A push for equality

We may like to think we're all Jock Tamson's bairns, but 29% of Scots say there is sometimes good reason to be prejudiced. The results from the latest Scottish Social Attitudes Survey is a sharp shock to a country that has long prided itself on being welcoming to immigrants and - despite the scars of sectarianism - less racist than other places. It is particularly disappointing that the figure of those willing to condone prejudice has risen by 3% since 2002 and there is evidence of increasing prejudice against Muslims, despite a well-established Muslim community here. In response to being asked if Scotland would lose its cultural identity if more Muslims came to live here, the proportion who agreed increased from 38% to 50%. No doubt the 9/11 attack on New York and the London bombings of July 2005 played a part, but the interviews were carried out before the attempted bombing of Glasgow airport earlier this year.