10 Most Recent Stories From Our News

Thu 11th Mar 2010:

High Speed Rail’s future must include Scotland - Bruce.

Following the UK Government’s announcement on a future High Speed Rail line, Gordon MP Malcolm Bruce said: “There is a broad consensus for investing in high speed rail in the UK but as is often the case the devil is in the detail. While High Speed Rail 2 has to start somewhere, we should not be limited in our ambition for a national line running between Southern England and Scotland. “It is disappointing the Nationalists and Conservatives show a lack of concern for rail services in general let alone High Speed Rail. “The Scottish Government must acknowledge their role and break their silence as to how they intend to commit to the project; perhaps having meaningful discussions with Whitehall would be a start.”

RET and rises in business rates.

Commenting following todays FMQs local Liberal Democrat PPC Jean Davis said:- "Tavish's point is that everyone should be treated fairly. "The SNP Government shouldn't play off one group against another like this. "Few people will think it is fair for people in Argyll & Bute to have to pay many times inflation in order to keep our RET pilot going. "In my view the RET pilot was a political bribe to win support for the SNP in the Western Isles. Great for us in the short term but in the longer term a coherent policy will be needed for all island communities. Of course the decision may have to be made by a government other than the SNP. "Tavish went on to highlight the increase in business rates for hotels served by Calmac. These rates will affect hotels in the Western Isles. I believe the Caladh in Stornoway for example will suffer an immediate 86% increase. In England this will be introduced over time. Here in Scotland the SNP have not considered the needs of our tourist industry. "Alex Salmond’s response to Tavish's question showed his lack of interest in rural areas and rural economies. If England can mitigate the effects of this rate increase surely a Nationalist Government in Scotland can consider the needs of their own industry. "Tavish Scott has been campaigning to support tourist businesses - hotels and the ferry routes to them - at question time for the last two weeks."

Carmichael joins Westminster Sport Relief charity mile.

Orkney and Shetland MP Alistair Carmichael joined more than 30 MPs and Members of the House of Lords to complete a Westminster Mile for Sport Relief on Wednesday 10th March. More than 30 Parliamentarians, including Minister for Sport Gerry Sutcliffe, swapped their suits for shorts, trainers and Sport Relief Socks to test their sporting prowess in St James’s Park. They were joined by former British and Irish Lions rugby player Kyran Bracken who helped spur them on to the finishing line. Commenting, Mr Carmichael said: ‘Since Sport Relief began in 2002 it has raised millions of pounds for good causes around the world. MPs are more familiar with running for election than running for charity but I was delighted to be able to play my small part in this year’s campaign. ‘Running a mile for Sport Relief is a quick and easy way to make a real difference to the lives of vulnerable people in the UK and across the developing world. ‘In almost 9 years as a member of Parliament this is only the second time that I have taken part in an event that requires exposure of my knees. I am not one of nature’s athletes. If I can do it and put my dignity on the line then so can anybody else.’ Kyran Bracken added: ‘It’s been brilliant to see our politicians sweating it out for Sport Relief, so I’d encourage everyone to follow their lead and sign up to do their own Mile now at sportrelief.com.’ All the money raised will be spent by Comic Relief to help vulnerable people here in the UK and across the world’s poorest countries. For more information or to sign up for the Sainsbury’s Sport Relief Mile go to www.sportrelief.com. Notes: About Sport Relief As one of the UK’s biggest fundraising events, Sport Relief brings the entire nation together to get active, raise cash and change lives. The Sport Relief Weekend takes place from Friday 19th March to Sunday 21st March 2010 including a night of Sport Relief telly on BBC One and the Sainsbury’s Sport Relief Mile events across the UK on Sunday 21st March. All the cash raised by the public will help transform the lives of those living tough lives across the UK and the world’s poorest countries. Since its launch in 2002, millions of people have taken part in Sport Relief, helping to raise over £80 million. Sport Relief has a unique history of dedicated people doing extraordinary things to rise to the challenge, from David Walliams’ astonishing swim across the English Channel to Eddie Izzard’s truly amazing marathon a day around the UK. Further information is available on www.sportrelief.com

Gray must make clear whether he backs or sacks Anne Moffat.

Responding to the NEC's decision to allow the East Lothian Labour Party to vote on Anne Moffat's future, Stuart Ritchie, Liberal Democrat Candidate for East Lothian has called on the MSP for East Lothian to say whether he will be voting to back or sack Anne Moffat. Stuart Ritchie said: "It is quite appropriate that we are in the run up to Easter with the Labour NEC behaving like Pontius Pilate washing their hands of the whole farcical situation and throwing the decision back to the local labour party in order to kill off Anne Moffat's political career. "Iain Gray has so far stayed silent on the issue of Anne Moffat's selection battle but now the NEC has thrown the decision back to the local party the Leader of the Scottish Labour Party must tell us how he will be voting. Will he back Anne Moffat or sack her. "Whatever the outcome of the vote Labour have taken the people of East Lothian for granted for too long now. Over the last decade Labour have only been interested in internal arguments and their own egos. Come the General Election the people of East Lothian can elect a candidate that will put East Lothian first and properly represent them in Parliament."

Jo Swinson calls for chemotherapy centre at Stobhill.

Jo Swinson MP has backed calls for chemotherapy services to be provided at the new Stobhill Hospital. NHS Greater Glasgow and Cylde are conducting a review looking at the provision of chemotherapy services in the West of Scotland. Jo Swinson has written to the local health authority urging it to ensure that chemotherapy treatment is incorporated into Stobhill Hospital services on completion of the review. The new £100 million Ambulatory Care and Diagnostic Centre (ACAD) at Stobhill was opened in May 2009 but despite chemotherapy treatment being part of the original plans for the hospital, no such service has yet been established. Commenting, Jo Swinson said: “It is unacceptable that patients in East Dunbartonshire and North Glasgow must travel to the Beaston Oncology Centre for chemotherapy. Cancer treatment can be an extremely exhausting and traumatic ordeal and it is essential that services are integrated into the Stobhill Centre, as the original plans indicated. "The review being untaken by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde is due for completion later this year and I am urging the authority to seriously consider this proposal.”

