06/05/2014 Reporting Scotland

On tonight's Reporting Scotland: A new attempt to clear the name of the

man found guilty of the Lockerbie bombing. 270 people died in the

atrocity. Today, relatives delivered a new appeal both against Abdelbaset

al-Megrahi's conviction - and for the truth. I want to know why the

murder of my daughter was not prevented when there was so much

intelligence, at least 14 warnings, some of them very specific.

Also tonight: Good financial news for Rangers. A former director has

failed in a court attempt to freeze over ?500,000 in the club's account.

Hi, how are you? A shiny new trams service - but just

how accessible is it? We send our man Ian Hamilton to Edinburgh to

find some answers. Ten years - why A Play, A Pie, And A

Pint is one of the country's most successful theatre projects.

And the sporting focus is on Dingwall as Hibernian travel to Ross

County, with both sides fighting relegation.

25 relatives of the Lockerbie victims have agreed to support a new

application to clear the name of the only man convicted. They'll give the

Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission their new application in

the next couple of weeks to try to overturn the conviction. Our

political correspondent, Lucy Adams, reports.

For two men who lost their daughters in the Lockerbie bombing, the fight

for justice goes on. Jim Swire and John Mosey met in Glasgow today to

finalise the details of a new application to clear the name of

Abdelbaset al-Megrahi. They say they have new evidence about the

detonator which was persuade the commission to reopen the case. I

want to know by the murder of my daughter was not prevented when

there was so much intelligence, at least 14 warnings, some of them very

specific. Some people were warned. We were not. There is a great

urgency to have some kind of enquiry. It has been a long journey.

The campaign finances has gone on for many years. His daughter was on

the aircraft. I am representing about 25 British representatives,

and these are people who want to know the truth about who murdered

their families. They want the public to know the truth about how they

believe they have been deliberately kept on knowing the truth by our

government. In the 25 years since the bombing, the legal case has

taken many turns. In 2001, Abdelbaset al-Megrahi was dispersed

appeal against conviction. In June 2007, the commission referred his

case for you repeal. In August 2009, Abdelbaset al-Megrahi dropped is to

appeal and was released from prison just days later on compassionate

grounds. He had terminal cancer. Today, relatives not to finalise an

application to appeal his conviction again, two years after he died. Some

have long doubted the guilt of the man convicted of the Lockerbie

bombing. Others have questioned how a single person could of course such

devastation. Now 25 of the relatives have endorsed a new application here

to the Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission. They hope that

will lead to a new appeal and answers to their questions. In order

to consider any application, the commission have a 2-part test. The

first part is the miscarriage of justice. The second part is equally

important, and that is when it is in the interest of justice to accept an

application. In a statement, the Crown Office said:

A quarter of a century on, questions remain for the relatives of the 270

Lockerbie victims. Their journey is a long way from over.

Former Rangers commercial director Imran Ahmad has failed in a second

bid to have over ?500,000 frozen in the club's account. He claims he is

owed the money in unpaid bonuses. Lord Armstrong rejected Mr Ahmad's

bid at the Court of Session in Edinburgh after hearing that

institutional investors at Rangers were prepared to step in to avoid

insolvency if season ticket sales slumped. Our senior football

reporter, Alasdair Lamont, was in court today. How important was it

for Rangers this decision went in their favour? I think you have to

say this was a pretty significant victory for Rangers, at least in the

short term. The implications of the decision going against them could

have had a devastating effect on their ability to continue trading,

and essentially what happened in court today was that Imran Ahmad

Sprinter Sacre lawyer painted a picture of Rangers diminishing

finances as he put it, and particularly underlining the

importance of season-ticket money to the clubs's ability to continue to

trade, and also the widely publicised doubts over just how many

season tickets would actually be purchased this coming year. In

response to that, the Rangers lawyer argued the importance of the threat

of a downturn has been overplayed. Crucially, he also argued that even

if there is a significant downturn, the Rangers institutional investors

have indicated only in the last week that they would be willing to step

in and finance a further equity issue in order to prevent any

potential insolvency happening. In his judgement, Lord Armstrong

admitted that while there was some scope for concern about Rangers

automatic financial position, he said it could not be said there was

a real possibility of Rangers being insolvent in early 2015, which is

when liability in Imran Ahmad's claim against Rangers would fall.

