RET - the options
It was a very astute move by Labour to promise that RET would become permanent after the election, if they form the Government, as it throws the ball straight back into the SNP court.
Just what are the SNP offering at the election to trump the Labour pledge?
At the moment, it looks like nothing, having been beaten to the punch.
The synthetic cries from the SNP that Labour have stolen their policies might be fair, but they should have seem it coming. If they didn't, then they need their heads examined.
The problem is that the SNP Government only announced the temporary extension of RET for another year at the very last moment possible to allow CalMac to print the timetables, and expected the public not to see through the attempted vote winning ruse.
Not that we need to be effusively grateful to Labour for the modest potential boost, as it is the sheer poverty of ambition from both parties that is most noticeable.
Now the challenge for the SNP is to top the Labour offer - as they did when RET trumped enhanced ADS at the last election.
Either way, the public need to pressure their favoured party to enhance their offer, rather than trying to take our expectations to the lowest level.
Just what are the SNP offering at the election to trump the Labour pledge?
At the moment, it looks like nothing, having been beaten to the punch.
The synthetic cries from the SNP that Labour have stolen their policies might be fair, but they should have seem it coming. If they didn't, then they need their heads examined.
The problem is that the SNP Government only announced the temporary extension of RET for another year at the very last moment possible to allow CalMac to print the timetables, and expected the public not to see through the attempted vote winning ruse.
Not that we need to be effusively grateful to Labour for the modest potential boost, as it is the sheer poverty of ambition from both parties that is most noticeable.
Now the challenge for the SNP is to top the Labour offer - as they did when RET trumped enhanced ADS at the last election.
Either way, the public need to pressure their favoured party to enhance their offer, rather than trying to take our expectations to the lowest level.
20 comments:
I have seen on Heb News the former expelled Labour party member from Borve blowing his trumpet about RET.
He states that that Ian Gray and Donald Crichton open their mouths and say anything.
At least it is their mouths they are opening.
The system the SNP introduced is NOT Ret, it is simply an increased fares subsidy, but very welcome nonetheless.You are right that Donald Crichton, in a very astute move, has stolen the SNP's thunder on their flagship policy, and he also appears to have wrong footed them with his fuel discount proposal. I will be watching with interest what he has to say on rescuing the Western Isles economy before finally committing to switch my vote to him in May. We need someone who will represent the needs of the Western Isles in Edinburgh, not the SNP's "man" in the Western Isles as we have at present. The SNP are clearly rattled, as shown on their Heb News website, notwithstanding the full moon!
Slightly confused as to why Donald Crichton's flagship policy of giving a £400 fuel rebate to all car drivers was not given the backing of the Labour Leader. Does this mean that there is no support for his idea within the Labour Party
12.26 - What planet are you on?
Scotland is a great country. We are oil rich and it's ridiculous that the UK is ruling us - we can make money out of the Harris Tweed industry and tourists. Thanks to RET and the Homecoming.
I think that rather than being 'astute' with stealing SNP's thunder he is clutching at straws and failing to come up with REAL, ACHIEVABLE ideas. If there was any chance of the fuel rebate happening then it would have been supported by Ian Gray
The SNP have made a balls up on this one.
They introduced an RET 'pilot scheme' which was a roaring success. Did they make it permanent - no. Idiots. They gave a mickey mouse year long extension to straddle an election.
Labour are quite right to recognise the success of RET & also correct to realise the benefit to the Islands by making it permanent. Now that policy has gone, maybe we will get Angus McNeil's 5p fuel discount.... which won't take long for folk to realise that he has made an awful lot of noise about something that will make little difference to peoples motoring costs. What policies are left.... answers on a very small postcard please.
10.07 PM. Are you having a laugh?
The Homecoming cost the Government a fortune as they had to bail out the company who was in charge of it.
Can you tell us what we gained from this debacle?
10.28 Before you start talking about debacles look at the cost of the Scottish Paliament and the Edinburgh Trams and tell us who promoted both. Labour nitwits.
3.27 pm. Why in your blinkered SNP eyes do you make out I am a Labour supporter.
As far as I see yor beloved Mr Salmond is no better than the previous mob. Infact maybe worse.
I think 10.27 was having a laugh, and 10.28 had a sense of humour failure.
and 3.27 is clearly rattled...
However isn't the silence on RET from the SNP a bit ominous?
If a comment can be made from Orkney which might shed light on our governemnt's unusual silence on RET. They've got themselves up the creek with RET for the north - it probably can't apply to Shetland because the subsidy is greater - it's more marginal for Aberdeen to Orkney and certainly viable for the short sea crossing. But here's their problem, Northlink have just introduced a daily freight service from Aberdeen which has taken the vast majority of freight from Scrabster Stromness so the amount of subsidy needed for that service will increase a lot. Bringing RET in will increase that beyond reason and sense so it won't happen but they've then left themselves wide open to the politics of favouritism by having RET available solely to the west. Labour have walked into this too since Ian Gray has ruled out extension to the north.
The expedient chicken may be flying home to roost just now.
Re - 9.22
It is not only Orkney that suffers this injustice but also much of the Inner Hebrides.
Morally indefensible - whatever party puts it forward!
Desperate to get Allan in they manipulated us all. When are we all going to get real and demand more of our politicians. They may never have had integrity but politics are at an all time low. When last did anyone resign on a point of principle. Even the Tories under Thatcher had the decency to at least pretend and get out (and no fan am I) now they just shrug and carry on.
No sign of this RET announcement on the Scottish labour website. What does that say about its importance?
What are Labour offering? Permanent RET for all routes? For lifeline routes only? for the routes on the existing programme? What will it cost? What about the longer routes for which RET doesn't work?
Who are Elmar Fudd and Donald Duck kidding?
This looks like another Disney fantasy announcement in the mode of the ill thought through fuel rebate.
If they are unwilling, or more likely unable, to justify their policy promises, keeping their mouths shut would be much the better option.
Can we please have some policies from Labour we can believe and less of the cartoon loony tunes?
That's all folks!
Orkney, Shetland, my West coast heart bleeds for you East coast robbers. Get you and your giant fishing boats and gettae.
Re - 11.53
Clearly you're a Scottish Nationalist.
Only someone with that political persuasion could be both that prejudiced and parochial.
And you hope to have a united nation when you're finished with all this mindless abuse ...
PS - The unfairness of the present measures also affects some of the islands on the west coast, but only your backyard matters, doesn't it???
6.41 I am SNP to the sole of my boots which place me a mile to the left of the Labour Party.
Re - 6.41.
No.. You're not 'left of the Labour party' but considerably to the right.
Let us consider exactly where you stand. You are prepared to defend a political system, which offers preferential treatment to your own backyard. The current system of RET discriminates against, for instance, the people of Westray, Islay and North Ronaldsay in favour of those whose votes might benefit to the SNP. If you are low-paid, it is no easier to survive on these islands with the price of goods etc than it is in Lewis. In fact, with the absence of any large supermarkets as found in, say, Stornoway, it is probably more difficult.
So don't give me any rot about being 'left-wing'. You're purely motivated by your own greedy self-interest. A sense of justice doesn't exist at all.
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