Gutter Politics

Today should be remembered as a day when the Lib Dems took gutter politics to a new low.

Fiona Hyslop MPS, the Cabinet Secretary for Education, has been in China to finalise some cooperation in education programmes such as undergraduate summer schools between Scotland and China and “Sino-Scottish scholarships for PhD students which could see Scottish postgraduate students studying in China and vice versa”.

Last month Tavish Scott MSP of the Lib Dems said that Hyslop should cancel the trip because of the situation in Tibet. The Scottish Government said that it would be going and would use every meeting it had to stress its concern over human rights abuses and the situation in Tibet.

Indeed, it was confirmed that on day one of the trip, in the first meeting, these issues were raised with the Chinese authorities (which must have made Hyslop a popular guest!).

John Watson, the programming director of Amnesty international, said that on balance he supported the Scottish Government going to China and using it as an opportunity to raise these issues as “Amnesty believes that engagement can provide the opportunity to push for change."

I agree with both John Watson and Amnesty International that using all means to get the message through the China that the world is watching is vitally important. Will Hyslop raising these issues suddenly make the Chinese authorities change their ways and stop all of their human rights abuses – I suspect not. But it is part of a combined effort from Governments and people around the world. Recently the Prime Minister of New Zealand has also called for China to engage with the Dalai Lama and the situation in Tibet.

Hyslop’s actions add to this growing chorus calling for change from China.

And the Lib Dem’s reaction to this?

Jeremy Purvis MSP said that it was “wholly inappropriate given the international concerns expressed over the current situation in Tibet...It jars that a Scottish minister seems to be content with ignoring international concern and only making glib comments on human rights issues for the benefit of the Scottish press, whilst at the same time leaders such as President Sarkozy have a much clearer stance...We called on the Scottish Government to postpone the visit during this sensitive time and we have been proved correct given the recent powerful demonstrations around the world."

Lets look at what he said –“Ignoring International concern”...despite Amnesty International saying that on balance using the opportunity to engage and get the message across was better than not going. Despite nations such as New Zealand undertaking similar actions of taking the message direct to the Chinese authorities.

“leaders such as President Sarkozy have a much clearer stance”...nice that he is placing Hyslop in the same bracket as Sarkozy (she will be pleased). That will be the same President Sarkozy who went on a 3 day visit to China around 5 months ago and where “Mr. Sarkozy's three-day visit was expected to focus on economic ties with China while playing down human-rights concerns that would be sure to receive a cool reception from Beijing”. Not to forget on the same trip that Sarkozy managed to secure a contract for French firms to build two nuclear power stations in China – valued at around 20bn Euro.

Sarkozy’s recent (welcome) announcement was that while violence in Tibet continued, and while there was no dialogue between China and the Dalai Lama, then he may not attend the opening ceremony of the games. Indeed on this front it could be argued that Gordon Brown has done more to facilitate dialogue between the Dalai Lama and Chinese authorities following his recent meetings with both sides. Although there is no sign of such a meeting taking place.

It seems that during her meeting with the Chinese authorities Hyslop went further in pressing the issues of concern than Sarkozy – held up by the Lib Dems as the exemplar.

Purvis of the Lib Dems also said that the Scottish Government should postpone the trip (not cancel mark you– postpone) because of demonstrations against China’s actions in Tibet and human rights abuses. So after the demonstrations have gone and the world isn`t watching then it would be fine for them to go?

What a ridiculous position. Are the Chinese administrations human rights abuses any more acceptable when there are no demonstrations? Of course not, but that is Purvis’ position.

Perhaps the worst part of the Lib Dems gutter tactics here is to ignore their own actions in the past. As recently as 2006 when Nicol Stephen was Dep First Minister he went to China on a similar trip to Hyslop’s to try and foster Sino-Scottish links. And back in 2005 there was little word from the administration he took part in of these concerns.

I`m afraid I don`t have time to scoot around the net to see if he did raise concerns over human rights, perhaps someone can have a look at let me know. I would hope, and I expect, that he did raise concerns over human rights abuses.

The gutter tactics from the Lib Dems of trying to latch onto valid and necessary international protests over the situation in Tibet and try to tie it into an anti-SNP message is frankly appalling.

Rather than snipe at Fiona Hyslop for taking the concerns held by the people of Scotland over the situation in Tibet and human rights abuses to the Chinese authorities perhaps they might want to reflect on their own actions in the past and look as to how they can constructively join the chorus of those people around the world who are calling for the Chinese authorities to change their ways.