Tag Archives: Liberal Democrats

Enterprise Minister Jim Mather challenges Alan Reid MP to say where he stands on part-privatisation of the Post Office

Posted on by

Argyll’s MSP and Enterprise Minister, Jim Mather has fired a range-finding shot at Alan Reid MP, Argyll’s representative at Westminster. He has effectively challenged Mr Reid to come out and say exactly where he stands on the issue of the UK Government’s determination to part privatise the Post Office.

For Argyll has already reported on a significant contradiction in Mr Reid’s behaviour. He has been active in making supportive statements of Post Offices in the fastness of Argyll from where news of his words is unlikely to get back to Westminster. He has not, however, yet signed the Early Day Motion lodged at Westminster by Labour MP Geraldine Smith, opposing the planned privatisation.

Mr Mather now says: ‘I am surprised at the lack of public response from Labour and LibDem sources in Argyll & Bute to what is a genuine threat of privatisation to a vital public utility.

‘Some weeks ago there was a great deal of furore raised about legislative proposals to lease a part of the Forest Estate to private operators and the unions and political opponents were quick to suggest that this was some form of privatisation. We are in the process of arranging a local public meeting that will enable the very newly appointed Minister for the Environment, Roseanna Cunningham, MSP,  to elaborate on what is proposed,  to rebut misrepresentations and to explain how the consultation process will contribute to the debate.

‘In the case of the Westminster Government’s plans for the privatisation of part of the Royal Mail business no such  debate is envisaged and there could be no mistaking the intentions of Lord Mandelson of Foy when he introduced the proposals in the House of Lords.

‘Far from any scrutiny from the elected chamber of the House of Commons far less a local public meeting, the stark facts were spelled out. The effect that this will have on rural mail services and the preservation of the Universal Service Obligation can all too easily be projected. We can be confident that the private operators will be much more interested in delivering mail to Derby than to Dervaig and to Colchester rather than Colonsay’.

Jamie McGrigor MSP predicts public anger at loss of Government budget and Councillor Mulvaney tallies consequences for local government

Posted on by

Commenting on yesterday’s vote in the Scottish Parliament where Labour, Lib Dem and Green MSPs combined to vote down the Scottish Government’s budget, Highlands & Islands Conservative MSP Jamie McGrigor has said: ‘The public in the Highlands and Islands will rightly be very angry with and frustrated at those parties that voted against the Scottish budget.

‘At a time of economic recession, MSPs should have been able to act constructively – as the Scottish Conservatives did- and negotiate to allow the budget to be passed and therefore money passed to our public services timeously. (Editor: now here’s a word rarely seen and a fun addition to the vocabulary: means ‘in good time’)

‘This is an extremely serious situation and, as my leader Annabel Goldie said, Labour’s and the Lib Dems’ actions are grossly irresponsible and frankly pathetic- it is political posturing of the worst kind which could cost Scotland £1.8 billion and will only increase uncertainty during Labour’s recession.

‘As Communities Spokesman myself, I had backed strongly our policy to spend £60 million on the regeneration of town centres; that would have been very valuable to places like Oban, Campbeltown, Dunoon, Rothesay in  my native Argyll and scores of other towns across my region of the Highlands & Islands’.

Mr McGrigor’s comments are among many expressions of outrage sent to for Argyll from all corners.

His colleague in local government, Councilor Gary Mulvaney, Conservative Group Leader on Argyll & Bute council and parliamentary candidate said: ‘Labour and the Liberal Democrats have delivered a massive tax bombshell to local government finance.

‘By voting the budget down, they have saddled Scottish councils with a cut of £660m. This means a £359 increase on Band D Council Tax average for those in Argyll & Bute, leading to an annual Band D record high of £1537.

‘All this comes on top of the 60% increase in Council Tax that we had to cope with when the Lib Dem’s and Labour were running Scotland, and one year after progress was made when Scottish Conservatives voted for the Scottish Government’s Council Tax freeze’.

Related articles by Zemanta
Reblog this post [with Zemanta]

A tale of two protests – and a tale of none

Posted on by

A protest rally was planned for Holyrood for this afternoon (21st January) by the Liberal Democrats against the Scottish Government’s proposed forest leasing scheme. This is one of the lowest points in the history of an honourable party embedded in Scotland’s political culture. It has been one of the worst examples of a campaign aimed at political advantage, run in flagrant misuse of the facts and counter to the inerests of the taxpayer.

For Argyll has reported on this matter regularly and has named and shamed the perpetrators – which now incude rhe Leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, Tavish Scott.

The flag of protest has been run up the poles of loss of jobs, loss of authority for Forestry Commission Scotland and loss of forest amenities and access for the general public.

