Na h-Eileanan an Iar MP, Angus MacNeil has seized on newspaper reports today where the Scottish Labour Leader Anas Sarwar has said that he will stand up to Sir Keir Starmer for Scotland.
Commenting Angus MacNeil said:
“Labour have never been very good at standing up for Scotland. Indeed, Labour are not even standing up for Gaza at the moment despite the murder and genocide of 27,000 people, 15,000 of whom are children.
“The fact that Mr Sarwar is now saying that he will stand up to Starmer for Scotland indicates that Starmer will not be good for Scotland at all. This is a departure because whenever I see Mr Sarwar, he is usually following on behind Sir Starmer.
“The problem for Labour is that they know they take orders from Westminster and whether it is Labour locally or Labour at Holyrood level they don’t stand up for Scotland. On Wednesday, the few Labour MPs from Scotland can at least stand up for those still alive in Gaza suffering starvation disease and likely Israeli caused famine, by voting for a ceasefire.
“Standing up for Scotland or standing up for anybody clearly is not in Labour’s DNA.”
Isles MP Angus MacNeil says an urgent solution must be found to resolve the impact of inter-island flight time changes on health services.
Mr MacNeil said: “I have been contacted by concerned constituents who have drawn my attention to changes which mean that flights from Stornoway to Benbecula have moved from morning arrivals to not landing in Benbecula until 12:35 and leaving again at 17:30. This will mean a significant drop in the time available for patients’ appointments.
“NHS Western Isles who have confirmed to me, that the flight schedule changes and reductions are expected to have a significant impact on service delivery across the entire health system in the Western Isles.
“I am now asking Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, who get money from the Scottish Government to subsidise the service, for clarification on timetables as these changes will have a negative impact on health services.
“This is not a good enough service for the people of Uist and a solution must be found as soon as possible.”
Na h-Eileanan an Iar MP Angus MacNeil is writing to the Comhairle and the Scottish Government again in light of the extreme weather conditions to remind them of the importance of raising the height of the causeway between Baleshare and North Uist.
Commenting Mr MacNeil said: “The causeway between Baleshare and North Uist has been a concern for a long time. It becomes a more nervous concern when we have weather like this, and the causeway can get swamped with high tides. People have the obvious pressures of getting backwards and forwards to their homes, to work and of course the emergency services.
“It really is unacceptable that we have this situation at Baleshare where basically it is fingers crossed time in weathers like this and high tides.
“In a world that goes on about safety all the time, the one place that seems to be really neglected is the causeway and Baleshare.
“It is high time that something was done about it. We don’t want the causeway to be in the headlines for the wrong reasons, therefore I am again stepping up pressure on the Scottish Government and the Comhairle to come to a resolution to raise the height of the causeway.
“It shouldn’t be beyond the wit of man or the care for our fellow islanders that this gets sorted out.
“The Scottish Government and the Comhairle must make sure that this is not an issue of concern in everybody’s minds at a time of acute weather such as we have at the moment.”
Isles MP Angus Brendan MacNeil has expressed concern with the fact that the population in Na h-Eileanan and Iar has fallen 5.5% in the last ten years, the largest fall in Scotland.
Scotland has grown less than the UK average although the population is at its highest. However, these trends have been forecast, by 2050 Scotland’s population will fall while neighbouring independent countries will rise.
Commenting Angus MacNeil said:
“Quite obviously it is beyond time that we started to look at what other island groups who are successful in growing their population have done.
“I note that Shetland’s population is down too, but Orkney’s population has increased.
“In short, island populations that are in charge of their own futures tend to do better, most notably the Faroe Islands.
“It is time that we seriously started to look at inter-island tunnels to link our communities to make transport in and out easier and better; to bring more PSO routes to our airlines, Benbecula being an example of a poor weekend service. People who live on community-owned land should have a right as a member of the community to get land to build a house for themselves. We have an ironic situation of people wanting to live and build here but can’t. The recent change in crofting grants brought in by the Scottish Government also has to change back to be less intrusive and to be more friendly towards house building by removing some of the restrictions that have been brought in.
“The Home Office is another problem, and this is a difficult one because in London they are not responsive. It is a reason why Scotland needs control and then after independence, a one-size-fits-all policy is not the answer, the Swiss cantons show how this can be done. The number of times that we have tried to get people to come to live in the islands that have been blocked by the Home Office is mind-boggling. They simply do not care, I have met with the Home Office many times, they have a policy for the UK and quite clearly, one size does not fit all.
“We need to fill in any digital gaps we have. One of the successes of the Faroe Islands was to make physical and digital communications within their islands to be comprehensive and this has helped see a growth in the population.
“Finally, population trends are not destiny and not a function of our geography as the Faroe Islands or indeed the Isle of Man show but a function of our lack of control in Scotland and the islands over our own futures.”
Isles MP Angus MacNeil is continuing to press the Bank of Scotland to retain Lochmaddy and Tarbert branches to prevent long journeys to access alternative branches.
