Angry scenes at Stornoway fuel meeting by Maciver TV
Here are some exchanges at the public meeting with representatives of Scottish Fuels who turned up to deny they were responsible for high fuel prices in the Western Isles.
The chairman is Reverend Iain D Campbell and to his right is Norman Macleod, who is not only a senior manager of Scottish Fuels but also a local councillor.
Unedited. More clips to follow.
Posted in fuel rip-off, Isle of Harris, Isle of Lewis, Outer Hebrides, Scotland, Shetland, Stornoway, Uist, Western Isles
Click the arrow above to hear my interview with Stephanie Noble.
IMPORTANT NOTE – Just a word to those who have been busy putting it around to anyone daft enough to listen that Ms Noble has made a lot of money from her media interviews. That is not the case. I can say with certainty in the case of the newspapers and broadcasters I was working with that she did not ask for, and was not given, any money – although she admitted keeping a pony was a costly undertaking. Other reporters worked with other press but I understand Ms Noble also did not ask them for any money.
However, I hope that one TV station will pay for a bale of hay – when they get my expenses claim.
While I completely understand that feelings in neighbourhood disputes can run high, it is important to correct misleading impressions put around by certain people who are either badly-informed or downright mischievous.
Below is some of my footage (some unedited) that has been used by TV stations.
All material is copyrighted to Iain Maciver to whom terms for usage may be requested.
Posted in council, crofting, Isle of Lewis, Outer Hebrides, Police, Stornoway, Western Isles
Credit where it’s due. I phoned technical services at the comhairle on Thursday morning after the car ahead of me on the road to Point banged into a pothole which had appeared in the road, just past Parkend.
When I was back on that road about three hours later, it had been fixed. Well done, guys.
While a lot of people will moan about potholes, it is also true that very few will actually pick up the phone and call the right department and tell them exactly where it is.
PS – There is now another pothole on North Street, less than a hundred yards from the main road.
Posted in council, Isle of Lewis, Outer Hebrides, Stornoway, Western Isles
Highlands & Islands
He and 21-year-old Jonathan Mackinnon, from Stornoway, are accused of the murder of 16-year-old Liam Aitchison. The teenager was found dead in a derelict building on the outskirts of Stornoway in November.
Mr Mackinnon and Mr Miller made no plea or declaration when they appeared in accused of murder. Liam Aitchison’s funeral is due to take place on Friday at Daliburgh in South Uist.
Posted in Crime, Outer Hebrides, Police, Scotland, Stornoway, Uist, Western Isles
I have had a letter asking me if there would be support for reporting the office-bearers of the Free Church (Continuing) for hate crime after its sectarian attack on the local Roman Catholic priest. I’m not sure.
One thing is sure. There is no way that the Scottish Government can stop sectarian attacks while these deluded people are allowed to stain the character of Scotland with this sham-Christianity.
The proper Free Church “noted” the report and did not reject it. How sad is that? That will probably mean they will lose another family I know from their membership.
Hebrides News
Ecumenical service controversy 22/12/11
By Bill Lucas
The presbytery of the Free Church of Scotland (Continuing) has criticised a Lewis Free Church minister for taking part in what has been described as an “ecumenical service” along with an Roman Catholic priest.
The Continuing has written to the Western Isles Free Church Presbytery expressing their ‘sadness and concern’ about the involvement of the Rev James Maciver of Knock Free Church.
When the issue was raised at the November meeting of the FC Presbytery, Mr Maciver, who is Moderator of the Free Church General Assembly, explained that he had agreed to take part in the service which was to be broadcast on Christmas Eve. He had suggested to BBC Alba that it should not be advertised as an “ecumenical service.”
There were to be a number of items by local groups and choirs. He had been asked to give a four minute talk, the priest was to read a prayer, and the Church of Scotland minister would be reading from the Scripture. It was recorded in Martin’s Memorial Church of Scotland in Stornoway on December 3.
Mr Maciver told the Presbytery that he did not regard it as compromising his theological position or that of the church. It was an opportunity to present the real meaning of Christmas although only in a small time frame of 4 to 5 minutes. He could bring the message to thousands of Roman Catholics and others. He had not been asked to conduct a service.
The Free Church (Continuing) said it was concerned at Rev Maciver’s participation in the event and noted he was involved “in a similar service in October at the opening of this year’s Mod.
