| by Neil Rafferty and Joe Quinn
SCOTLAND'S capital city was last night in celebration after the
Queen opened the country's first Parliament for 292 years.
Marking the formal handover of power in domestic matters to
Holyrood, the Queen told MSPs: "It is a moment rare in the
life of any nation when we step across the threshold of a new
constitutional age."
And Scottish First Minister Donald Dewar told the opening
ceremony: 'There is a new voice in the land, the voice of a
democratic Parliament. A voice to shape Scotland, a voice, above
all, for the future."
Prime Minister Tony Blair, who missed the historic day in
Edinburgh because of the knife-edge Ulster peace talks, said in a
message relayed by Mr Dewar: "The establishment of the
Scottish Parliament is a great achievement for the people of
Scotland. It is now up to politicians of all parties to make it a
success and a power for good on behalf of the Scottish
people."
SNP leader Alex Salmond pledged his party would work to make a
success of the devolved Parliament, but went on: "For many of
us, this is not the end of the journey.
"We aspire to return Scotland to the international community
of the basis of equality among nations."
The party leaders spoke at Parliament Hall - the site of
Scotland's pre-Union legislature which last sat in 1707.
Then they walked in procession the quarter-mile to the General
Assembly Hall of the Church of Scotland - the new Parliament's
temporary home - for the royal opening.
Thousands lined the street to see the Queen, Duke of Edinburgh and
Prince of Wales travel by carriage from the Palace of
Holyroodhouse.
But there were three disruptions.
Four people were arrested after climbing over barriers in the
Royal Mile and waving Irish republican placards as the Queen's
carriage was passing.
Two more were arrested after a Union flag was burnt outside the
Parliament. |
And a trooper of the Household Cavalry was thrown from his horse
when it slipped on the cobbles of the Royal Mile.
The opening ceremony mixed the old and the new, with pomp kept to
a minimum.
The Royals entered the chamber to a modem trumpet fanfare composed
by James MacMillan, preceded by the 459-year-old Crown of
Scotland, home by the Duke of Hamilton.
Highlight
Watched by MSPs and VIPs, including Chancellor Gordon Brown, Tory
leader William Hague, Commons Speaker Betty Boothroyd, and film
star Sean Connery, the Queen presented a silver mace as symbol of
the Parliament's "lawful authority".
One of the highlights was the Robert Bums egalitarian song A Man's
a Man for a' That, sung by Sheena Wellington.
After the ceremony, and as tens of thousands watched a parade by
schoolchildren, a British Airways Concorde led a fly-past of RAF
Red Arrows over Edinburgh Castle.
The new Parliament's Presiding Officer, Lord David Steel,
criticised over the number of invited celebrities who declined to
attend, said later: "I thought it went extremely well.
"Everybody seemed happy. The Queen was very pleased with the
ceremony.
"I hope the whingers are now I skulking away."
Sean Connery said it was the "best day of my life", and
went on: "If we can get the transparency the Parliament
should have, and it has the teeth, it can get better.
"With proper due diligence and hard work we can get a free
press - and might have a democracy, because it's not at the
moment."
The day ended with a rock concert, an open-air classical concert
and a ceilidh.
There were also fireworks, and the Queen last night hosted a
reception for Scotland's 156 parliamentarians at the palace. |
