The mood in Uist
I'm just back from a few days work in Uist, and as usual I spent the time travelling around the islands, speaking to loads of people in every corner.
The talk moves in all sorts of directions and covers all topics - tax, sheep prices, ferries - before inevitably coming back to the one issue that is on everyone's mind: the Rocket Range.
There are three main threads in the conversations that are interlinked and almost without exception they are repeated and reinforced by everyone I speak to.
(1) The Range was only saved thanks to the hard work and determination of the Taskforce. Every member of that Taskforce is receiving credit for their involvement; except possibly HIE who are perceived to have been an obstacle rather than a help. Even the Council gets grudging praise for leading the defence.
(2) The Range is only saved until the next Defence Review, and the defence of the Range must continue to guarantee real security.
(3) Angus MacNeil MP has behaved in an appalling fashion, and has done nothing to help. He won't be getting their vote again, but that doesn't mean that they are going to vote for Labour either.
Labour are still being blamed for the economic mismanagement, but I believe that in Uist there are a huge number of ex-SNP floating voters who are going to decide how to vote much nearer the time.
The approach that a Tory Government will have more reason to save the Range seems bizarre in the extreme, as the Tories will actually have less reason to keep to open and the Taskforce will be likely to have less leverage over a Tory Government than over a Labour one.
The next election campaign started some months back, and it is going to be longer, bitter and very close.
The talk moves in all sorts of directions and covers all topics - tax, sheep prices, ferries - before inevitably coming back to the one issue that is on everyone's mind: the Rocket Range.
There are three main threads in the conversations that are interlinked and almost without exception they are repeated and reinforced by everyone I speak to.
(1) The Range was only saved thanks to the hard work and determination of the Taskforce. Every member of that Taskforce is receiving credit for their involvement; except possibly HIE who are perceived to have been an obstacle rather than a help. Even the Council gets grudging praise for leading the defence.
(2) The Range is only saved until the next Defence Review, and the defence of the Range must continue to guarantee real security.
(3) Angus MacNeil MP has behaved in an appalling fashion, and has done nothing to help. He won't be getting their vote again, but that doesn't mean that they are going to vote for Labour either.
Labour are still being blamed for the economic mismanagement, but I believe that in Uist there are a huge number of ex-SNP floating voters who are going to decide how to vote much nearer the time.
The approach that a Tory Government will have more reason to save the Range seems bizarre in the extreme, as the Tories will actually have less reason to keep to open and the Taskforce will be likely to have less leverage over a Tory Government than over a Labour one.
The next election campaign started some months back, and it is going to be longer, bitter and very close.
4 comments:
We can see now why the Caped Crusaders always sat on the fence.
First solo flight and they are spitting feathers. Ha Ha Ha.
Have you checked this out. The Barra Bhouy trying to gain brownie points with the Uist people after letting them down.
Perhaps he will be putting a claim in for more vodka wine and don't forget the toblerones.
http://www.hebridesnews.co.uk/macneil_taskforce_costs.html
couldn't find that site - first time i checked in a while
its on hebrides news Macneil asks for MOD to pay Task Force costs.
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