‘We respectfully point out that such joint acts of worship, in which the unresolved controversy between Protestantism and Rome concerning the gospel is laid aside and a servant of Antichrist is treated as though he were a fellow-servant of Christ, are an insult to the memory of our reformers and likely to be a stumbling-block and a snare to many who need to be given clear biblical guidance in these days of spiritual confusion and compromise.
‘We urge you for the sake of the Lord’s cause to take appropriate action regarding these events and ensure that they are not repeated.”
The FC Presbytery noted the letter.
Posted in Appeal, intolerance, Isle of Harris, Isle of Lewis, Labour Party, Outer Hebrides, religion, SNP, Stornoway, Western Isles
The SNP youth wing is to launch its independence Question and Answer tour in Stornoway kicking off a national tour of Scotland.
Over the coming months Young Scots for Independence (YSI) will tour the country, hosting public meetings and talking about independence and how it will shape the future of Scotland.
A public meeting in Stornoway’s Bridge Community Centre on 19th December at 7pm will be led by YSI National Convener David Linden and local MSP Alasdair Allan.
David Linden said: ”I am looking forward to coming up to the Isle of Lewis and talking about our positive vision for an independent Scotland. This isn’t just a box ticking exercise, it’s a genuine open invitation to all islanders - young and old – to come along and discuss the future of Scotland and the forthcoming referendum.
“There is no doubt that, since the SNPs landslide election victory, people are thinking more about the future of our country and what the new Scotland will look like.”
Almost all the political parties, says the SNP announcement, have conceded that a change is on the horizon, be it devolution max or independence, so they are embarking on a national tour, making their pitch as well as answering questions.
Alasdair Allan said: “This event is one of many around the country that seeks to kick off the independence referendum campaign, and highlights the crucial role of Scotlands young people in deciding a question that will affect them more than most Scotlands future.
“In the 20 years since I was first chapping on doors for the SNP, the argument for independence has come a huge distance, with the re-establishment of Scotlands parliament, an SNP Government, an SNP majority and now a referendum on independence itself.
“The case for Scotland now to take responsibility for our own taxes, make decisions about our own pensions and represent ourselves in the world is immensely positive, and appeals well beyond the normal run of party politics. I welcome this event in Stornoway, which serves to underline the strong support among young people in the islands for real power to
come to Scotland.”
Posted in Government, Isle of Lewis, Outer Hebrides, politics, Scotland, SNP, Stornoway, Western Isles
Liam Aitchison
Police on the Isle of Lewis say the death of teenager Liam Aitchison is now being treated as suspicious. It follows the discovery of a body at a derelict house at Steinish, just outside Stornoway.
Here is an interview with Chief Inspector Gordon Macleod of Stornoway Police at a press conference on Thursday. Anyone with information is asked to call the incident room on 01851 702222 or anonymously to 0800 555 111.
Posted in Appeal, Crime, Isle of Lewis, Outer Hebrides, Police, Scotland, Stornoway, Western Isles
A sister company of everyone’s favourite fuel distributor Scottish Fuels has been caught out overcharging its customers. Home heating company Maxol Direct has apologised to customers for the error. It has apologised to 2,200 customers who were charged double for oil.
The firm has blamed a computer error for direct debit payments being taken twice. It said all customers would be refunded within the next few days. The heating oil company was recently taken over by DCC Energy, the parent company of Scottish Fuels, GB Oils and Brogan Fuels.
DCC has also been fined tens of thousands of pounds for overcharging customers in Wales. The company was also found to have set up bogus price comparison websites for heating oil. The sites were fixed to make sure that only quotes from DCC-owned companies were shown.
Posted in fuel rip-off, Isle of Harris, Isle of Lewis, Outer Hebrides, scams, Scotland, Stornoway, Uist, Western Isles
I am now assured, from interesting sources, that deputy leadership hopeful Anas Sarwar MP was stunned that Fifth Columnist John Macleod was at the Labour branch meeting the other night.
Now the right way up
At one stage, he chilled the blood of at least one person in the room, saying: “Nowhere else would I be introduced to a member of the constituency party who is a columnist with the Daily Mail.”
He’s so right. Nowhere else would it be allowed to happen that an obnoxious individual, who had publicly wished vulnerable members of the community were dead, except in a morally-bankrupted branch where a Free Church elder, who has also publicly called for Nazi-style discrimination against one section of the community, is deciding what’s what. That is the whole point.
Few of the Labour faithful gathered to hear his wise words on Wednesday actually picked up on the fact that Mr Sarwar was actually giving them a stark warning. Some just sniggered, pathetically.
