At an early stage in the troubles in Northern Ireland Dr Ian Paisley invited a number of journalists who had been plaguing him to a service in his church. They were met with smiles, escorted to a front row, and settled down in happy expectation of some good copy. Leaning from the pulpit Dr Paisley pointed them out to the faithful throng which surrounded them on all sides. ''There are the guilty men,'' he boomed. The Scottish Secretary, Mr Donald Dewar, has a gentler touch but the leading figures from local government who assembled last night to hear his Richard Stewart Memorial Lecture in Strathclyde University were treated to some similarly robust home truths. Mr Dewar is not impressed by the standard of local government in Scotland, indeed his every tone when the subject has been touched upon in recent weeks suggests his desire for significant change.
The vehicle for this, the catalyst which will drive things forward, is the establishment of a Scottish Parliament. Mr Dewar was blunt last night and rightly so. The Parliament represents either a challenge to the entrenched interests of local government or an opportunity which will allow it to be established on a properly demo-cratic and efficient base. Either way, change will come for, as Mr Dewar said, parliamentarians will not allow a limping local government system to continue. This is all very laudable, especially as efficient, fair, and democratic local government will not be interfered with by parliament. But there remain dangers for it is clear that the Scottish Secretary may be inclined to PR for local government elections, for the election of provosts, and to a Cabinet style of local administration which implies far fewer councillors. Yet he must take care not to pre-empt the work
of Mr Neil McIntosh and his Commission on Local Government and the Scottish Parliament which is considering these very issues. A diversity of view is important: we hope that a seamless garment is not in preparation.
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