05/01/2016 Scotland 2016

As the mopping up begins, could more have been done to prepare

Hello, happy new year and welcome to Scotland 2016.

The Scottish Government promises extra cash to councils hardest hit

by the flooding but rejects calls for a review of their flood

We look ahead to a busy year in politics, with Holyrood elections

in May and speculation the EU referendum could be held

And in the dark days of January, we bring a little light

into your life with an exhibition of Turner watercolours.

It's been the wettest December in Scotland since records began,

forcing people from their homes and even washing away entire roads.

The Scottish Government today pledged more money for councils

But Deputy First Minister John Swinney insisted councils had enough

funding to provide for all of the flood prevention schemes

identified for the next five years after Labour called

And he insisted the Scottish Flood Forecasting Service had been fully

protected, despite a 6% cut in funding to the agency

Emergency services in Perth today as parts of the time were submerged.

Rain, unable to drain away, the ground waterlogged. In Port Ellison,

homeowners forced to leave their homes, taking shelter to local

school. Firefighters helped locals pump water away from their houses.

All of these houses are flooded. To the extent where the water level,

because the water table is so high, it is just under the floorboards, we

are trying to get rid of this as quickly as we can. The Deputy First

Minister pledged more money from local authorities affected by the

flooding and rejected criticism from Scottish Labour about a reduction in

funding for the environment and protection agency. They have no

responsibility for flood prevention measures, they have a responsibility

for the warning system, which is entirely funded by the government

and which is protected, utterly protected, 100% by my budget

settlement in December. It is not just flooding, rain also causes

landslips, the AED three in Argyll will close overnight as efforts

continue to make safe a 150 tonne boulder in danger of crashing down

the hillside. Over the weekend, residents of Ballater emptied their

homes of sodden possessions as the clean-up following Storm Frank

began. Meanwhile, Braemar remained virtually cut off from the outside

world but the road linking the time and Ballater washed away. A

temporary road is expected to be put in place within the next week. Along

the river, Abergele Castle, featuring on the edge of the river,

received good news, ?100,000 has been secured to prevent the 16th

century castle from collapsing into the water. Although floodwaters have

begun receding, a Met Office amber warning for heavy rain remains in

place for parts of Scotland until Thursday.

Earlier I spoke to the Environment Secretary Richard Lochhead

You have been meeting people in flood hit areas, you have seen the

damage, is this a good time to be cutting the budget for the Scottish

environment protection agency? I did meet many people in begin and Perth

dealing with the flooding on behalf of a thorough tease, including many

people who have been flooded from their homes but not as many people

as might have been the case if the flood schemes had not been built in

previous years and in terms of the role of the protection agency, in

Scotland the role is different, local authorities build these

schemes and help fund them. And another rule is Flood Forecasting

Service separate budget is for that, they will continue good work in

helping prepare people. That budget has been protected but they do have

a further role in advising local authorities on flood schemes and the

bigger picture on climate change? This is the wrong time to be cutting

their budget, surely? The Scottish government is in a constraint budget

situation, all the agencies must play their role in coping with that

so that is a range of responsibilities, of which flood

management is just one of them and we know they can cope with that and

they can continue good work to help Scotland prepare for flooding and

these very important flood forecasting is protected and will

continue to be so. It is up to local authorities to fund flood prevention

schemes. Was it a mistake to stop direct, ring fenced funding? Have

some councils done a better job than others in preparing for this?

Despite some of the very tough financial actors we have had with

the overall Scottish budget, we have protected the capital budget that

goes into local government settlements and what the local

councils have been doing is building flood schemes with that cash and

that is why we have seen a range of schemes, in communities helping to

protect people over the last few days and weeks and I spoke to people

today who have been protected by flood schemes built in the last few

years and today, in Brechon, 250,000 is -- 230,000 houses might have been

flooded but that was far from the case today. They are building

complex schemes, you rely on expertise and local knowledge and

that is why local authorities are best placed to bring forward

proposals to central government. Labour is calling for a central

review across local authorities, is that something you would support? We

will always listen to ideas and take them seriously but I would say that

over the last few years we have changed the way we do things in

Scotland in terms of flood management, we passed legislation in

2009 and we are taking a much more national approach and then we have

14 geographic areas throughout Scotland, each with their own

strategy for flooding so we know -- window with the biggest risks are

and we have plans in place to actually address what needs to be

done to minimise the risk for homes and businesses. We do things better

nationally and on a local level and most of the feedback today was

people were appreciative of the fantastic local coordination between

the police and councils and utilities. That is the case right

now, it is working better. And a big improvement is that people are

better prepared because of the warning systems put in place. We

have reviewed how things are done and has been vast improvements put

in place. Thank you for coming in to talk to us.

