News / Urquhart demands ferry apology
HIGHLANDS and islands SNP MSP Jean Urquhart has demanded an apology from Shetland MSP Tavish Scott for saying the Scottish government did not care about the islands.
Mr Scott’s comments on Tuesday followed news the government had refused to charter a replacement ferry during the extended dry dock period for the NorthLink ferries, which will leave the isles with a single ferry for nine weeks next year.
However while Mrs Urquhart accused the Liberal Democrat of political posturing, Mr Scott hit back with a list of issues on which the SNP is letting Shetland down.
Mrs Urquhart said: “The dry docks system was created as part of a contract Tavish Scott signed when he was transport minister.
“I am sorry that Tavish Scott continues to lash out at the government on purely political grounds rather than offer alternatives. It is clearly he who cares less about Shetland and more about his own political positioning.
“The current Scottish government has safeguarded ports to the islands whilst also subsidising three ferry services. All of these measures were safeguards put in place whilst facing £600,000 in cuts from the Tory and Lib Dem Westminster coalition government.
“Whilst it is troubling that this dry dock season is to be extended, I understand this decision was made by NorthLink ferries for what they regard as necessary extra maintenance to their vessels.”
The Shetland MSP retorted with a list of complaints against the current Scottish government, including:
• a failure to make a decision on the fate of Uyeasound and Burravoe primary schools;
• retention of the road equivalent tariff for the western isles alone;
• failure to review the withdrawal of the air discount scheme for business and public agency passengers;
• cuts in the budget for Shetland College.
He said: “Instead of sitting in the central belt with a clear objective to have a single service delivered across the whole of Scotland, they need to recognise the islands are different and I am afraid our list MSP simply has not got that yet.
“Here’s hoping she will learn something in the next five years.”
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