WATCH: Inverness Courier plays a part in Holyrood A9 debate
The Inverness Courier’s viral frontpage on the A9 – seen by at least half a million people – has been held up in the Scottish Parliament debate about the missed deadline to dualling.
The cover of the Strathy's sister title shows a gravestone with the words: “R.I.P. SNP promise of dualling the A9 by 2025. Born 2007. Died February 8, 2023.”
Highlands and Islands MSP Edward Mountain introduced the Inverness Courier referring to it as 'very appropriate, that is what we feel like in the Highlands'.
It will now enter the formal parliamentary and form a permanent part of the debate on the A9 and the failure of the SNP to make good on its promise made back in 2007.
The Scottish Conservatives used their Holyrood debate yesterday to call on the Scottish Government to urgently provide a revised timescale and costings for upgrading the A9, and to ensure regular updates on progress are provided.
Using the Courier as a reference point, Mr Mountain said: “I think the Inverness Courier’s headline is very appropriate, that is what we feel like in the Highlands – left with a tombstone of a promise from the SNP
“Graham Simpson has mentioned the role of dishonour for transport minister – he has mentioned Stewart Stevenson, he has mentioned Keith Brown, he has mentioned Derek Mackay, and Humza Yousaf, and Paul Wheelhouse, and Graeme Dey.
“And now Jenny Gilruth who I feel sorry for because she has been left carrying the can.
“They are looked on in the Highlands as the modern day Dick Turpins, the Highway Robbers. Robbers that have denied us the access route we deserve.
“But the problem is, if we describe them as that it maligns Dick Turpin because Dick Turpin’s words were ‘Stand and Deliver’ and not one single of those ministers have delivered anything for the Highlands when it comes to connectivity.”
Strathspey MSP Fergus Ewing MSP also came under fire, with Edward Mountain MSP claiming the former Scottish Government minister shared responsibility for the SNP’s broken promises on the A9.
He said: “A lot of noise has been made on the backbenches of the SNP by one of their Highland MSPs, Fergus Ewing. A man who has been in Government since 2007.
"He’s a Highlander, he’s been a government minister, he’s been a cabinet secretary and for the last 14 years he’s been missing in action and is now only showing barrack room bravery, as I would describe it, having shown absolutely no battlefield bravery when he stood to lose his extra pay, pension and his ministerial car.”