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CHURCHMAN SAYS SORRY FOR 'RACIST' JIBE OVER QUAKE

Rev David Keddie

Saturday March 8,2008

By Rod Mills

Comment Speech Bubble Have your say(17)

A MINISTER is at the centre of a race row after anti-English comments during a children’s school assembly.

Rev David Keddie, 67, told primary pupils that the recent earthquake which rocked parts of England “couldn’t have happened to a nicer bunch of people”.

The incident came weeks after the leader of the Church of Scotland criticised anti-English sentiment north of the Border.

The Rt Rev Sheilagh Kesting, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scot-land, said anti-English feeling and even banter was as big a threat to Scottish society as sectarianism.

Rev Keddie was invited to speak at Baljaffray Primary in Bearsden, near Glasgow, last week. Many pupils were English and their parents complained.

The minister later said it was a “throwaway remark” which hadn’t meant to offend.

One man who didn’t wish to be named in case his son was bullied said: “I can’t believe that someone from a church, a person who has a high social structure, would say something like this.

“There are many English parents at this school and lots of them are furious.

“Schools are trying to promote the anti-bigotry message and when someone says something like this it really is unhelpful.”

One mum said: “We don’t want our children thinking it’s okay to talk badly about the English.

“This isn’t a criticism of the school. The head teacher does a fantastic job and we are sure she doesn’t condone this.”

Rev Keddie’s comment comes amid growing concerns over anti-English sentiment in Scotland.

Last October an extremist national group was thought to have painted a anti-English slogan on a row of Highland homes.

The slogan, “English out” was plastered on the homes in Fort Augustus, along with Siol nan Gaidheal, or “seed of the gael”.

Police said there were “racial undertones” to the grafitti. The row, belonging to British Waterways Scotland, was up for sale.

And in September last year a race row erupted after a Labour MSP Lord George Foulkes accused the ruling Nationalists of encouraging “extreme’’ anti-English behaviour.

Labour MSP Lord George Foulkes ignited the argument when he claimed the SNP’s sniping at political life across the border could lead Scots to commit acts harmful to the English.

He made the comment after the child of a constituent suffered anti-English taunts during the 2006 World Cup.

A Show Racism the Red Card Scotland spokesman described the comment as “astonishing and distasteful”.

The spokesman said: “It’s shocking. “I find it unbelievable that a man of the cloth resorts to these comments, especially addressing children. It’s quite astonishing and distasteful.”

Rev Keddie, who lives in Glas-gow, is currently locum at St John’s Renfield Church in Kelvindale, Glasgow.

He apologised last night, saying: “I was spoken to immediately after by an upset mother. I fully appreciate that I offended her and what I said wasn’t meant to be offensive. It was a throwaway remark which I did to generate a few laughs. But I understood that she was offended and apologised to her.

“I realise that the children in Baljaffray are from a range of backgrounds and the head teacher and staff work hard to create an ethos of inclusion.

“Anything that damages that is much to be regretted.”

Throwaway remark” which hadn’t meant to offend

Rev David Keddie

8 YEAR OLD EXPERIENCING BULLIYING

17.04.08, 6:08pm

My son is 8 years old and when we moved to the Highlands a number of years ago things were good. However since School's Head Teacher has left last year things have dramatically changed.

Anti English jibes by other children one of who is a dinner lady at the Highland schools son.

Of course school's answer is simple 'we do not have bullying in our school' even though my son is called names punched on a regular basis. One bully goes to Sunday school and my son was stoned by this boy. He was chased by 7 children outside the local swimming pool where he has lessons, these were children from the 1 local High school, Children who attended his primary school last year.Police advised we must not let him out on his. So there you go

• Posted by: thunder • Report Comment

CANDIDATE FOR HEAVEN/

09.03.08, 5:55am

Is there any chance for the UK when a so-called man of the cloth is bigotted, and so proud of his bigotry that he'll announce it publicly?
I wonder if the teenage shootings and knifings in England give him a warm glow of satisfaction.

• Posted by: Will2 • Report Comment

BUTTON SLIP...

08.03.08, 10:57pm

Mrs Smith - I agree children do not need to read or hear this argument - I would hope their parents have the sense to shield it from their them. The "grown ups" however need to stand-up to bigots and show that we are all part of the UK and have far bigger problems out in the big bad world ie international terror.

• Posted by: Aryboy • Report Comment

MRS SMITH

08.03.08, 10:49pm

Are you and your children Scottish - reason I ask is because I asmume a 10 year old with a 75 year old cancer stricken granny shaken out of her bed in the middle of the night may take notice and be very offended indeed... I have an English friend who children are 5 and 8 and are already of an anti-english under current...they dont understand by are AWARE

• Posted by: Aryboy • Report Comment

ARYBOY

08.03.08, 10:24pm

Could you please point out where I said it was harmless? My point was that most of the children in that hall would not have been listening to what the old git at the front was talking about. However they're now hearing their parents discussing the media coverage of it. I was suggesting that the damage done should not be made worse by dragging it on and on. My children were oblivious to the remark and that's the way I want it to stay.

• Posted by: MrsSmith • Report Comment

MRS SMITH

08.03.08, 9:55pm

You write to say that you were in assembly and those who do not know the Rev Keddie should perhaps keep their comments to themselves. How can anyone hope to explain his remark away as harmless beats me! Was this man not invited to give Christian guidance to primary school children aged from 5-11 years old. If my own child had been sitting listening to that racist garbage - I'd have been furious. The Rev forgets 20% of the population in Corby in South England originate from Glasgow - how would he like it if the children of these parents had been subjected to snide comments about the Glasgow Airport Bombings....

These sour comments from US north of the border taint us all and MUST be stamped out. Just except he is not as charitable as the dog collar would suggest!

• Posted by: Aryboy • Report Comment