Notice board Poor show from MSPs debating nightmare SSEN plans
● John Hulbert and David Maule will be discussing their books on the Stone of Destiny at 6pm tonight at Waterstones in Perth. John’s book is The Stone of Destiny & The Scots: The Stone’s Journey to Perth Museum and David’s is The Mysterious Case of the Stone of Destiny. Free, all welcome.
● To See Ourselves – Jane McAllister’s documentary about the 2014 referendum focusing on her father, activist and local councillor Fraser McAllister – will be shown at 7.30pm tomorrow at Cameo Cinema, Edinburgh. The film will be introduced with songs from Stuart McHardy and followed by a discussion with the filmmakers and Fraser himself, hosted by Bella Caledonia’s Mike Small.
For tickets see toseeourselves. film/see-the-film
● Alec Ross will be in conversation with Jen Stout about her book Night Train to Odesa: Covering the Human Cost of Russia’s War at 5pm on Sunday as part of Boswell Book Festival at Dumfries House, Ayrshire. For ticket information see www. boswellbookfestival.co.uk
● The Blether-In, Forfar’s pro-independence hub, is hosting an event from 2pm to 4.30pm on Sunday in the West-End Social club. This will be a Q&A event on the question “Is Westminster relevant?” with MPs on the panel. Tickets are £5. Contact Linda Clark: 07917142622/mrsLindaclark@ btinternet.com
● Julie McNeill will launch We Are Scottish Football, a collection of poetry to get us fired up for the Euros, at 6.30pm on Monday, May 20 at The Scottish Football Museum in Glasgow. Julie will be joined by photographer Campbell Ramage and Fitba Makars Stephen Watt and Hamish MacDonald, with music from Hunter & McMustard. Free tickets are available from www.tickettailor.com.
IWATCHED the debate in Holyrood last Thursday regarding SSEN’s proposed infrastructure nightmare and felt real anger as I viewed row after row of empty chairs. Chairs that once supported very well-paid MSPs, the majority of whom couldn’t leave the chamber fast enough after FMQs rather than listen to a debate that was of huge importance to Scotland’s citizens.
Some of those few who bothered to stay spoke with a passion for their communities. In typical Scottish Government modus operandi, energy minister Gillian Martin attempted to blame Westminster and absolve her government of any responsibility.
That old chestnut was soon chucked on the fire when she was sharply corrected by others who reminded her that planning was fully devolved and no-one could force anything to be built in Scotland without Scottish ministers’ approval.
Green Mark Ruskell was toecurlingly awful. No empathy or compassion for rural communities, just thinly veiled contempt telling us all we will just have to put up with multinationals destroying our rural environment in order to stop the planet dying. How shameful to not recognise the trauma felt by communities and at least be open to a debate on the issues. His glowing reference to the Beauly-to-Denny line and the “negotiations” had with SSEN was disingenuous.
No-one I know felt SSEN had done anything other than what SSEN wanted to do, and the tsunami of wind applications that followed left communities fighting multiple wind farms coming at them over just about every hill.
Labour’s Michael Marra (pictured) appeared to have thrown in the towel regarding opposing overhead lines having “been persuaded” they are essential. They are not, and he should engage with communities and their experts too, to not only demand evidence of need but to look for potential alternatives.
The SNP’s Fergus Ewing recognised the severity of the problem and suggested the issue needed a full three-hour government debate. That would be welcomed, providing those MSPs with affected constituents could force themselves to stay and listen to the entire debate, not scroll through their phones, and speak up for those who elected them and pay their wages.
Mr Ewing along with Mr Marra mentioned “community benefit”. All MSPs need to read the room on this. There is NO amount of money that will compensate rural residents for having their peaceful