage of Asian residents - turned out to boost the numbers.

Tony Blair's forthcoming visit to Glasgow to speak to the Labour Party conference will stir the activists.

Another Scottish anti-war demo will greet him.

A feeder march from the Southside is expected to be even bigger than the last time, with many young Asians who have no previous political experience becoming involved.

Politically active

Now that young Scots are moving and expressing their opposition to the war, it could be that they take up other political causes closer to home.

Could it be that the crisis with Iraq and the public reaction it has caused has created a generation of political activists?

Inside opposition

It's not only young Asian Scots who have tackled the Prime Minister on the war issue.

The UK's only Muslim MP, Mohammed Sarwar of Glasgow Govan, has repeatedly criticised the Government's position in the House of Commons.

The Politics Show

Join Glenn Campbell on The Politics Show at midday on Sundays on BBC One as he gets to the heart of Scottish communities.

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