Nationalist MSP who reckons Skye ISN’T an island!
By Rachel Watson Deputy Scottish Political Editor
IT is, you might think, an indisputable fact.
According to every map available, the Isle of Skye is, in fact, an island – and has been for millions of years.
And despite the construction of a bridge to the mainland, residents on Eilean a’ Cheò consider themselves islanders.
But yesterday a Nationalist MSP sparked controversy when he questioned that status – asking whether or not Skye could be classed as a ‘real island’.
John Mason asked why Skye should be included in Scottish Government legislation aiming to help Scotland’s islands during a meeting of Holyrood’s rural economy committee.
The Glasgow Shettleston MSP claimed it should be excluded as it does not have the same transport issues as the ‘real islands’, before questioning whether its inclusion was ‘unanimous’.
Government officials responded by claiming his question was ‘quite surprising’ because Skye is ‘definitely’ an inhabited island.
Fellow Nationalist MSP Kate Forbes, who represents Skye, was among those to respond to Mr Mason’s comments, insisting: ‘Skye is a real island, just as Glasgow is a real city.’
At the committee meeting MSPs examined the Islands Bill, which aims to offer greater powers to island local authorities and create a sustainable future for them.
During the evidence session, which was attended by civil servants dealing with legislation, Mr Mason asked: ‘Was it unanimous that something like Skye should be included?
‘It says that bridges are ignored but surely Skye doesn’t have the problems of ferries and transport which real islands do?’
Committee convener Edward Mountain replied: ‘I’m sure we’ll all agree that Skye is a real island.’
Darren Dickson from the Islands Bill team said the issue was ‘quite surprising’, adding that Skye was ‘definitely’ listed as an inhabited island.
Last night Miss Forbes said: ‘I am sure John knows that Skye is a real island, just as Glasgow is a real city. I certainly cross water to get there. Otherwise we would have to rewrite The Skye Boat Song.
‘Ferry and transport problems are the tip of the iceberg, and there is a huge amount of work to do on the roads infrastructure for tourism, not to mention affordable housing and connectivity.’
The Bill defines an island as a ‘naturally formed area of land which is surrounded on all sides by the sea (ignoring artificial structures such as bridges) and above water at high tide’.
Mr Mason has previously voiced similar concerns, stating in 2016 that Skye ‘cannot be an island because it now has a bridge to the mainland’.
A Liberal Democrat spokesman said: ‘This comment will be met with bemusement from the residents on the Isle of Skye who will no doubt see these comments from a central belt MSP as ignorant and unhelpful.
‘If John Mason doesn’t think Skye is an island, then it begs the question as to what he thinks constitutes an island.’