Tuesday, March 06, 2007
The Campaign Begins
Jack McConnel gave a rousing speech at Dunblane this past weekend and inspired all the Labour Party candidates to get out and fight for what they believe in. Most important of all was his message that Labour is building Scotland whilst the nationalists want to break-up Britian. It will be a tough campaign, but with stakes this high, it will make for a vitally important national debate and one I hope the people of Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross will engage in.
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Getting Around
I have been away from my computer for a while and trying to spend more time getting around the constituency. What always strikes me is what a large area the far north really is. Thurso is far from Inverness! This means road transport is all the more important and with acute concerns about job creation in Caithness and continual job losses at Dounreay, the local economy is dependent upon an infrastructure that can support and develop new jobs.
I also noticed driving down from Thurso to Inverness Airport a few weeks ago the inconsistency in fuel prices at local petrol stattions; there was a differential of over 8 pence per litre! Eight pence!! Far too much and quite unjustified. I understand from speaking to local people, there are also seasonal adjustments in petrol prices, for example, over Christmas some fuel stations put their prices up by as much as 3 pence. This is unacceptable and I estimate the difference is costing hard working familes well over GBP 350 a year. I shall be looking into this issue in further detail.
I am also concerned as a driver to note there are still a large number of lorries on the roads. With the growth in the number of supermarkets, it is very much a pity more of them are not using rail freight. It is unacceptable and dangerous for people to be stuck behind large lorries on the A9. I shall be looking into this issue as well.
Despite these complications to life, the remarkable thing about travelling around Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross is the outstanding beauty of the landscape. I spent a wonderful Sunday morning moutain biking on the Highland Wildcat Trail in Sutherland the other week and was invigorated and amazed by the great attributes to the local economy. But physical beauty alone is not enough if more jobs are to be created in the far noth.
I also noticed driving down from Thurso to Inverness Airport a few weeks ago the inconsistency in fuel prices at local petrol stattions; there was a differential of over 8 pence per litre! Eight pence!! Far too much and quite unjustified. I understand from speaking to local people, there are also seasonal adjustments in petrol prices, for example, over Christmas some fuel stations put their prices up by as much as 3 pence. This is unacceptable and I estimate the difference is costing hard working familes well over GBP 350 a year. I shall be looking into this issue in further detail.
I am also concerned as a driver to note there are still a large number of lorries on the roads. With the growth in the number of supermarkets, it is very much a pity more of them are not using rail freight. It is unacceptable and dangerous for people to be stuck behind large lorries on the A9. I shall be looking into this issue as well.
Despite these complications to life, the remarkable thing about travelling around Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross is the outstanding beauty of the landscape. I spent a wonderful Sunday morning moutain biking on the Highland Wildcat Trail in Sutherland the other week and was invigorated and amazed by the great attributes to the local economy. But physical beauty alone is not enough if more jobs are to be created in the far noth.
Saturday, October 28, 2006
Scot Exec Commitment to Dounreay
I have been following the debates in Parliament about the economic and social impact of decommissioning at Dounreay with great interest.
It has been great to see so much focus brought to the issue after considerable delay and the debates have helped focus minds on this tremendous threat.
I am particularly pleased Alan Wilson has committed the Executive to supporting the initiatives currently underway and has very sensibly not ruled out further serious involvement in the local community by the nuclear industry.
Both Maureen Macmillan and myself raised these issues with him recently.
Whilst the focus is on Dounreay I think it important to remember Caithness and Northern Sutherland have a huge amount to offer; this is not a case of a region on its knees. The area has one of the most impressively educated and trained work forces, tremendous geographical advantages and a serious local commitment to action. There is a lot on offer and greater efforts need to be made to make this fact better known and quickly.
I shall be speaking to Peter Peacock soon to raise with him the issue of training and skills for young people who will be harder hit by decommissioning than other age groups.
We must work now to protect their futures.
It has been great to see so much focus brought to the issue after considerable delay and the debates have helped focus minds on this tremendous threat.
I am particularly pleased Alan Wilson has committed the Executive to supporting the initiatives currently underway and has very sensibly not ruled out further serious involvement in the local community by the nuclear industry.
Both Maureen Macmillan and myself raised these issues with him recently.
Whilst the focus is on Dounreay I think it important to remember Caithness and Northern Sutherland have a huge amount to offer; this is not a case of a region on its knees. The area has one of the most impressively educated and trained work forces, tremendous geographical advantages and a serious local commitment to action. There is a lot on offer and greater efforts need to be made to make this fact better known and quickly.
I shall be speaking to Peter Peacock soon to raise with him the issue of training and skills for young people who will be harder hit by decommissioning than other age groups.
