A NATIONAL plan to tackle sectarianism in Scotland was agreed yesterday at a summit hosted by Jack McConnell, the First Minister.
Representatives from football clubs, religious organisations, the police and voluntary groups were among those who attended the two-hour meeting in Glasgow.
Mr McConnell claimed afterwards to have achieved a “historic” consensus, with all parties agreeing to press ahead with a national plan.
“What we have today is a concrete agreement that every organisation represented here will now commit to our discussions and our action to combat sectarianism in Scotland,” he said.
“This is a historic event, bringing together people who have never been together in one room before. We now have an opportunity, through further dialogue and action, to make a real difference in Scotland and build on the progress that’s been made.”
Advertisement
Ian Wilson, grand master of the Grand Orange Lodge of Scotland, was less enthusiastic, suggesting that the First Minister had exaggerated the problem. “I think sectarianism has declined over my lifetime. I think Mr McConnell has to be careful not to over-egg it. I think there are bigger issues for him to tackle,” he said.
Laurence Macintyre, safety chief at Rangers Football Club, said that the meeting had been worthwhile. “What has been arranged is that there will be further meetings arranged in smaller groups looking at different specialisms, like sport or parades. I have several times today said that Rangers and Celtic are flagpoles, up which different groups hoist their flag. We are not to blame for this — we are just one of the symptoms of a wider problem in society,” he said.
Brian Quinn, chairman of Celtic Football Club, praised the honesty of the participants and said that everyone present had a stake in reducing the bad feeling created by sectarianism.
Cardinal Keith O’Brien, leader of Scotland’s Roman Catholics, said: “We all realise that this was not the end — this is the start, just the beginning of the process to combat sectarianism.”
Mr McConnell said that the meeting discussed action on a range of areas, including the twinning of schools, and reforms already under way for organising marches and parades.