Someone has been hard at it getting the communications from the time that the campaign to save the Hebrides Range was on. It makes for interesting reading.
Someone has been hard at it getting the communications from the time that the campaign to save the Hebrides Range was on. It makes for interesting reading.
So why did AB wait a year to tell his constituents, the council and the staff of the range?
They were in severe jeopardy of losing their jobs until a terrific three month campaign by the Task Force, HIE & Janes Defence.
What very poor, semi-literate, letters from ABM. He seems unable to make an argument on paper, or even properly set out his concerns in a proper fashion, far less represent his constituents.
And then he buries the bad news, to blame others.
BTW, your source is blindingly obvious, Iain.
You may think so, Donald M, but you would be wrong. For the record, my source is not mentioned in any of the correspondence and was not involved. Now try again.
Anyone with a glimmer of sense would realise that the strongest argument was keeping the base is, was and always will be that it enables access to the World Heritage site of St Kilda. However, in these letters, it is clear that the most important case ABM can think of is that the Army Cadets might have to sleep in tents. What an utter disgrace and a complete betrayal of the work-force who were employed there. He should be ashamed to show his face in Benbecula. and Uist. Even his strongest supporters must now see how much he let the entire community down at that time.
AB doesn’t seem to be getting much right now and was certainly not getting it right then.
The thorough Janes Defence report was the genie out of the bottle. Not the representations of what seem to be a semi literate MP.
In AB’s defence the working relationship between himself and CNE were an obvious handicap to any joint group working as the Task Force. Internal politics are costing the Hebrides dear and till that is sorted out there will be no progress.
I totally agree with you about the negative effect internal politics is having on the Western Isles and its development. There needs to be teamwork throughout the political sphere if things are going to improve. However, I think there’s overwhelming evidence that the MP finds it difficult to work with any one. This even includes the MSP who seems to have been forced to take on the entire political burden of communicating with the Council, even on Westminster related matters like the Bedroom Tax. For all that he is probably a willing workhorse, he really needs to show the backbone to perform the necessary task of telling AB to do his share of the work, It would be to the benefit of the constituency if he had the strength and force of personality to do this right away.
How can any responsible adult claim that the pay packets of one sex are more important than the other in a rural community (or any other)? Where is AB’s evidence for this blatantly sexist nonsense? Surely, this is evidence of his absolute stupidity and complete lack of fitness for the job. Is he suggesting that women are more likely to give their money to the household while their menfolk play away? What does it say about him when he can come out with nonsense like that?
@Mairi – Perhaps MacNeil should put his money where is mouth is and step down in favour of a woman candidate, and I don’t mean Nurse Allan, as this would presumably be the best for the constituents according to his very, very, bizarre logic.
There is no doubt that he treats Dr Allan as the ‘little woman’ in the relationship. The MSP rushes around doing all the dirty jobs in the relationship, contacting the coouncil, clearing up all the mess he has left behind through not doing his job properly. In the meantime, he stretches out on the sofa, enjoying the odd fantasy of having Lorraine Kelly running around after him too.
I must agree with you all that the writing is on the wall as far as the MP and MSP having a major fallout is concerned. I think Macneil, confident of a “Yes” vote, is resigned to losing his job at the next election, when Scottish MP will no longer trundle down to Westminster to twiddle their thumbs. He will be given a job by his Holyrood pals, who recognise that Dr. Allan is a far better team player than Macneil. I hear rumours that some party apparatchik is being redrafted in to sort out Macneil’s local messes which are begining to have a detrimental effect on Allan. Good luck with that!