Inverclyde Council is one of several Scottish local authorities which have agreed to award the Freedom of their area to the Royal Regiment of Scotland in this, its 20th year.

After the Glasgow controversy it was pleasant to learn from the Greenock Telegraph that the Council have now confirmed the date and arrangements for the Regiment's Freedom Ceremony.

We hope everyone has a great day when it happens.

The Freedom will be the first conferred by Inverclyde on any individual or group since the Council was formed in 1996. In contrast to the political divergence in Glasgow, it's worth noting that the Inverclyde decision to award the Freedom was agreed unanimously one year ago.

BAFF is non-politically-partisan, but we also note that the good councillors of Inverclyde comprise 9 Labour (minority administration), 6 SNP, 5 Independent and 2 Conservative.

So it can be done.

We thought it might assist Glasgow City Council members if they were to see an example of a previous parade in which the Freedom of a council area was formally conferred on the Royal Regiment of Scotland.

Here's a high-quality video of the Freedom Ceremony on 12th October, 2015 conferring on the Regiment the Freedom of the Highlands:

[Thanks to YouTube channel The Big Drum, includes timings and music details]

BAFF has unsurprisingly added its voice to calls for Glasgow City Council to reconsider its refusal of a motion to confer the Freedom of the City upon the Royal Regiment of Scotland.

BAFF also asked me to look further into this.

In a good Scots phrase, it's A Right Fankle.

BAFF is non-partisan in political party terms. My personal view, shared by everyone I've spoken to so far, is that the decision was thoroughly misguided.

But I suspect that the last thing the Regiment would want, in this its 20th anniversary year, is to be treated as a political football by one side or the other in any partisan or constitutional debate.

 What would the grant of the Freedom involve? In Scotland it's purely an honour and a mark of connection with the recipient. Historically the Freedom of Glasgow was said to include the right to graze one's cows on Glasgow Green and to fish on the Clyde, but the legislation simply refers to "honorary freemen" without authority for such rights.

The Freedom scroll traditionally includes wording such as “the right, privilege and honour to march through the streets of [Council area] with bayonets fixed, drums beating, colours flying and bands [or pipes] playing", but this only refers to approved ceremonial parades and has no legal effect.

I will return to the legal position and other aspects of this fankle.

regards, Douglas Young