Well, listening to that was Labour's environment spokesperson

Sarah Boyack, who joins me from Edinburgh.

You heard the Minister say that we have changed the way we do things

nationally and locally. Why is there any need for a review? We have seen

a huge effort across the country over the last few days and the work

that has been done in coordinating local services from the councils and

the work of the Fire and Rescue Service and the police, an immense

amount of work done but we need to reflect on the fact that this has

been the worst floods for 100 years, since records began and in this

month alone and that is not the first flooding incident in Scotland

this year, farmers faced tough times with heavy rain over the summer so

it is a good time, several years since the act has been put in place

and speaking to local authorities, some of them are not clear about

what the money is that will be available and they say it is for one

year only and there is uncertainty about the capacity for newer flood

schemes. They are very expensive, I would agree with the Cabinet

Secretary on that and there is an issue where we have good flood

defences, they do make a difference but not every area that has been

flooded will be covered by new flood schemes so we need to look at the

scope for new flood schemes and areas where there is not necessarily

going to be a good investment. What more should the government be doing?

We have got the new SEPA strategy put in place in December and the

plans to be approved after the election in June, Parliament needs

to look at that and we particularly need to talk to those communities

affected by the flooding and the aftermath flooding is horrendous. In

terms of people's financial position, not everyone has good

insurance and the cost of that can go up if there is not going to be

any flood scheme in place and the cost to businesses is severe. It is

estimated by SEPA, over ?250 million of damage every year so that gets

into context the cost of flood schemes and this is good value to

look at how we can make better use of that investment over the years

and I am keen to see any review because we know that we are going to

get more uncertain and more difficult weather as climate change

impacts on us and certainly, at a national level, I cannot see what

argument there is against us taking a look, especially with the next

budget round coming up. Thank you for joining us this evening.

Now, Scotland 2016 is shaping up to be a busy year politically.

In May Scotland will go to the polls for the Holyrood elections.

MSPs returned today after their festive break to make

an early start positioning themselves for the electoral race

Meanwhile, speculation is growing that the EU referendum could be held

as early as June, with the Prime Minister making clear that

ministers will be allowed a free vote.

Joining me now to discuss this are two seasoned political commentators.

Iain MacWhirter is in Edinburgh and David Torrance in London.

Good evening. MSPs were back in the chamber, it sounded like they were

campaigning already. All of the opinion polls suggest SNP has a

commanding lead. All to play for? The SNP have a commanding lead, five

major opinion polls and not one of them was the SNP lead over Labour

less than 30%. Clearly, it is a runaway for the surgeon for the SNP

and the danger for Labour and Kezia Dugdale is that it might turn the

story of the selection into the race for second place. We saw towards the

end of the last year, we saw the Tories edging towards the late teens

and Labour languishing between 20 and 25% in the opinion polls and if

that continues, that'll the focus. I do not think the Tories will beat

Labour in second place but that could be the story because everyone

likes a race. David, is that a realistic proposition? The

Conservatives could push Labour into third place? They are very

optimistic about that but I have heard so many times before the match

wanted, much awaited Scottish Tory comeback at every election since

1999 and it never happens although I do agree with the circumstances,

they are the best opportunity that they have. The trouble with this

selection on one hand is that elections in which there is a

foregone conclusion as to the victor are generally very well but this

time there is a slightly different dynamic in terms of policy debate.

The power is coming on stream in a couple of years are quite

substantial sum for the first time, there is a much more grown-up debate

between the five main parties about tax powers at welfare and reforming

council tax that perhaps we have not seen in previous Parliament

contests. Is that something that you think the parties are going to have

to be straightforward about? Yes, I think this will be the first

Scottish election for some time where independence has not been an

issue. It is interesting, if you read Nicola Sturgeon's list of

resolutions for 2016 she didn't mention independence once. It was

all about education attainment, the living wage, equality, keeping up

improvements in health service and like that. This obviously prevent so

-- presents a real opportunity for Labour to get back in the race,

chipping away at the Scottish governorate's read ability on issues

like poverty, waiting lists, and suchlike. We saw that today with

that they'll unveiling this proposal for using the money saved from not

cutting air passenger duty, to use that to subsidise the mortgage

deposits of young families in Scotland. Controversial proposal,

not least because some will say that is fuel for house price inflation.

