News - Scotland: first Eurovision Song Contest entry? | Eurovision Song Contest News - 2008 Belgrade, Serbia 

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Written by

Russell Davies

Published

11/Feb at 12:14

Source(s)

esctoday.com, Daily Record

News


breaking up the United Kingdom?

Scotland: first Eurovision Song Contest entry?

A member of Scotland's parliament has been lobbying the EBU for permission to enter the Eurovision Song Contest. esctoday.com has been investigating the possibilities of this happening. The story is one of the main headlines in today in the leading Scottish media.

After intense lobbying from Alyn Smith, a Scottish National Party member of the European Parliament, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), said there was nothing to prevent Scotland from entering on its own merit. This means that broadcasters BBC Scotland, Scottish TV and Border Television, as members of the EBU, could submit an entry in future years. A spokeswoman for STV said: "There are no plans at the moment but we would not rule anything out". 

The ruling has come too late to allow entry into this years contest. However Scottish secretary Linda Fabiani said: "If this is something one of the broadcasters wanted to pursue, then we would support it. There is a huge amount of talent in Scotland  and we would be happy for it to be showcased." Nationalist Euro MP Alyn Smith said: "Having looked into this, I know the door is open for us. Other small countries have done it and I will be happy to help any of the broadcasting companies through the process. There is already a precedent because we have a Scottish national football team in UEFA." 

Under the rules, any regions who are members of the European Broadcasting Union can apply for an entry.  This would allow for a possible entry from Wales and Northern Ireland, as Welsh broadcasters S4C and BBC Wales are EBU members, as is Ulster TV.

esctoday.com continues to investigate this story.


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Swe Moz [34746]
Tue 12 Feb 2008 18:59:15

Paradoxically I believe that splitting the UK up in the Eurovision is the best way to keep it together outside of the Eurovision.

One problem though is the number of contestants. Perhaps the competition will risk splitling in two?


sander arusoo [38729]
Tue 12 Feb 2008 17:52:46

i thin as many others that should not participate until they have their own country


enzas [44720]
Tue 12 Feb 2008 11:58:11

good luck SCOTLAND


bubblingtru e [16846]
Tue 12 Feb 2008 01:27:11

Ok here goes...

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Nothern Ireland (official name~!) is a sovereign island country comprising of the four constituent countries; England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. It comprises the island of Great Britain, the northeast part of the island of Ireland and many small islands. Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK with a land border, sharing it with the Republic of Ireland

so although it does consist of four countries...it makes up a larger country (the UK)

And yea...some scottish people will say they are scottish, some will say they are british. I was born in England, b ut consider myself British, not english, so as you can see people are divided


Sara Norway [43250]
Tue 12 Feb 2008 00:32:25

England is a country, so is Scotland, Ireland, Wales and Northern Ireland..The Island which include England, Scotland and Wales is called Great Britain. Great Britain is the biggest island in the territory United Kingdom. Even though it is an island doesn't make it one country.

I think it's stupid to say that people who thinks that UK should devide ONLY coz some thing calling ''EUROVISION'' are not normal.

They don't divide only because of Eurovision, they are SEPARATE countries...so why shouldn't they participate as that.Let them join as their own country.

Why should they be forced to participate as a Union when they are separate countries? Have you ever heard a scottish person say he is from the UK or does he say he is from Scotland? Have you ever seen UK participate in World cup in football? No, they are different countries and should therefor be able to participate in ESC as that too.


JASANKA MC KEE [24134]
Mon 11 Feb 2008 23:59:44

I had this idea ages ago, and they only coming up with it now, lol




JASANKA MC KEE [24134]
Mon 11 Feb 2008 23:58:08

I had this idea ages ago, and they only coming up with it now,lol.




DENIS MILOVIC [29880]
Mon 11 Feb 2008 23:48:01

Guys i see you don't know about history so much,those who telling if YUGA and USSR can then we can do

Does England killing Scotish people ? Does Welsh people hate Scots ? Did there was war sometime ?

ANSWER NO THIS QUESTION IS : NO !!!

Yuga devided coz wars,coz hate,coz poor life,not coz we wanted to vote each others on Eurovision

People,who were saying that UK should devide ONLY coz some thing calling ''EUROVISION'' are not normal,people,guys ESC IS NOT POLITIC,USE YOUR BRAINS !!!


Sara Norway [43250]
Mon 11 Feb 2008 23:46:29

Oh please...people who says that Scotland isn't even a country can't now much about northern Europe...


Benjamin Johnson [10217]
Mon 11 Feb 2008 23:46:08

NO WAY!!!