What now for Rangers financially? The first instance, you have to wait

and see what the uptake of the downturn in Rangers season tickets

actually is. There is a deadline of a 16th on renewals, and indications

are currently but the uptake has been slow. Rangers were criticised

for the setting up of a trust for fans who are disgruntled in the

running of the club to break their season-ticket money. They say that

is a damaging thing for the club and an example of twisted logic. If

there is a significant downturn in those season-ticket sales, it will

be interesting to see whether the institutional investors to step up

to the plate and invest in the club, which has spent the best part of ?70

million in the last two years. Thank you.

The transport minister has insisted a notorious traffic blackspot in

Aberdeen won't be improved early even if a phased opening of the

city's bypass relieves pressure on the junction. Keith Brown was

appearing before councillors, who've been in dispute with the Scottish

Government over the timetable for the Haudagain roundabout

improvements. Kevin Keane reports. It has torn their relationship

apart, and brought them back together again. The politicians in

Aberdeen and Holyrood still can't agree on when improvements to this

notorious bottleneck should begin. There is a plan for what it will

look like, but on where in, they keep around. Today they met in the

middle, with the highly unusual occasion of a minister appearing

before local councillors. Mr Brown won't sanction the roundabout

improvements until the Aberdeen bypass, has been completed. But that

could be four years away. So questions. We have concerns, because

it would appear that if the bypass was finished in 2017, you are not

committing to the Haudagain roundabout onto 2013. Up although

preparatory work has gone on, the Scottish Government still has not

appointed a contractor for the long awaited Aberdeen bypass. Today, the

minister said he had fast tracked some sections of the route, but even

if that relieves pressure on the roundabout, work they're still won't

be advanced. The Mac we are keen to see what happens with the airport as

soon as possible, and also the discrete element of the contract.

That is being suggested as well. We're happy to listen to any

suggestions the council may have. The dispute between the council and

Scottish ministers spreads much further than this roundabout. But

after a string of quite public bus stops, this could be the first sign

of cordial relations. Still to come on this evening's

Reporting Scotland: ten years on, my A Play, A Pie, And A Pint is one of

the country's most successful they projects.

In sport, the former Rangers manager Alex McLeish gives his backing to

investor Dave King. Celtic eye a century of goals and

points. And lofty ambitions from the new

head coach of Scottish Cricket, who says Scotland can become a

Test-playing nation. A senior Welsh Labour MP has walked

out of a Westminster committee meeting, saying it was a "stunt"

aimed at embarrassing the Scottish Parliament. Paul Flynn left the

meeting of the Public Administration Committee after being asked to bring

his questioning of a senior civil servant to an end.

You have quite a long one. A rather long and tedious run. Order, order,

order. Mr Cairns. Mr Cairns! Order. Like I have to protest, or I will

have to leave the committee. You are using it as a stunt to try to

embarrass the Scottish Parliament and the idea of devolution. David

Porter is at Westminster for us tonight. David, support for the

Scottish parliament from an unlikely quarter there. What is behind this?

This is a classic case of tempers all around. We heard in that

exchange the frustration of the Labour MP, Paul Flynn. He had been

speaking and asking questions to senior civil servants. He felt he

was not getting answers he wanted. They wanted to continue his

questioning, and the chairman of the committee, Bernard Jenkin, try to

bring it to an end. We had that slights back there. Paul Flynn, as

Labour MP, would admit he is never going to win any prizes for the most

on message of Labour MPs, but his comments were highlighted by the

SNP. They would be less well received by the Labour leadership.

The committee did hear things about the impartiality of civil servants.

Specifically concerning the independence referendum. Go back

there with hearing evidence from the head of the civil service, Sir Bob

Kerslake, and the top civil servant of the Scottish Government, said

Peter Housley. They made it plain that civil servants were in partial,

that actually they offer advice to ministers, but that was for

ministers to decide but the policy would be taken, and then when that

policy was introduced, it was for the civil servants to carry it out.

