Issue No 42 29 May—11 June 1987
Cover Gary Oldman in Prick Up Your Ears
3
Duncan Campbell The thorn in the side ofOfficial Secrecy talks to John Sweeney.
4 Prick Up Your Ears
Allan Hunter uncovers the making of Stephen Frears‘ film about Joe Orton.
6 Election Guide
As Scottish Television prepare to
present their most extensive
coverage yet of a General Election.
we publish exclusively their guide to the Election in Scotland.
9 Spring Fling Special
Complete daily diary and venue guide to Edinburgh's expanding Spring Fling festival.
-___ __.m15
Listings Full guide to events this fortnight. Art 35 Music 26 Dance 23 0an ~12 Film 15 Sport 34 Kids 25 Theatre 21
43 Backhst
.Books. Nightlife and Clubs Guide plus Coming Soon section.
CONTRIBUTORS
Publisher Robin Hodge. Editors Nigel Billen. Sarah l lemming. Associate Editor Allan Hunter. Design Simon Listerson. Advertising Robin Hodge. Sheila Maclean . Accounts Georgette Renwick. Richard (iray. Typesetting Jo Kennedy artd HewerText. Production Editor Paul Keir. Production Assistant Andrew Young. Art Alice Bain. Books Alan Taylor. Classical Music Carol Main. Dance Alice Bain. Film Allan Hunter. Trevor Johnston. Folk/Jazz Norman Chalmers. Kids Sally Kinnes. Open Nigel Billen. Rock(Edinburgh) Alastair Mabbott. ROCK (GlaSQOWHohn Williamson. Listen! Alastair Mabbott. John Williamson. Sport Kenny Mathieson. Theatre Sarah Hemming. Camera Edinburgh Make-up Services. Cover: Gary ()ldman in Prick Up Your Ears. Cover Design Nigel Billen and Paul Keir. Published by The List Ltd. l-llligh Street. Edinburgh. 5581191.
SUBSCRIPTIONS
£15 per year. £8 for 6 months. payable to The List Ltd.
HOUSE PARTY
Ness Raison outlines the housing policies ofthe four main parties in Scotland.
Since the Conservatives came to power over one and a half million people have become first time home owners and the new manifesto maintains home ownership as its main priority. It states the Conservative belief: ‘lt is the foundation stone of a capital-owning democracy.’
The Conservatives‘ second priority is to increase the practical opportunities to rent. To attract investment from private landlords. short tenancies will be developed. whereby a tenant can be evicted after the expiration ofa lease. which will not be for less than six months.
The Conservatives will keep the present system of mortgage tax relief. and create an independent housing agency composed of in Scotland the Scottish Special Housing Association and the Housing Corporation. to encourage private investment and joint rehabilitation ofexisting stock.
That the government favours private investment rather than government or local government funding in housing is the central message ofthe manifesto. Nothing new here: in 1979 Scottish local authorities were given £213 million from central government. in 1987 they were given £46 million. Currently. 31 councils. including Edinburgh. receive nothing. In terms of increasing the state owned housing stock. the effects ofcouncil house sales have been adverse. Councils have been forced to sell
property to tenants at a fraction of the market value. while the government has encouraged little development to replace this stock. Additionally. in general. the best stock has been sold leaving local authorities with disproportionate amounts of bad housing.
The Alliance are committed in their manifesto to 'even-handed’ support for those who rent and those who buy. They will create wealth through council house sales. and by limiting mortgage tax relief to the basic level of income tax. will provide assistance for first time buyers and those on low incomes.
To combat homelessness. the Alliance will eliminate the board and lodgings regulations. which limit a stay in a bed and breakfast to a four week period. They will introduce the ‘Rent a Room' scheme.to enable owner-occupiers (including those paying off mortgages). council tenants and tenants of housing associations to let up to two rootns (income up to £60 a week to be untaxed).
For the elderly. there will be a Home Income Plan. Matty elderly owner-occupie rs live in poor conditions having no other capital than their property. The Plan will enable them to take out a mortgage on part of the value of the house. artd use it to buy an annuity providing regular income.