None of these are true. Environment Minister Michael Russell has given the most secure and absolute guarantees on all of these matters to everyone concerned.

But in these times of economic hardship and fears for the future it is easy to raise anxieties and protest by disinformation and by frightening the vulnerable by groundless claims that their jobs are at risk. This is dishonourable and stains the already shabby fabric of political life.

The guarantees have been specific, repeated, public and recorded. Michael Russell’s and the Scottish Government’s integrity could not more clearly be on the line. It is inconceiveable that the assurances so resolutely given are less than the facts. But hey, who cares about the facts when there might be votes to be grubbed for.

Elsewhere, in Iceland, when their parliament reconvened today, thousands protested outside the building, demanding that the Icelandic government step down and that early elections be held. The demonstration began at noon yesterday and ran into the small hours today (21st January).

This is a country which is in serious financial crisis and against whom the UK used anti-terrorist legislation to seize the UK-held assets of the troubled Iceland banks. Kaupthing Bank is suing the UK’s Financial Services Authority over its actions in this respect, claiming that its actions forced the bank into administration which might otherwise have been avoided. The Kaupthing action has the backing of the Icelandic Government which is prepared to take the matter to Europe if necessary.

While Icelanders protest at a financial crisis they are living through, the depth of which we cannot imagine – yet – Scots are romping around making idiots of themselves at Holyrood protesting on false premises.

And it’s not as if there aren’t enough causes just now crying out for committed and selfless protest:

  • The UK Government is about to send substantially more troops to Afghanistan
  • It is keeping a minimal military presence in Iraq for no reason than avoiding the holding of a public enquiry here into why we went into Iraq in the first place. The Government has decreed that such an enquiry will be held but will not take place as long as we still have soldiers (of an unspecified number) in Iraq.
  • And there’s Gaza, where new tungsten Dime bombs have been used unnecessarily against the Palestinians, inflicting injuries which are currently untreatable.

These are real things to protest about rather than be gulled into playing the part of pawns in schoolyard political games.

Comment from Environment Minister, Michael Russell MSP, on political scaremongering on forest leasing scheme

Posted on by

For Argyll has reported several times on uninformed and irresponsible political scaremongering on the Scottish Government’s forest leasing proposals. The latest example of this – and the subject of a very recent report – was unfortunately perpetrated by former Argyll & Bute MSP, George Lyon at the opening of his campaign to go to Brussels as an MEP.

Michael Russell has now himself sent For Argyll a comment on this matter – and please note his invitation to put forward any suggestions and ideas which you think would improve the proposed scheme.

Mr Russell says:

‘The Liberal Democrat  campaign of disinformation about the forestry proposals is now a matter of serious concern. People have a right to expect their elected representatives and their potential candidates to tell the truth but alas on this occasion the Liberal Democrats have preferred to peddle downright lies.

‘I suspect it will rebound upon them but for any party – or any individual – to seek a few extra votes by means of deliberate deceit is a disgrace to democracy.   And when the issue goes to the heart of the greatest challenge facing humanity – that of climate change – then most of us will only have contempt for such people.

‘I  remain open to all views on the forestry proposals, including ideas that can improve upon them or present viable alternatives.   All I ask is that such a debate is conducted using fact, not fiction. On that criteria the Liberal Democrats have excluded themselves from the discussion’.

Today’s Scotsman carried a factual piece underlining just how falsely based is the convenient alarmism of the moment.

It reminds us that Scotland has 1.1 million acres of state-owned forest (460,000 hectares), making the ninety year-old Forestry Commission Scotland biggest landowner. It needs an annual subsidy of £28million, some of which is used for non-commercial activities, leaving the forest estates still losing millions of pounds each year.

The Scotsman goes on to say that Jim Hume, the Lib Dem’s Environment Spokesman, has implied that:

  • local businesses will lose contracts
  • outdoor activities the Forestry Commission supports will be stopped
  • hundreds of jobs will be at risk
  • Forestry Commission Scotland’s income will be ‘severely diminished’

- all if state forests – 25% of them – are leased to the private sector.

The Scotsman dismisses such alarmism as ‘grossly misplaced’. It points out that virtually all facilities made available to the public in the forests could be safeguarded in the terms of the lease – and Michael Russell has guaranteed that they will be.

In fact such facilities cannot be other than safeguarded since they are all certified under the UK’s Woodland Assurance Scheme. This deals with issues like the provision of local employment, public access, biodiversity and health and safety.

As the Scotsman says and as For Argyll has ponted out on many occasions, it is only the taxpayer-funded annual subsidy which will be ‘severely diminished’.