McArthur: Government must explain about Hunterston.

The Scottish government set out their plan today to lead the world in using new technologies to reduce carbon emissions. Commenting Liberal Democrat MSP for Orkney, Liam McArthur said: “Carbon Capture and storage offers a great opportunity for Scotland to reduce our carbon emissions. “Longannet is well placed to win the competition to pilot this technology on a large scale, opening up huge opportunities for exporting the technology and expertise globally and reaping the benefits involved. “However this is not a get out of jail free card for the government. “We have serious concerns over the proposals for the unabated element of the proposed coal-fired power station at Hunterston, especially given the ambitious targets adopted by the Scottish Parliament with the passing of the climate change act last year. “The Scottish Government must explain its approach to Hunterston and recognise that business as usual is not enough.

Brown reveals police assault figures.

Liberal Democrat Justice Spokesperson Robert Brown MSP has revealed that there was a 10% increase in the number of police officers assaulted between 2007/08 and 2008/09 in Scotland. Figures released in an answer to a Parliamentary Question also revealed that as many as 6 police officers a day are assaulted on the streets of Glasgow. Commenting, Mr Brown said: “These assault figures are wholly intolerable. There are no circumstances where it is acceptable to assault a public officer. “Police officers in Scotland do a fantastic job of protecting the public from crime and assaults against them while on duty are unacceptable. “The public will support the courts in taking strong action against people who assault police officers. “However, police assault is part of the wider issue of crimes of violence which are often fuelled by alcohol and by binge drinking. There must be stronger enforcement of alcohol laws on the streets of Scotland, particularly on selling alcohol to people who already drunk and minors under 18. “We must tackle the root causes of crime if we are ever to stop assaults like these happening.

Wed 10th Mar 2010:

Alistair Carmichael MP: Lib Dems Only Progressive Alternative to Labour.

Speaking in Perth at his party’s spring conference last weekend, Orkney and Shetland MP Alistair Carmichael told delegates that only the Liberal Democrats offer a genuine progressive alternative to Labour in Scotland. Mr Carmichael is Scottish Affairs Spokesman for the Liberal Democrats at Westminster. During the election campaign he will be participating in a series of televised debates with the Secretary of State for Scotland and representatives of the other major parties. During his speech, Mr Carmichael said: ‘After 13 years of Labour letting Scotland down – betraying the radical and progressive values of fairness, freedom and democracy which used to be part of their heritage – Scotland is ready for a change. ‘You may have noticed recently Jim Murphy, the Secretary of State for Scotland, making a speech about Labour being the party of faith. He probably settled on faith because they have given up hope and were never any good at charity. ‘And what has this party of faith done thirteen years of government? They sent British troops to die in an illegal war in Iraq. They have signed up to the renewal of Trident nuclear submarines. They have locked up the children of asylum seekers in Dungavel - all for the sake of administrative convenience. No thought for the best interests of the child. ‘This government of “faith” is still determined to send a man suffering from Asperger’s Syndrome to face trial and imprisonment in the United States of America. If ever you are challenged on a doorstep to produce evidence of New Labour’s betrayal of its core values and its failure as a government then you can answer that challenge with two words - Gary MacKinnon. 'If it is the first duty of governments to protect their own citizens then this government has failed in its duty to Gary MacKinnon in a truly shameful manner. ‘At this election, the Tories will not challenge Labour in Scotland. The SNP will not challenge Labour at Westminster. Only the Liberal Democrats will do both.’

Malcolm Bruce congratulates Gordon’s lottery grant winners.

Gordon MP Malcolm Bruce has congratulated clubs and organisations in his constituency on the announcement of the latest grants by the Big Lottery Fund under their Awards for All scheme. Mr Bruce has written to Fly Cup Catering in Inverurie, the Huntly & District ex-servicemen’s Club, Huntly Rotary Club and Daviot Primary School to congratulate them on securing a total of £30,359 in funding. Speaking Mr Bruce said: “I am delighted that these four projects in my constituency have received these lottery grants. This money will go a long way to helping improve local facilities for the communities they serve. “I wish Inverurie’s Fly Club Catering, the Huntly Rotary Club, the Huntly and District ex-Servicemen’s Club and Daviot Primary School all the best with their respective projects and will continue to offer my support in any way I can.” Notes: * Fly Cup Catering based in Inverurie received a £4580 Awards for All grant from Big Lottery Fund to upgrade and improve their facilities. * The Rotary Club of Huntly received a £9814 Awards for All grant from Big Lottery Fund to help with their allotment project. * Daviot Primary School received a £10000 Awards for All grant from Big Lottery Fund to upgrade and improve the playground and play areas. * Huntly & District Ex-Servicemen's Club Ltd received a £5965 Awards for All grant from Big Lottery Fund towards improving access to the club for members and visitors.

Hawick set to get its own currency.

Jim Hume, Liberal Democrat MSP for the South of Scotland, has commented on the proposal to introduce a local currency for Hawick. The idea is aimed at encouraging people to use the money to spend in the town thereby helping local high street shops. Mr Hume said: “This idea has been used in other towns across the UK and it will be interesting to see the impact. “I think that this is an inventive way of keeping money in the town and certainly, anything to help boost high street spending will be welcomed by local shops.”

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