The Alliance will require each housing authority to draw up a housing strategy and will form housing co-ops to build and renovate in a new ‘partnership' plan with banks and building societies. who will provide funding; and will draw up a new ‘tenants charter' giving council tenants a right to decent housing and security.
The Labour Party will place housing high on its agenda in the new Scottish Assembly. They acknowledge that. unlike the rest of Britain. halfofthe Scottish housing stock is in the public sector. They will fund a much needed Scottish Housing Survey and make large scale investment in to both public and private housing. giving local councils the key strategic role in house planning. They will continue with council house sales. but only if it is not to the detriment of the local area and is supported by the local authority. The Labour Party will encourage tenants‘ management co-operatives and 'par-value‘ co-ops. where tenants collectiver own the property they manage.
They will limit tax reliefon mortgages to the standard rate of income tax.
For the homeless. the Labour Party will abolish the 'four week rule‘. overhaul the housing benefit system and increase surveillance of those renting from the private sector.
The Scottish National Party is the only party intending to establish a Ministry of I Iousing. They will examine all houses in public ownership. They uill continue to sell council housing but in a 'systematic‘ fashion so that stock can be replenished as it is sold.'l'he_v intend to introduce democratic tenants co-management schemesfl‘he SNP pledges to provide sheltered housing - 50 places per one thousand pensioners initially - after independence. to build amenity housing to enable disabled people to live in the cornmttnity rather than in institutions. and to concentrate specifically on the increasing numbers of young and old single homeless.
Manifestly unimpressed by campaign fever at home. Robert Dawson Scott sends a message
We shall pass overthe opportunity missed by the constituency Labour party and their candidate Alistair Darling of securing the showbiz vote in
the key marginal of Edinburgh Central when they produced posters reading Vote Darling, Labour instead of the otherway round. Forwe have more pressing business, a mercy mission, no less. The editor has kindly given me permission to use this fortnight's column to send some vital information about how to mend part of his outboard motor to my old chum Chief Batu Shinskaya Sir Siddartha Gamelan] in Fiji. He left behind the manual when he was over here during the Commonwealth Games( power-lifting competition) and I keep forgetting to send it on to him. Because the Ministry oi Posts and Telecommunications is
currently in the hands of a Lance-Corporal of the Royal Fijian Mounted Police Band, the only surefire way to get the instructions through to him is via the magazine. There appear to be one ortwo misprints but as I am not mechanically minded, I have left it unaltered.
0 Description of Governor; General The governor assembly is located at the bottom right corner of the system. Two housings are joining together by a black rod.The gap between them is known as the north-south divide.
inside the housing, if you take the lid oil, are hundreds of little grey bundles known as members. The members bring power the assembly allowing it to slow down everything in the system. They are noisy but normally invisible. 0 Maintenance Some members wear out and need replacinth is also possible to reform existing members but not very easy. Throwing them away gets my vote, preferably in a canvass bag.
For repairing, the assembly has to be disconnected from the system. BE CAREFUL! Dlssolving the links with the assembly can be very irritating if any members come into contactwith you. Bathe immediately in eyewash. In any case it should only be attempted every 5 years or so.
0 Procedure
First separate the red, yellow and blue plugs from the broader caste. Do not confuse them with the extreme radicals on the outside which are green.
Devolve the assembly by turning to the left. Use a firm handshake or the constituent parts will not turn out. Especially on the doorstep.
The worn out parts will be manifesto. To avoid confusion, you may find it tactical to throwthe unemployed constituents in the busting (i think he probably means dustbin, here. Ed.) but it’s marginal.
The majority must be conservatived still. Put a liberal smearof oil on all parts to make labour easier. Minister is the best brand.
The candidates for prospective new parts should numberten, maximum. Elect one for reforming to start. it doesn't matterwhich; they are all the same. This is a delicate operation. imagine you are kissing babies.
The new members must be well hung before they can be brought into ‘ alliance. Too farto the rightor left will damage the system. Poll [sic] the smeared members and the new members together in the centre.
When the coalition is complete your labour is finished. You can return to the office at the Gallup. Sayonara.
2The List 29 May— 11 June