Much of the hearing focus on the highly unusual and highly

controversial decision of the top civil servant, the Treasury, to make

plain his view and advice that he did not favour a currency union. We

were told by the civil servants and civil service language that was a

highly unusual set of circumstances. They also made it plain, and perhaps

a warning to ministers both in Edinburgh and London, that when the

campaign enters its final months, they expect the two governments to

operate something where they do not make announcements that try to give

them political advantage. We will wait and see if that is the case.

Thank you. Edinburgh's new tram service gets

under way at the end of the month. It's being billed as the first

transport system in Scotland to be designed and built with disabled

people in mind. To find out how accessible it is, our reporter Ian

Hamilton went along to try it out. Hi. How are you? This is guide dog

instructor, Julie. She will demonstrate the Safeway to use the

trends. The trends arrive from the left-hand side. If you require

assistance, there are buttons on the platform. One is for emergencies and

the other for information. So you don't wonder accidentally onto the

track, tactile pavement runs the length of the platform. Once inside,

there is plenty of space for a large German Shepherd. You like really

Edinburgh trams are accessible for big white people like myself, but

what are they like for wheelchair users? When necessary, there is

little to take them onto the platform. Wide doors and level

access makes it easy for Michael to get his onto the train. To improve

travel in the capital, Mike would like to see the tram network

completed. Nevertheless, he says this is a way for future users like

him to travel. You like there is a guaranteed space between the

platform and the tram, and guarantee there will be no difference in

height. There is never a problem in getting between the platform and the

vehicle. The tram operator said disability access is taken extremely

seriously from outside of the project, accessibility has been key

for us. We want everyone to use the trends across the piece. The more

people that can get access to the tram easily and efficiently, the

better. The trains will go live on the 31st of May, so we still have a

little weight if we want to use the tram' on our own.

The Scottish Government says it will look closely at the findings of a

report on asthma care. The first major study of asthma deaths found

the UK has one of the highest death rates in Europe - largely because

medical staff and patients have become complacent about the illness.

Public health minister Michael Matheson said he would ask national

advisors to consider what action was needed. Edinburgh council is to

write a ?500 million of the debt owing after the collapse of its

property repair service. Under Edwin Brie statutory notices, the council

paid upfront for repairs to tenement buildings and recover the money

afterwards. -- Edinburgh statutory notices. However, it closed after it

was found to be open to abuse. The Scottish Conservatives have

begun their campaign for this month's European elections, with an

emphasis on opposing Scottish independence. The party leader, Ruth

Davidson, says it's crucial to counter the SNP pitch that Scotland

could easily become an independent member of the European Union. Here's

our political editor, Brian Taylor. From the leader, a kiss for

Stevenson, who was starting down as the party's sole ENP -- MP. The

Tories will counter the SNP, who topped the poll at the last European

elections, with a direct attack upon the notion of independence. But they

are also promising a referendum in three-year's time on whether the UK

should be in or out of the European Union. What they want is reform.

That is basically where it lies. People like the market and the idea

of trade and trading without hindrance. That is popular. But they

don't want is interference, form filling, red tape, being told how to

manage their day-to-day affairs by people they have never met. Nigel

Farage of UKIP on a previous Scottish visit. He's back later this

week. They say they aren't worried. I think in terms of the party, it is

trying to draw support. It is not having the same success as it has

down south. That perhaps is because when Nigel Farage has come to

Scotland and try to fill the needs of nationalists, he may have found

that might be done. Who knows? But the Tory attack extends beyond UKIP

in the SNP. More generally, they accuse their rivals of ducking the

challenge of reforming the European Union.

The Conservative pitch at these elections will be to keep Scotland

within the United Kingdom and to keep United Kingdom within a

reformed European Union. Now for a look at other stories from

across the country. A crackdown on crime across

Edinburgh is targeting violent, disorderly and anti-social

behaviour. Operation Wolf has already led to a series of arrests

connected with serious violent crime. Anti-social behaviour,

violent client, housebreaking and other behaviours we are doing that

over the next six weeks. National resources will be brought in to

bring those individuals involved in those crimes to justice.

