SNP 'scaremongering over Orange parade'
A SCOTTISH National Party MP has been accused of "scaremongering" ahead of an Orange parade in Perth later this month.
SNP man Peter Wishart, who is the MP for Perth and North Perthshire, has said he feels "anxious" about the parade - even though the same event passed off without incident last year.
Up to 4,000 Orangemen are set to walk on the city's South Inch on June 26 for County Grand Lodge of the East of Scotland's annual Boyne celebrations.
Mr Wishart said he had "concerns" ahead of the event.
"I'm willing to support anything that promotes the goals I believe in, two of which are togetherness and inclusion," he said.
"But I really don't think the Orange Order marching through the centre of Perth will help us achieve these things, especially as this is the year of the city's 800th anniversary.
"I'm more than happy to accept that they've made extraordinary efforts to police themselves over the last few years, in terms of who they allow to become members and so on.
"But, how can they have the same level of control over the thousands of people who are supposed to be coming to watch this procession?"
He went on to claim he did not feel the parade was "appropriate for the area".
"Marches like this don't have the same historic significance here as they do elsewhere in the country.
"I accept last year's regional parade may have passed off in Kirkcaldy without any trouble.
"But the number of officers that will have to be deployed to police this year's version makes me feel quite anxious."
Perth Orangeman David Walters has said brethren are concerned at Mr Wishart's remarks.
"What really worries us is the fact that the local MP has publicly stated our parade has the potential to create disorder without consulting us, or the police," he said.
"There has been an Orange Order presence in Perth since 1895. So to say that we don't have any real significance here is untrue."
Mr Walters said there were no reports of trouble when Perth last hosted the east of Scotland Lodge's annual parade in 1988.
"To say otherwise is just scaremongering. I would say that 90 per cent of the spectators will come from within Perth and Kinross," he said.
"There might be some people coming from further afield, but I wouldn't expect there to be many – certainly not the thousands that have been reported.
"Certain people will always be against the Orange Order, there's nothing we can do about that.
"But I would stress that all our members are vetted before they are allowed to join to make sure they're fit and proper people.
"And we've worked hard with the likes of the police and Perth and Kinross Council to make sure they're happy with what we've proposed."
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Belfast
Monday 28 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 12 C to 25 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 12 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 7 mph
Wind direction: South west
