False claims

The Liberal Democrats have made several false claims in the first week of the Shetland by-election campaign.

Reading their cavalier leaflets, you might not realise that for the past twelve years they’ve actually been in back benches at Holyrood.

Take their statement about health care for example: the Lib Dems say they brought eye treatments back from the mainland. But of course in reality it was NHS Shetland, funded by the SNP Government, in response to a local campaign.

The Lib Dems also boldly claim to have increased patients’ access to video consultations with medical specialists based on the mainland. Again, it was Shetland’s NHS board, in co-operation with Aberdeen Royal Infirmary consultants.

As for claiming credit for “improving patient facilities at Aberdeen Airport” it will be news to most folk that the Liberal Democrats run the air terminal there.

Perhaps we should be grateful the Lib Dems have not yet claimed credit for the Moon landings, the eradication of smallpox and the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Iain Malcolmson
Convener Shetland SNP
South Nesting