New government has to live up to its promises
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MANY congratulations to all the candidates who were successful in the elections to the Scottish Parliament last month, and in particular to our two newly elected constituency MSPs, Fergus Ewing and Dave Thompson. I look forward to working with them in the interests of the people we represent.
I would also like to pay tribute to the energy and commitment to the local community shown by Alan Macrae and Christine Jardine, the Liberal Democrat candidates in the strath.
The positive result for the SNP is a personal tribute to Alex Salmond, and many constituency candidates were elected on his coat tails.
The founders of the Scottish Parliament had not anticipated that one party would win an overall majority, and this unexpected position gives the SNP enormous power to deliver on their promises to the Highlands.
The Scottish Government has a great deal of power over the key issues that affect people locally: transport, health, education, economic development.
I very much hope that the new Government will concentrate all of its time and effort into using these powers effectively, not being sidetracked by the idea of Scottish independence or the desire constantly to create artificial fights with the British Government.
There is certainly a lot to be done locally. The need for a better transport network for the strath is as pressing as it has ever been.
Despite big promises, no new investment plans for the A9 were forthcoming during the last four years of the SNP Government.
The Scottish Lib Dem manifesto was the only one to mention the A9 – I hope the SNP in government will take up the idea of a staged plan for upgrading to dual carriageway, starting now.
It was encouraging to see one of our local MSPs promising that if the UK government delivered borrowing powers for the Scottish Government, then the SNP government would use those funds to invest in Highland transport.
I am delivering those borrowing powers in government: so we will look forward very much to seeing that money flow to the A9, the Inverness bypass, and the rail network as promised.
Railways are another area where a better network is needed. Despite big promises, journey times have actually slowed between Inverness and the Central Belt.
The UK government made the right decision in saving the Highland Chieftain and investing in new trains for the connection between Inverness and London – now we need the Scottish Government to play its part with the long-promised investment to make the journey south quicker.
As the local MP, I will continue to work together with anyone who wants to improve our area. But I will also continue to challenge the new Scottish Government to deliver rapidly on their big promises to our area – just as people rightly challenge me to do the same at a UK level.
As the smaller party in a coalition, it is tough to deliver everything you want. With a single party overall majority, there can be no excuses.
Go greener
ONE of the shared priorities of the British Government, the Scottish Government and the Highland Council is to reduce our carbon dioxide emissions.
In a very significant move last week, we decided at UK level to set a tough regime for emissions reductions over the next two decades – following the independent advice and beating back a challenge from those who wanted us to row back.
But whatever the actions taken by Government, it is local community initiatives that will really make the difference. That’s why the Go Greener Grantown initiative is so welcome.
The scheme has recently published its brochure, and a timetable bringing together the various public transport schemes that serve our local area. By bringing the information together, it should make it easier for people to get around locally on public transport.
The timetable also helpfully highlights again the need for better links to Grantown on Sunday – the lack of services is a long-standing concern.
I hope that people will use the information and do what it says on the tin – Go Greener Grantown!
If there is anything you would like to raise directly with me, please come to one of my regular local surgeries (advertised in the ‘Strathy’), drop me an e-mail to danny@highlandlibdems.org.uk or call my office on (01463) 711280.
I will always do my best to help.