But also because she used this air passenger duty, which, remember,

hasn't been cut yet, but she used this notional cut before to

compensate for the losses of people who will lose tax credits in the

last Budget. Of course that didn't happen in the end. So it looks like

the single transferable tax would be used for several purposes. But that

will be the main issue for the election. Labour and the SNP are

committed to increasing rates at the top rate and the Tories will say, we

are the only ones who will keep your tax flat. They don't have easy times

ahead, do they? The rosti budget cuts to come and they will have to

decide how to use these new powers? -- there are deep budget cuts. I

know this annoys people when I say this, but there is a bit of a gap

between the SNP's rhetoric, or often a gap, between the rhetoric and what

they actually do. What they did today was hint at quite radical

policy positions on the Scottish approach to welfare and a more

progressive approach to income taxed but I think it remains to be seen

just how radical those will be. I think on income tax, for example,

you will see a fight over the upper rate rather than anything

fundamental or comprehensive on council tax. Rather than a whole

scum replacement, there is the suggestion they will build on the

council tax freeze. -- a wholescale replacement. So I think again and

again, they will probably are on the side of caution and that's not as

interesting. Is there a danger the whole thing could be completely

overshadowed by an EU referendum? It is a real problem, clearly, for the

forecasters, particularly for the BBC, because what normally happens

when there are Scottish Parliamentary elections and

something big happening in the UK, the UK coverage swamps the coverage

of the Scottish election occurs in UK terms they tend to regard

Scottish Parliamentary elections is one step up from local government. I

don't think that will probably happen this time. I hope it won't

happen. And for one important reason. Arguably, at the moment

Scotland has the best party leaders in the entire UK if you compare

pounds for pounds. If you compare our three with Jeremy Corbyn, David

Cameron and Tim Farron, they are great performance and this will be

an interesting competition to watch, and that will retain the interests

of Scottish viewers and prevented being overwhelmed entirely by the

Euro vote. Though that will be very interesting because, of course, we

will have the yet photos saying, we are better together in Europe and

ended the Novotel is saying, we shouldn't resort to project fear. --

and then the people voting no. For more than a century,

Turner watercolours have gone on show at the Scottish National

Gallery in Edinburgh at this Henry Vaughan, who bought

the pictures and left them to the gallery, stipulated

that they should only be displayed in January, when the light in

the capital is at its lowest level. Huw Williams has been to look

round the exhibition, which shows off the artist's place

in European art history, and his part in Scotland's

cultural life. Looking down onto Edinburgh, the old

city jail where St Andrews house is now and the castle dominating the

skyline. One of a group of pictures that tells the story of Turner's

links with Scotland and so Walter Scott specifically. On the left we

have a few odd -- of Edinburgh from Carlton Hill in 1818, which was the

first real project Turner collaborated with Scott over. And

this group of watercolours here, they are mostly watercolours

produced and engraved as illustrations to Scott's work. This

is incredible. Where are we? This is the Isle of Skye and it is

extraordinary. The weather is the swirling vortex with these two tiny

figures in the foreground like ants against the power of nature. This is

Scott sharing a picnic overlooking Melrose and Turner has painted

himself as part of the group. And a poignant watercolour of the

Abbotsford estate painted after so Walter Scott's death. The great

man's chair and writing desk or empty in tribute. But hanging almost

next to these pictures of Scotland, one of the stars of the show, a

picture which crackles with light almost literally turns us to Venice.

Yes, this is painted in the late summer of 1840 one Turner's final

visit to the city. The lighting this is absolutely extraordinary. There

is this streak of lightning across the sky. What is the story about how

he achieves that affect? He would scratch out and remove the colour

pigment to expose the white of the picture, and he grooved his

thumbnail famously so it was like an eagle's claw, so he could get out

and scratch at the paper to produce these wonderful highlights. And then

next, a group of six sketches set in the Alps? Yes, these are superb

studies of the light, the weather and the atmosphere. You can see the

drama of it. In the distance there is this castle, which is illuminated

in the distance, and then this rain storm brewing up which is about to

come charging down the valley. It is the sort of scene you might look

nice from the Highlands, of pelting rain and brilliant sunshine in the

same moment. Yes, and it's that moment where the landscape is

transformed between weathers which Turner is so brilliant at capturing.

This is one of the highlights of the Edinburgh year and the gallery's

year? Absolutely. And for our visitors as well. It really does

light up the dark days of January. But this final lot is a different

university town. This is the German university town of Heidelberg. Yes.

It is a location Turner sketched on a number of occasions and one he

enjoyed sketching. He has abandoned strict topographical accuracy here

and this is an essay on light and the explosive light created by the

setting of the sun. He's kind of showing off what he can do with

colour and light, isn't he? Yes, this is one of his finest

watercolours and it is always an exhibition set piece that would

really show off his overwhelming power in the medium of watercolour.

