Comment posted Cabinet Secretary responds to McGrigor on Islay power cuts by Anne Baird.
John Swinney is a profoundly talented man who works incredibly hard and has managed to soften the effects of an ever reducing settlement from Westminster. Even his opponents in the parliament acknowledge this. SNP members had no problem with his leadership but the public didn’t warm to his quiet, sincere style.
Alex Salmond also works hard and one of his many talents is for debate. He makes a better public face than John but that’s just a difference. In the broader sense they’re equals. It’s just horses for courses.
I’m pretty certain that’s the way Jamie McGrigor would tell it as he’s also an honest man and I can vouch for the fact that he’s quite able to work with people from other parties for the common good. Maybe we should all try it Islay.
Recent comments by Anne Baird
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Simon, There is little point in me putting the real news in here. You and “Newsie” will flock round it like seagulls round a chippie and in the end folk will be none the wiser. If they want the truth they’ll find it elsewhere easily enough. There are other more accurate blogs. - New SNP group leader unable to keep the sheep in the pen
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Gordon Blair cannot be bought.
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Thank goodness we have one MSP willing to work for the good of his constituents rather than waste his time and energy pursuing separation .
I hope the Conservatives have a strong team of councillors to compliment the excellent work done by Jamie McGrigor after the election on May 3rd
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What a silly response from Islay for Ever but entirely typical of the relics that would keep Scotland separate from the rest of the world.
Jamie McGrigor is a personable and generous man and would be the first to admit I’m sure that there are very few in either of our Parliaments who work as hard at his job as John Swinney.
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I wonder why the nats ditched John Swinney as leader if he is as talented as you claim ? My recollection of his time as SNP leader was of being a disaster for them .
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John Swinney is a profoundly talented man who works incredibly hard and has managed to soften the effects of an ever reducing settlement from Westminster. Even his opponents in the parliament acknowledge this. SNP members had no problem with his leadership but the public didn’t warm to his quiet, sincere style.
Alex Salmond also works hard and one of his many talents is for debate. He makes a better public face than John but that’s just a difference. In the broader sense they’re equals. It’s just horses for courses.
I’m pretty certain that’s the way Jamie McGrigor would tell it as he’s also an honest man and I can vouch for the fact that he’s quite able to work with people from other parties for the common good. Maybe we should all try it Islay.
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The problem with the so called hard working nats is that rather than dealing with the pressing problems of their constituents they spend most of their time trying to break up the United Kingdom . Thank goodness we have MSPs like Jamie McGrigor to call them to account .
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Quite apart from any local problems with the condition of overhead lines in some areas of Islay, is there a problem with the Bowmore diesel power station providing supply if the Knapdale – Jura – Islay line is disrupted? Are these generators no longer up to the job?
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Massive amount of work done on the power station in the last couple of years Robert and seems to be working fine.
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Without wishing to be cynical (!), there is a Conservative standing for the Council next month who is based on Islay, the first for some while (?) and who has been saying that one of his objectives if elected is to lobby hard for a better infrastructure for the island, including a more secure electricity supply, and better roads, water supply, etc. He seems to be keeping McGrigor informed as the latter mentions Portnahaven in his questions to the Minister, which is where the would-be councillor lives.
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Probably needs all the help he can get. Can Mr McGrigor produce miracles?
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The main problem with the power supply in Islay is that each time there has been a power cut it has resulted in a make do and mend situation rather than trying to find out the source of the problems.
The situation was brought to a head as a result of the January 3rd storm when the Rhinns of Islay were without power for over two days. I was without power for 53 hours and 20 minutes but other areas of the Rhinns were without power over 60 hours and householders in Portnahaven and Port Weymss had no water supply because there was no electricty to pump the water.
Here in Islay we seem to be “out sight out of mind” as far as Argyll & Bute Council and the Public Utilities are concerned.
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The last line should read;
Here in Islay we seem to be “out of sight out of mind” as far as Argyll & Bute Council and the Public Utilities are concerned.
Sorry for the error.
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Incidentally our local councillor Robin Currie who is resident in Bruichladdich did not contact he local constituents to see if they were needing assistance. He did his usual, SOD ALL.
If the power supply had been off for the same period in either Tabert or Carradale as it was in the Rhinns area of Islay he would have rushing over there on the first available ferry to look after the needs of his constituents on the mainland and hopefully their votes on the 3rd May 2012.
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Do you mean he treats his Islay constituents as the proverbial ‘cash cow’, ie voting for him come what may therefore worthy of contempt? I know that Islay folk are no more daft than anyone else, so how come they vote for him?
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Did vote!
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