We must work now to protect their futures.
Monday, August 28, 2006
Asbos et al...
Browsing the local papers this weekend I was saddened to read in the Ross-shire Journal an article about people littering the pretty streets of Tain and another about anti-social behaviour and the Asbo system in Ross-shire. The Journal reports that 80 % of respondents think the system is not working.
Implicit and explicit in both articles were criticisms of young people in the area and the suggestion anti-social behaviour and littering were primarily a fault to be rested at their doors. As my colleague Maureen Macmillan made clear recently this is often not the case and I wonder that by reinforcing the idea young people are always to blame for this behaviour, an unwelcome stereotype is pushed upon them, which provides little motivation to improve behaviour that they may or may not be responsible for. If you're damned anyway.....
On the spot fines for littering and anti-social behaviour orders are both intelligent measures which can be deployed to limit such behaviour and provide local communities with a greater sense of empowerment in tackling behaviour that can be downright distressing and demoralising. Local police forces and councillors should determine just how they wish such powers to be deployed to best suit their local conditions.
Nationally, the Labour Government is working to reduce one of the contributory factors of poor behaviour: poverty. It is, of course, completely wrong to stigamtise underprivileged communities as being unruly, but time and again Asbos are sought in run down estates where resident's boredom leads to mischief because of the difficulties in finding good employment to provide people with a better means of spending their time. Labour have pulled 800, 000 young people out of poverty and have invested hugely in education to improve their lives. This will ultimately lead to the regeneration of deprived areas, better jobs, better lives and choices for people who previously had few.
Few people may incorrectly believe Asbos are working, but few should doubt that Labour's commitment to reducing poverty and lack of opportunities are sowing the seeds for a better Scotland.
Implicit and explicit in both articles were criticisms of young people in the area and the suggestion anti-social behaviour and littering were primarily a fault to be rested at their doors. As my colleague Maureen Macmillan made clear recently this is often not the case and I wonder that by reinforcing the idea young people are always to blame for this behaviour, an unwelcome stereotype is pushed upon them, which provides little motivation to improve behaviour that they may or may not be responsible for. If you're damned anyway.....
On the spot fines for littering and anti-social behaviour orders are both intelligent measures which can be deployed to limit such behaviour and provide local communities with a greater sense of empowerment in tackling behaviour that can be downright distressing and demoralising. Local police forces and councillors should determine just how they wish such powers to be deployed to best suit their local conditions.
Nationally, the Labour Government is working to reduce one of the contributory factors of poor behaviour: poverty. It is, of course, completely wrong to stigamtise underprivileged communities as being unruly, but time and again Asbos are sought in run down estates where resident's boredom leads to mischief because of the difficulties in finding good employment to provide people with a better means of spending their time. Labour have pulled 800, 000 young people out of poverty and have invested hugely in education to improve their lives. This will ultimately lead to the regeneration of deprived areas, better jobs, better lives and choices for people who previously had few.
Few people may incorrectly believe Asbos are working, but few should doubt that Labour's commitment to reducing poverty and lack of opportunities are sowing the seeds for a better Scotland.
Thursday, July 27, 2006
Lib Dem opportunism..again!
What is happening in the Lebanon is deeply sad and very shocking. A small country that has fought for years to give its citizens the basic conditions to allow them to bring up their families, educate their children and take pride in earning a living has once again been dragged into a maelstrom, largely not of its own creation. It has been afflicted by terrorism, civil wars, foreign interferences and invasions and now the destruction of its infrastructure.
Israel and Hezbollah should stop their killing now.
Whilst deeply saddened by this international situation, I was amazed to read the Liberal Democrats had been criticising the Government and calling for a ban on a halt on all shipments of arms to Israel. I agree with this position, but could scarely believe the opportunism of the Liberal Democrats: some US bombs have passed through Prestwick Airport, transport in Scotland is a devolved issue and it is a Liberal Democrat minister who has responsibility for this.
The mere fact that a Liberal Democrat politician runs the portfolio with its attendant decisions and omissions, is clearly not a good enough reason for them to resist attacking the Government. It is time they matured and took responsibility for their own actions.
Thankfully Margaret Becket is to raise the issue with the United States.
Israel and Hezbollah should stop their killing now.
Whilst deeply saddened by this international situation, I was amazed to read the Liberal Democrats had been criticising the Government and calling for a ban on a halt on all shipments of arms to Israel. I agree with this position, but could scarely believe the opportunism of the Liberal Democrats: some US bombs have passed through Prestwick Airport, transport in Scotland is a devolved issue and it is a Liberal Democrat minister who has responsibility for this.