An investigation is under way after the body of a dog was found dumped

in a suitcase in the Torry area of Aberdeen. The Scottish SPCA says the

female German shepherd was underweight and in very poor

condition. It's not yet clear how she died.

The number of police officers in Scotland has fallen again. There are

now 250 fewer than there were a year ago, according to official figures.

They show the Scottish Government has maintained its target of an

extra 1,000 officers by just ten. The Justice Secretary says more

officers are being recruited ahead of the Commonwealth Games.

Police say an 8-year-old girl was the victim of an unprovoked attack

by two teenage boys in Dumfries. The girl was punched and pushed on

Glencairn Road just before six o'clock last night. Police have

issued descriptions of the boys. A Drumnadrochit businessman has

called on the organisers of the first closed roads cycle race around

Loch Ness to improve talks with the local community if the event is to

go ahead next year. Around a thousand riders took part in the

first Loch Ness Etape last Sunday - but some businesses have claimed

that the full closure of the A82 hit trade.

A Hollywood-style sign could be erected permanently at Macduff. The

sign - and the lighting of Banff bridge - are among proposals to help

regenerate the towns. Aberdeenshire Council is also consulting on plans

for Peterhead and Fraserburgh. Sports Nayar and more from Ibrox.

Good evening. As we heard earlier - good news on

the financial front for Rangers in Court today. Now the club's former

Manager Alex McLeish has voiced his backing for investor Dave King in

his bid to give the club financial security. McLeish led Rangers to two

League championships and five cup wins in five years and says the

assets of the club must be protected. It would be great to see

somebody like Dave King takeover, with the respect he has paid to the

fans and the union with the fans, looking to make sure that the assets

are safe. Then, for me, that would be a great solution for Rangers.

The stakes are high in the Scottish Premiership tonight as Ross County

play Hibernian in Dingwall. For the winners - top flight football for

another season - for the losers a nerve jangling final round of

matches on Saturday - and the threat of relegation to the championship.

David Currie reports. Ross County versus Hibernian, it is like a cup

final without a trophy, but that is a prize, guaranteed premiership

survival. Hence, Partick Thistle, county or call Marnoch Goodall

finished second bottom and sees the relegation play-off championship

club. -- or Kilmarnock. There is a finality about this match against

Ross County, we win the match and we are safe. The game is massive. It is

the biggest game of the season. We're under no illusions we need

three points. Katie had just two wins from the last few matches. If

we do not go into this game with some sort of confidence and belief,

there is no point in turning up. We have a lot of talent in that

dressing room. Hibernian's last win was 12 games ago. It does not sound

fantastic, but compared to where we were, it is light years away. It is

Hibernian football club were talking about, we do not do things the easy

way, we get there in the end but it is a struggle. To the losers are

nervous final round of matches on Saturday. If it is a draw, people

added trouble. -- people are in trouble.

And there are play off pressures looming elsewhere in the Scottish

Premiership. Here's news of that and more in Scottish sport...

Kilmarnock sit in the relegation play off spot after Sunday's 5-0

defeat by Hearts. Some Killie supporters have been calling for

manager Allan Johnson to be sacked, but he remains positive. We have had

opportunities to get ourselves away from this relegation but we have not

taken them so we have put ourselves under a lot of pressure. But I think

we have the characters in the dressing room. We have good young

players who can make sure we get the results in the next couple of games.

At the other end of the table Celtic have 96 goals and 95 points. Manager

Neil Lennon has said 100 points and 100 goals are their big targets now.

A final day of practice for Andy Murray before he begins his Madrid

Masters campaign tomorrow.. It could be a tricky clash against the

on-form Spanish clay-court specialist Nicolas Almagro.

Definitely be one of the hardest first-round matches. Yeah, very

tough, he obviously beat Rafael Nadal a few days ago. He has been

playing in Spain, it will be very tough.

And back in football, two matches tonight including Ross County v

Hibs. It's a 7.45 kick off with coverage on Radio, online and that

match can also be seen on BBC Alba from 10pm.

Scottish Cricket's new head coach believes he can lead the national

side into the Test arena. Grant Bradburn was introduced to the media

in Edinburgh today, ahead of Scotland's One Day international

against England later this week. And as Phil Goodlad reports, the New

Zealander wants to change the shape of cricket in this country.

