View across the Outer Harbour of Stornoway

Monday, 22 June 2009

Monday 22 June

Overcast but only with low cloud. Brightness looms over the Minch, to the southeast of my position. Locally, the row over Sunday sailings continues in the Letters page of the local news website. Yawn.

Slightly more interesting, if you're into politics, is the assertion that our parliamentary representatives for London and Edinburgh were briefed about the proposed scaling back and associated joblosses in Uist. Yet they did nothing, apart from bluster in their respective parliaments. Allegedly. I'm waiting for the conflagration.

For reference: we have an MP, who sits in the UK parliament in Westminster, London. We also have an MSP (Member of Scottish Parliament) who sits in the Parliament at Holyrood, Edinburgh. Their political affiliation is Scottish National Party, which advocates complete independence for Scotland; the SNP is the current party of government in Edinburgh. It should be noted that the Scottish government does not have jurisdiction over issues of Defense, which is what the job losses in Uist are about. The isle of South Uist (where the rocket range is located) lies about 80 miles south of Stornoway, and the range is the largest employer in the island.