The mere fact that a Liberal Democrat politician runs the portfolio with its attendant decisions and omissions, is clearly not a good enough reason for them to resist attacking the Government. It is time they matured and took responsibility for their own actions.
Thankfully Margaret Becket is to raise the issue with the United States.
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
Don't mention.....WIND FARMS!
I was pleased to read recently that research is ongoing into a £ 35 million project to build large offshore wind farms. The benefits for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross are considerable: the test turbines are being built at Nigg in Easter Ross and two hundred and fifty jobs could be created if the project gets the go-ahead and there would be surely be advantages for job creation further north. Furthermore, this would clearly add to CSER’s claim to be an energy showcase for Europe, helping to bring further research and educational opportunities to the area.
The focus of my campaigning thus far has been about how we can stimulate job creation in the far north and stop the exodus of talent from the constituency. I am always very keen to support any initiative that creates jobs, as the current rate of job losses from Dounreay will only increase with terrible consequences.
But many people are concerned about wind farms. I am too. It is Labour Party policy to support them and we are committed to having a greater part of our energy needs supplied by renewable sources. This is the correct approach, but certainly does not mean we cannot also use nuclear energy.
How wonderful it is to harness wind and know it is not a finite resource, all the more so as the country unnaturally heats up; we should be glad it produces no pollution, and leaves our air clean. The turbines leave, it is to be supposed, a small foot print, and farming can continue on the same land. It is readily affordable and is cheap and easy to decommission. Furthermore, as we can see from the development in Nigg it has the potential for job creation and all the better if it can be built off-shore.
That being said, many say they are an eyesore and whilst they have a certain eerie charm they do spoil the landscape and devalue local property prices. It has also been said they are unreliable and inefficient and I have heard they often do not work, require back-up and work only intermittently. They do cause noise pollution and there is little doubt they affect bird life and natural habitats and it has also been said it is the most costly form of generating electricity.
I am not sure land wind farms are appropriate for CSER, but my mind is open and I would like to hear what you think. I am convinced of the need for job creation in and around Nigg and think the advantages outweigh the disadvantages of placing the farms off-shore where they are less of a nuisance.
There are many ways for the Government to reach its renewable energy targets, and meet them we must. Please let me know your views on wind farms in the constituency.
The focus of my campaigning thus far has been about how we can stimulate job creation in the far north and stop the exodus of talent from the constituency. I am always very keen to support any initiative that creates jobs, as the current rate of job losses from Dounreay will only increase with terrible consequences.
But many people are concerned about wind farms. I am too. It is Labour Party policy to support them and we are committed to having a greater part of our energy needs supplied by renewable sources. This is the correct approach, but certainly does not mean we cannot also use nuclear energy.
How wonderful it is to harness wind and know it is not a finite resource, all the more so as the country unnaturally heats up; we should be glad it produces no pollution, and leaves our air clean. The turbines leave, it is to be supposed, a small foot print, and farming can continue on the same land. It is readily affordable and is cheap and easy to decommission. Furthermore, as we can see from the development in Nigg it has the potential for job creation and all the better if it can be built off-shore.
That being said, many say they are an eyesore and whilst they have a certain eerie charm they do spoil the landscape and devalue local property prices. It has also been said they are unreliable and inefficient and I have heard they often do not work, require back-up and work only intermittently. They do cause noise pollution and there is little doubt they affect bird life and natural habitats and it has also been said it is the most costly form of generating electricity.
I am not sure land wind farms are appropriate for CSER, but my mind is open and I would like to hear what you think. I am convinced of the need for job creation in and around Nigg and think the advantages outweigh the disadvantages of placing the farms off-shore where they are less of a nuisance.
There are many ways for the Government to reach its renewable energy targets, and meet them we must. Please let me know your views on wind farms in the constituency.
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
A real future at Dounreay.....
Good luck to John Deighan and the others who are visiting the Prime Minister tomorrow.
I am sure he will listen very hard to what they have to say, particulary on the subject of a new nuclear power station at Dounreay.
Many dismiss this idea out of hand as being impractical, but we must continue to campaign and focus on this project to guarantee the socio-economic fabric of northern Scottish life.
I fully support the Thurso and Wick TUC's call for a new nuclear plant at or near the current site.
This is a local debate, which is echoed across the nation and resonates around the world. We must campaign hard to be heard.
I am sure he will listen very hard to what they have to say, particulary on the subject of a new nuclear power station at Dounreay.
Many dismiss this idea out of hand as being impractical, but we must continue to campaign and focus on this project to guarantee the socio-economic fabric of northern Scottish life.
