Statement by Outer Hebrides Commerce Group
Members of the Outer Hebrides Commerce Group have called on Angus MacNeil MP and Alasdair Allan MSP to support them in stopping the SNP Government imposing a further 50% increase on commercial traffic on island ferries next March.
Speaking after the OHCG meeting in Stornoway, vice-chairman of the OHCG, David Wood, of Woody’s Express said: ”We have written to our MP and MSP seeking their support in the next phase of our campaign to support families and businesses in the islands. Mr Allan our MSP is a Minister in the SNP Government and we’d hope that he would proactively support us in halting the lunacy of a 50% increase in ferry fares.
“Our Group’s membership reflects the economic make up of our islands and every representative who spoke at our meeting said that our islands can’t absorb the next crushing financial burden the SNP Government is planning to impose. We hope to meet Mr MacNeil and Mr Allan shortly. This is a matter that demands urgent attention and we look forward to enlisting their support.”
Never happen… To chicken to go against party. Stuff the islanders. This is a taste of what will come if independence goes ahead….
As much chance of getting support from them as turkeys voting for Xmas. Anyway what does it have to do with the MP? It’s an issue for the Scottish Parliament; not London
This community has shown the strength of felling on this issue by the huge demonstration in the summer .
Our community has also shown through their support of FFS and Gordon’s Diesels on the Fuel campaign that even when “the odds look stacked against you” – a lot can be achieved if we work together – which is why it is inconceivable that our MP/MSP will not work with with the local Commerce group with their Ferry fares campaign .
If we can get a result by standing together on Fuel – when we were fighting a monopoly wholesaler that had to be dragged “kicking and screaming ” to finally deliver fairer fuel prices – SURELY WE CAN GET A RESULT ON FERRY FARES AS THE PEOPLE WE’RE SENDING THE MESSAGE TOO ARE THE ONES WE ELECTED NOT FACELESS FUEL PIRATES !
The clear message from the Fuel campaign is that if we work together anything is possible :-
” TOGETHER WE STAND – DIVIDED WE FALL !!”
CALLUM IAN
Hopefully the MP and MSP will also make representations to Mr Salmond to invite the Council Leader to the reception on Friday. The Chief Executive has been invited, but obviously the Leader will bring messages that the First Minister doesn’t want to hear.
Such is democracy in the brave new Scotland.
Whats this nonsense about the Fat Marag and a reception? I remember when he first joined the party and Donald warned me about him, “He’s a banker, Lochie and smarmy with it, mark my words he will sell us short!”
And sure enough, Donald had to expel him, but he oiled his way back to the top of the tree, no mean feat given his girth, and there he is prepared to sell us short with his devo plus or whatever.
And watch him at the reception, the man has a capacity for food exceeding my own, as I proved back in the old days on one of my visits to see Donald at home in London, and he took me to a reception at the Peruvian, or it could be Bolivian, whichever one has the coastline, embassy. Donald could tell good scoff from the cut of an invitation, and this one was no exception, for they had the best fermented fish I have ever tasted, once you spat out the hot green things. I had an unfortunate event in the lift on that occasion, but Donald and the former queen mother, a good Scots lass, even though she was an East Coaster, were able to avert an international incident.
AA will sit on the fence as usual to await either instructions from Nat Party HQ or better still to claim any successful result worked for by the Group as its champion and his winning ways as he and AB did on fuel, ferries, MOD ranges et al.
I quite agree Paul, hell will freeze over before the MP or the MSP will ever carry out their obligations to their constituents, if it goes against party policy, no matter how harmful to the islands. They will never have the guts and decency to break ranks and support any cause, however worthy, that does not find favour with their party controllers. The SNP’s men in the Western Isles for sure.
Well dang my dingos, was the rumour not right after all and the Fat Marag (FM) is coming over to re open the german chemical factory in Breasclete, the one that also makes omega3 and who knows what else that we once used to get directly from the cod itself before the cold east coasters scooped them all away. In them days we used to gut the first dozen landed off the long line, hoik out the liver, shove it in the middle of a sturdy split scone then wedge between the long john and the buttock until the last hook was landed, by which time it had heated up to an ambient temperature and the oil had been absorbed by the scone and the long john. Indeed, we could tell if a man was right handed or cac handed by the position of the permanent stain on his long johns on the line, left or right.
Anyway Subsidy Junkie , if you are going over I hope they let you in, I hear a lot of people are being excluded.