And the fact that the colours in this asked ill so bright and sharp

shows the wisdom of the commission, that they must only be shown in

January when the light is at its lowest? Absolutely. The preservation

of all the watercolours is remarkable. And we lead the colour

probably are very much as they were in Turner's own day. The display of

the Turner watercolours is at the national gallery in Edinburgh until

the end of the month at Henry Vaughan's the quest.

Joining me now are journalist and Green Party member

Louise Batchelor, and the political commentator Paul Gilbride.

We are going to talk over some of the day's other news. Welcome to you

both and happy New Year. Happy New Year to you, too. Something a bit

more controversial. Creative Scotland has awarded ?15,000 to an

artist for her project, the Glasgow effect. She will not travel outside

Glasgow for a year. She wants to explore the environmental issues

associated with artists travelling around and explore the concept of

belonging. As you can imagine, it wasn't long before parodies surfaced

online! This one suggesting it was a year-long DOS project! What do you

make of the storm it has caused? It is quite predictable when you have

an arts funding body which is almost entirely funded by taxpayers' money.

People quite rightly are going to get quite animated about projects

like this which looked ostensibly like a complete waste of money.

Particularly when it is called The Glasgow Effect. Should they wade in

before they understand what is involved? I have read the Facebook

posting from the artist explaining what it's about and I still don't

understand what it's about! Some question the motivation behind the

award. Maybe it is a lie or just the public backlash, and some came out

with gestures of support. "I Am chips"! Do you think the storm is

helpful? She is not a Turner. She is an installation artist. A

performance artist. One is a vending machine that spews out packets of

crisps every time the BBC site mentions capitalism. So she is

serious. She mentions a good points about climate change. I'm not so

convinced about this idea of not leaving Glasgow for a year because

most environmentalists wouldn't advocate not travelling. There are

plenty of sustainable ways of travelling. But I think this will be

a good year because she has rubber city, a debate started and then we

have the arts to look forward to. -- she has published at you. She has

tried to explain it more. She says she has been negotiating an

agreement with her university did -- to donate the ?15,000 to them in

exchange for paid research leave to undertake the project. What do you

make of that? Is that the point of this project in its entirety? This

confusion? It sounds as if she is throwing in everything including the

kitchen sink! Yes! Don't want to get on your high horse about this but

when you have somebody with a nursing degree people are going to

end up with dealing with the Glasgow Effect. ?15,000 spent on this

project to someone who is doing that... I can see why they find that

offensive. On the other hand, ?15,000 spent on anybody else is not

going to solve the Glasgow Effect. But if you have a situation with an

arts funding body you always get situations like this emerging. What

is art? Well, she certainly has got everybody talking about it! Moving

on, the countdown to the Holyrood elections has started with the SNP

still riding high in the polls. Is it a foregone conclusion? I'm not

going to disagree with all of these polls. Yes, it is a fall on

conclusion. What will happen to all the other parties. -- foregone

conclusion. What is your prediction? You won't be surprised I'm going to

predict the Scottish Greens are going to do rather well, but it

isn't just me saying that, the polls have consistently said that over the

last year and more, and they are also indicating we could take over

the Lib Dems -- overtake the Lib Dems, which is why we have a grudge

against the BBC for suggesting we are a minor party and relegating us

to the coverage Ukip will get. Though based on previous general

elections and the European election, Ukip did get more votes in Scotland.

It did get a huge amount of coverage as well so these things can become a

self fulfilling prophecy. But the Scottish Greens have been in there

since the start. Ukip haven't been there. And looking at the polls,

which is all we can do at the moment, there is no suggestion Ukip

is about to get its first ever MSP. So we should be OK. We should do

well. Is it about the battle for second place? I'm not entirely sure

it is. The Tories might like to pretend they are going to displace

Labour is the second party but that's highly unlikely. -- as the

second party. All be interesting to see how the Lib Dems, the Greens and

even some of Ukip might perform. The fact of the matter is, they got a

higher percentage of the Scottish vote in the general election than

the Greens it and an MEP, which the Greens tried to get but narrowly

didn't. So you think it is fair enough? I think so. That is it for

tonight. Thank you for watching. Before we go, we leave you with some

pictures of Barack Obama's latest bid to change gun controls in the

US. The President paid tribute to gun

victims from Columbine to the Sandy Hook Elementary

massacre in Newtown, Every time I think about those kids

it gets me mad. And, by the way, it happens on the streets of Chicago

everyday. APPLAUSE

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