Congratulations on ferry summit

I write to congratulate Alison MacCorquodale on her effectiveness as prospective Labour candidate in the Western Isles. She appears to have achieved more in the space of days than many of us have managed in years.

On September 5, Ms MacCorquodale drew attention to the latest CalMac crisis and called for ‘an islands summit on ferry services to which the MSP and MP should be invited with ‘‘empty chairs’’ if required’.

On September 6 at Holyrood, Alasdair Allan MSP asked Paul Wheelhouse, the minister for energy, connectivity and the islands, if he would ‘commit to visiting my constituency to meet me and other stakeholders at a summit to discuss that important issue?’ i.e. ferry capacity.

Until then, Mr Allan’s most notable contribution to the ferry debate had been to call for a tax on campervans to deter them from coming to the Western Isles at all, so this really was dramatic progress.

On September 9, Mr Allan issued a press release stating that Mr Wheelhouse had ‘agreed to visit the Western Isles’ to discuss ‘the shortage of ferry space’ with himself and ‘other stakeholders’.

I think we need early clarification of who will be involved in these discussions and what opportunity there will be for the people and businesses most affected by the ferry shambles to be heard. Let’s not lose sight of the promised ‘summit’.

In the meantime, thanks are due to Ms MacCorquodale for her effective intervention. Who knows, we might even hear from the MP once he can spare time between crowdfunding for Alex Salmond and broadcasting for Russia TV. Angus McCormack,

25 North Street, Sandwick, Isle of Lewis.