Lloyds Banking Group, who own the Bank of Scotland, announced recently that a decision had been taken to close the branches.
Commenting Mr MacNeil said:
“The closure of these branches will adversely affect Bank of Scotland customers especially those who are not able to use online banking services or do not have access to private transport.
“I have recently been contacted by constituents in North Uist who are concerned that the Lochmaddy branch is going to close. Customers living in Berneray, who do not have private transport, will have to make a 60-mile return trip by bus to access the bank in Benbecula.
“The Bank of Scotland has listed the Portree branch along with the Benbecula and Stornoway branch, as an alternative branch for customers. It is crass to suggest that customers should take a ferry to access a bank.
“I urge that the Bank of Scotland reconsider the decision to close the branches in Lochmaddy and Tarbert to ensure that my constituents continue to have access to the full range of banking services without the requirement to make lengthy travel journeys.”
Isles MP Angus MacNeil is encouraged that Transport Scotland are now actively exploring the feasibility of a pilot scheme to retain ferry deck capacity for short-notice travel.
Mr MacNeil has been in contact with the Scottish Government calling for a staggered release of vehicle bookings which would improve access to ferries for all, including islands residents who need to travel at short notice.
Commenting on the response he received from the Transport Minister, Mr MacNeil said: “I am very pleased to hear that Calmac are working with Transport Scotland and island communities to investigate a pilot to hold back some vehicle deck capacity for short-notice travel.
“I have been suggesting that, regardless of where people come from, there be a staggered release of space on car decks. 70% in the beginning, then 20% the month before and the last 10% in the week before the sailing. This gives different types of travellers, regardless of where people live, the ability to make these bookings. It gives businesses and people who need to travel at short notice or attend hospital, the hope of being able to travel.”
As part of the Islands Connectivity Plan (ICP) alongside the wider Fair Fares Review, Transport Scotland will consider all issues raised around this proposal. Engagement and consultation will be central to the ICP and will provide the opportunity to ensure that the ferry policy addresses the needs of island residents, businesses, and communities.
NA h-Eileanan Iar SNP MP Angus MacNeil has expressed delight that the Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMA) proposals will now be abandoned and not taken forward.
Commenting Mr MacNeil said: “This is a victory for common sense. I am delighted that we have seen off HPMAs in their current form. The consultation on 10% of the waters being designed as HPMAs by 2026 has now been abandoned and it is a victory for those who have argued passionately, strongly, coherently, and wisely against the HPMAs.
“I hope that whatever is brought forward in the future is not as onerous or as dangerous as the HPMA proposal was. Obviously, this will not be the end of people trying to destroy aspects of the fishing industry and livelihoods in our coastal communities, but I don’t think ever again will such a big assault on the livelihoods of people in our coastal communities happen.
“We will have to remain vigilant that it doesn’t happen again, but today we can be glad and congratulate all those who raised their voices, and even composed songs in this campaign. It goes to show that they were listened at the end of the day despite the worries and the stress that we all had.”
Mr MacNeil had been in constant contact with Minister for Environment and Land Reform, Mairi McAllan over the last few months stressing repeatedly the strength of feeling against Highly Protected Marine Areas in the islands. He had also encouraged as many constituents as possible to respond to the consultation.
Na h-Eileanan an Iar SNP MP Angus MacNeil is continuing his stream of correspondence with the Minister for Environment and Land Reform, Mairi McAllan, stressing over and over again the strength of feeling against Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMA) in the islands.
Mr MacNeil has repeatedly written to the Minister to impress the strength of feeling against HPMAs and called for the plans to be dropped. He also responded to the consultation which is now closed.
This week he has continued that correspondence, in response to a letter of response from the Minister, asking for details of when the Minister will visit locations on the West Coast in the next stage of the consultation process.
The Minister stated in her letter of response to Mr MacNeil that she did not believe it was the case that nobody in the islands wanted areas with enhanced marine protection and cited the experience of Lamlash Bay in Arran where the community campaigned for extra protection and have benefitted from that.
In response Mr MacNeil said: “There may indeed be one or two people in favour of HPMAs in the Hebrides, but I haven’t come across them I have to say. There may also indeed be one or two people in favour of unification of Scotland with Russia at the moment, but I also haven’t come across them and I don’t think such an approach is a sound basis for making that a sensible argument.
“On the serious and substantial point of Lamlash Bay, it has been cited several times, but Lamlash Bay has happened without any HPMA legislation, in fact this makes the case for not needing the legislation by mentioning Lamlash Bay.”
He added: “The Minister stated that they would continue to engage with communities, and I have asked the Minister to provide me with details of where and when these meetings will happen.
“It is crystal clear that communities in Na h-Eileanan an Iar are totally opposed to HPMAs. HPMAs will cause further economic misery which will do nothing for the environment given that the areas that they want to protect are those that are already fished and looked after sustainably.”
Angus B MacNeil SNP 