It’s a time for piety from the SNP and Robbie McGregor, “lawn sleeves billowing”, gives us the text.
“Thou shalt not lie!” he thunders. Thumping the “Good Book”, he demands atonement and warns of judgment to come:
“The most important consideration must be that an apology is due by the MP to the people of Shetland many of whom voted for Mr Carmichael under a false impression of his integrity.”
Finally, he offers to take “confession” from the local Lib Dems:
“I await comment from the Liberal Democrat MSPs and the local party and their condemnation of Mr Carmichael’s behaviour. If nothing is forthcoming I will assume that they condone his actions.”
One suspects penance will involve more than “a few Hail Marys”.
However, Mr McGregor would do well to take on board our Lord’s famous admonition: “Physician, heal thyself.”
For his own candidate Danus Skene and his guide and mentor Mike MacKenzie spent the election campaign indulging in furtive and duplicitous behaviour over the under-funding of Shetland’s education system.
This under-funding is nothing whatsoever to do with Westminster cuts. It is systematic, stemming from the way funding is allocated and it amounts to £10 million a year, every year.
But Skene won’t touch local issues with a bargepole and Mackenzie has been going around, purporting to support rural parents against closures while knowing fine well that the closures crisis was precipitated by the under-funding.
May I suggest that in future Mr McGregor put his own house in order before jumping into the pulpit with such sanctimonious alacrity.
John Tulloch
Lyndon
Arrochar