Voting For a New Britain: Bishops speak out for SNP policies

SCOTLAND'S ROMAN Catholic bishops yesterday indicated a clear preference for the policies of the Scottish National Party. A statement from the bishops, to be read out at every Catholic church on Sunday, represents a snub to Labour, traditionally the party of Scottish Catholics, and marks a new low point in relations with the Government.

In line with SNP policy, the Catholic hierarchy's document opposes Labour's introduction of university tuition fees and demands that "nuclear weapons are banished and resources re-targeted to our people's needs". In a side- swipe at Labour, which has moved to close Catholic schools in a number of areas, the document calls for legislators who will respect and support Catholic schools.

Although the bishops stop short of endorsing the SNP's decision to forgo the one penny Budget cut in income tax to fund public services, the bishops state: "Politicians must be prepared to take whatever steps are necessary to ensure that adequate funding is made available for the care of the sick and the elderly."

Eddie Barnes, editor of the Scottish Catholic Observer, a weekly religious newspaper, said: "Clearly some of the SNP policies are in accordance with what the Catholic church has long been saying. There is some obvious crossover."

However, the 800-word statement stops short of actually endorsing the SNP, stating that "it is not our intention to advise electors which party or candidates they should favour".

Publication was delayed for a week after some senior clerics said the original was too party political. It is understood that the first draft was watered down to place the Catholic church equidistant between the nationalist and Unionist camps.

Monsignor Tom Connolly, a spokesman for the Catholic church in Scotland, said: "Catholic social teaching is Catholic social teaching. If some party's policies coincide with that, so much the better.The idea of the church being pro-SNP is absolute bunkum."

Cardinal Thomas Winning, leader of Scotland's Catholics, has made no secret of his sympathies for nationalism. At a conference of European bishops last year, he said, to SNP delight, that Scottish nationalism was "mature, respectful of democracy and international in outlook". Before the 1992 general election, the then Archbishop Winning attacked Labour's pro-abortion policy.

Last night, the SNP welcomed the latest intervention from the Catholic bishops. An SNP spokesman said: "The fact that some of the bishops' views accord with SNP policy positions simply reflects the fact that those positions represent consensus opinion in Scotland." A Labour spokesman refused to comment.

Yesterday's developmentcame after a statement sympathetic to nationalism from the Rev John Cairns, who next month takes over as Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.

Mr Cairns highlighted the General Assembly's long-standing support for devolution, and added: "If it transpired that the people of Scotland wanted something more, on the same basis the Church could well support that as well. The key thing is the wishes of the people of Scotland."