Meet Scottish cricket's new head coach. What can we expect from him?

You earn the right to success. I am a hard-working coach and expect that

from my players. I am a coach that understands the end results of

performance. He is steeped in the New Zealand cricket. He moved into

coaching domestically and for the national side. He knows he has a

mixture of professional and amateur players. He has a clear methods of

improving players individually and collectively. Scotland cannot play

test cricket, but that could change with play-offs scheduled for 2018.

The gotcha is how hopes for Scotland. Of course to play test

cricket, we need to break into the top teams. Do you think it is

achievable? Yes, I do. A new era is underway for Cricket Scotland.

Hopefully the new coach will get them off to the best possible

start, out in the middle against England this Friday.

Thank you very much. It began as a piece of lunchtime

theatre for a new Glasgow pub. But ten years on A Play A Pie And A Pint

is one of the country's most successful theatre projects -

serving up 38 plays a year - to mostly sell out crowds at home and

abroad. Our arts correspondent Pauline McLean joined the crowd for

today's show. It is a simple enough recipe,

apartheid, a pint and of course the play. Every week for the past ten

years, there has been no shortage of audiences queueing up for a serving.

It gives you that lift to your day. You come in and watch a funny play.

You have some quiche and a nice glass of wine. It is my wife's

birthday so we thought we would come and do something and enjoy

ourselves. There's a nice atmosphere. You get a drink and you

get a nice pie and you get to see a play. No shortage of actors and

writers who averages more than 300 plays. Today it is the turn of

actress Joyce Faulkner who is squeezing a lot into her lunch hour.

A community choir she has recruited to tell the tale. Certainly for a

long time, it was not acceptable for working people, it was too highbrow

and it was too long so I think this is ideal for a non-theatregoing

audience. The appetite for shows has been huge. This one has already been

seen in Aberdeen. Others have gone to London, Beirut and Bermuda. The

rest before success? Our audience has the loyalty and enthusiasm for

coming along and they make A Play, A Pie, And A Pint what it is. That and

variety, we provide a variety of high-quality work and the audience

think they will stick with this and hopefully we will continue to stick

with us for the next ten years and come and see stuff. Follow that!

Thank you very much Jackie. Good evening. The weather this week is

unsettled to say the least. This evening, then pushing in. Here is

the rainfall radar. This gassing of showers, with those showers merging

in the West to form a band of showery rain which crosses the

country overnight. A pretty mild nights. Temperatures are around

seven up to nine Celsius. You can see the legacy of the rain across

the north coast tomorrow morning and into parts of Glasgow and Argyll.

Elsewhere it will be dry. Towards the afternoon, we have three

distinct areas of weather. Across the south-west, this rain pushing

into the south-west and the Borders. It will stay for most of the day. A

brisk westerly breeze as well. By the North, there will be some cloud

and bright spells but the rain is not far away. Frequent, heavy and

slow moving showers. Also some bright or sunny skies. The Northwest

does best with dry conditions but some showers will come through. The

rest of the afternoon and into the evening and overnight, with lighter

winds in the north, if you catch a shower it will be waiting for some

time. Holding onto wet weather in far south. If we look at the

pressure chart, we can see the reason for this unsettled weather.

This massive area of low pressure will stay for most of the week

pushing showers are away. Thursday will be a better day, still sunshine

and showers but the showers are not as heavy. Some brighter skies. Still

wait in the south-west. A return to heavy showers on Friday with hail

and thunder mixed in. A lot going on so keep an island the forecast.

Thank you very much. A reminder of the night's news --

relatives of the Lockerbie bombing have agreed to support a new

application to queueing the name of the man accused of the crime. --

convicted of the crime. The biggest ever proposed foreign takeover of a

British firm is to be scrutinised by Parliament. American giant Pfizer

has offered ?63 billion for the British company AstraZeneca but so

far has been rebuffed. The bosses of both companies have been summoned to

appear before MPs. That is Reporting Scotland. Our next

main bulletin is just after the ten o'clock news. From everyone here,

enjoy your evening.