This is so stupied!!


UK always be UK!


Sara Norway [43250]
Mon 11 Feb 2008 23:39:08

Of course Scotland should be allowed to participate. I love Scotland and Edinburgh...such a beautiful country (similar to Norway in some ways)..and the bagpipe band Red hot chilli pipers are great btw. And I absolutely adore Paolo Nutini :D They have lots of great music there. I celebrated new years (Hogmanay) in Edinburgh in 2007/08...never had so much fun :)

But back to topic. I Hope Scotland will participate next year, since it too late this year..


Евро&# Афри&# [29520]
Mon 11 Feb 2008 22:50:46

@ Gary Dunn: Far enough I dont want no more arguing
@ Rob Dell: I know this isnt in UK but that wasnt my point!

"Other small counties have gne on to do very well in the contest".
It really doesnt have anything to do with size Mr Alyn Smith! San Marino, Monaco and Andorra have all sen entries.... maybe these scot politicians should review rules of ESC first!


Rob Dell [39765]
Mon 11 Feb 2008 21:55:27

Scotland - Europe

Although I agree with most of your comments - Scotland is a country etc - I have to say I'm not comfortable with:

>> "Ask yourself this - can you tell when you are in and out of, say Catalonia, rather than Spain? No where near as obvious as when you are in Scotland, rather than other parts of the UK.">>>

I think that there are many people in Catalonia who will disagree with you. Most people in Spain speak Castilian (what we refer to as Spanish) whereas you find Catalan in Catalonia etc. Then there is the Basque Country - where another version of the language exists and well known problems. To those people the differences are just as evident to them.


Rob Dell [39765]
Mon 11 Feb 2008 21:43:02

Molly

Jane McDonald is English - sadly. The Scottish however are welcome to her! (As a Yorkshireman it pains me to say that I think she is from Yorkshire).


Scotland - Europe [26518]
Mon 11 Feb 2008 21:41:43

OK, another fairly daft discussion.

Scotland is not an independent nation-State recognised by the UN. Simple.

However, we ARE very much a country - our people in the vast majority view themselves as Scottish over British. We have our own; Government, Flag, Crown (its a united Crown with England), Anthem, Legal System, Health System, Education System, Transport System, Sports Teams (cricket, football, rugby union, rugby league, basketball etc), Culture, Financial institutions, Media, Parliament, our own belief in our country, a unique-ness to our people that makes us stand apart as a country, so many damn things that there is nothing else as close to an independent nation as Scotland.

Enough of this Basque/Catalonia/North Ossetia nonsense. None of these places even come close to being as much an independent nation as Scotland.
Ask yourself this - can you tell when you are in and out of, say Catalonia, rather than Spain? No where near as obvious as when you are in Scotland, rather than other parts of the UK.

OK, we may not be allowed in yet, but we'll be the next ones who do.


Molly Parton [29330]
Mon 11 Feb 2008 21:29:03

Richard Mole

Yes "and now the Merseyside entry". There are enough entries already and there are certainly enough rubbish ones from the UK and enough rubbish ones in English without adding even more to the growing piles.


Molly Parton [29330]
Mon 11 Feb 2008 21:27:04

Boring silly nonsense. "Ye'll tak the high rood and I'll tak the low road" references etc etc ad infinitum. Who do you want to represent Scotland? Jayne McDonald? Mac The Knife? Billy Connolly? I know I am being silly but the idea is bloody silly too.


Pau PV [37672]
Mon 11 Feb 2008 21:18:18

If Scotland is part of the UK and UK is competing I don't find the discussion. :S


flowerofthesouth . [43789]
Mon 11 Feb 2008 21:18:15

what uk could be divided into there own countries? i didn.t know that


Richard Mole [19278]
Mon 11 Feb 2008 21:06:56

Of course Scotland is a country - nincompoop ! It's just part of a union. Should we therefore say the UK isn't a country because it is actually part of the EU? A country doesn't stop being a country because it loses complete independence.

By the way there is no BBC England. BBC is divided into 14 regions of which 1 is Wales, 1 is Scotland, 1 Northern Ireland and 11 English regions.


gary dunn [28993]
Mon 11 Feb 2008 21:04:49

@ Евро&# Афри&#

no i am not joking. we might not have people listening to foreign music walking down the road, but i still think we are open to loads of styles. me personally i dont understand a few of the songs cause they aint in english but i like the tunes of most of them. this is where the culture part comes in. at the minute in my car i have romanian music and russian music blaring. i dont know what it is but its still really good.


Caitlin Cee [30769]
Mon 11 Feb 2008 20:54:43
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