I fully support the Thurso and Wick TUC's call for a new nuclear plant at or near the current site.
This is a local debate, which is echoed across the nation and resonates around the world. We must campaign hard to be heard.
Searching for Success
I have just come back from south west Jamaica where I was trying to further the research into a book I am writing about the Scots who founded the colony of Caledonia in Darien (Panama) in 1698. When things got rough down there many of the Scots fled to Jamaica, where there had already been a sizeable English colony for nearly fifty years and where, optimistically, they hoped they would get help. They didn’t and so most sailed on and tried to get back to Scotland, whilst a few remained. During my travels I was surprised to see so much reference to the Scots in southern Jamaica; Culloden, Auchindown, Invercauld, Kilmannoch rang out the, admittedly, limited road signs.
The young Scots had made their mark and some, like Captain John Campbell, went on to become wealthy and powerful men. He was the local bigwig for the wealthy little town of Black River, serving as its custos. I tracked down the beach where Campbell had constructed an old wharf to send logwood back to Britain, and tried to find his nearby grave. But after an afternoon of searching for his nearby grave in murky mangroves proved fruitless I gave up and returned to the pretty beach where he shipped off his logwood and dived, with more success, for conch shells.
Campbell was a young Scot who fared well despite his circumstances in Jamaica. His travails brought out the best in the eager Scotsman. These days success is harder and harder come by without a good education. When I last visited Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross I was fortunate enough to be able to visit the North Highland College, the Environmental Research Institute, Dornoch College and the Community Learning Centre at Brora. It is hard to for me to be in any way critical of these innovative centres of learning, each of which appeared to produce a distinctive brand, aimed at a different area of the education market. They were clearly places for people who had achieved.
What, though, of some of the other educational facilities throughout the constituency? Sadly, not all of them can be a complete success. I would like to hear your complaints and grumbles. What works and what doesn’t work? What is really lacking in the constituency, especially in relation to further and higher education?
Are a broad enough range of modern languages offered?
What is the balance like between vocational and non-vocational courses?
Is there a sufficiently broad range of non-vocational subject at the level of higher education?
Do people have to travel too far to receive what they need and want?
Is their adequate nursery education?
I ask all this, as I am a believer in education providing the route whereby every young person can obtain the skills they need to draw out their talents in order for them to achieve what they wish in their life. A society in which merit and skill determine children’s futures is one, we in the Labour party, wish to see strengthened. The only way we can do that is with better feedback and help as to how we can help in each local school, in each small town.
Fortunately we no longer have to be starved out of Panama and forced to flee to Jamaica to find within ourselves our true skills in order to succeed, but equally, the path to success is not always necessarily an obvious one for every child or young person.
As always, I look forward to hearing your view.
The young Scots had made their mark and some, like Captain John Campbell, went on to become wealthy and powerful men. He was the local bigwig for the wealthy little town of Black River, serving as its custos. I tracked down the beach where Campbell had constructed an old wharf to send logwood back to Britain, and tried to find his nearby grave. But after an afternoon of searching for his nearby grave in murky mangroves proved fruitless I gave up and returned to the pretty beach where he shipped off his logwood and dived, with more success, for conch shells.
Campbell was a young Scot who fared well despite his circumstances in Jamaica. His travails brought out the best in the eager Scotsman. These days success is harder and harder come by without a good education. When I last visited Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross I was fortunate enough to be able to visit the North Highland College, the Environmental Research Institute, Dornoch College and the Community Learning Centre at Brora. It is hard to for me to be in any way critical of these innovative centres of learning, each of which appeared to produce a distinctive brand, aimed at a different area of the education market. They were clearly places for people who had achieved.
What, though, of some of the other educational facilities throughout the constituency? Sadly, not all of them can be a complete success. I would like to hear your complaints and grumbles. What works and what doesn’t work? What is really lacking in the constituency, especially in relation to further and higher education?
Are a broad enough range of modern languages offered?
What is the balance like between vocational and non-vocational courses?
Is there a sufficiently broad range of non-vocational subject at the level of higher education?
Do people have to travel too far to receive what they need and want?
Is their adequate nursery education?
I ask all this, as I am a believer in education providing the route whereby every young person can obtain the skills they need to draw out their talents in order for them to achieve what they wish in their life. A society in which merit and skill determine children’s futures is one, we in the Labour party, wish to see strengthened. The only way we can do that is with better feedback and help as to how we can help in each local school, in each small town.
Fortunately we no longer have to be starved out of Panama and forced to flee to Jamaica to find within ourselves our true skills in order to succeed, but equally, the path to success is not always necessarily an obvious one for every child or young person.
As always, I look forward to hearing your view.
