[What follows is the text of a press release issued yesterday by the Scottish Liberal Democrats:]
Commenting on reports that Alex Salmond sought the endorsement of Donald Trump over the decision to release Abdelbaset al-Megrahi, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie MSP said:
“The entrails of the close relationship he once enjoyed with Alex Salmond are being dissected by an increasingly bitter Donald Trump in a bid for revenge.
“We can over analyse past decisions. What is important now is that, while we continue a separate investigation, we have a full public inquiry into the Lockerbie tragedy.”
[A previous call by Mr Rennie for an inquiry can be read here.]
Even a stopped clock is right twice a day....
ReplyDeleteYes Rolfe, but his announcement puts the Lib Dems back in the game, because it outflanks ‘the voice of Scotland’ unless the SNP agree to an enquiry too.
ReplyDeleteThe thing is, nobody listens to Willie Rennie. The LibDems are dead men not really walking any more. They only managed five MSPs in a PR system, for God's sake, down 12(!) on 2007, and they're flatlining.
ReplyDeleteI give Rennie a couple of Brownie points for spotting a position with potential in it. The trouble is, he and his party are so unpopular that his espousing of a cause could paradoxically be bad for that cause. I have to say, if there's one thing that might make me think I was wrong about something, Willie Rennie agreeing with me could be it.
Also, Ming Campbell is utterly and immovably convinced of Megrahi's guilt. So Wee Willie won't be allowed to go very far with this line.
Rolfe you may be right, but having a group leader in Parliament calling for a Lockerbie enquiry is very encouraging.
ReplyDeleteThere may only be 5 Lib Dems, but unless you are in Government size is not that important as long as you have something to say.
Having someone jumping up and down in Parliament and making waves on important issues can have a profound impact.
His courage or ‘stupidity’ in calling for an enquiry could mean he has adopted Lockerbie as a conscience issue and this could draw a lot of attention to the Lib Dems on other Liberty issues too.
And if poll ratings improve I suspect Ming will be ignored.
I hate to burst your bubble, but it would be a matter of complete astonishment if calling for an inquiry into Lockerbie changed anybody's poll ratings by more than 0.00001%. Either way.
ReplyDeleteI'm nor knocking it, but honestly, Oor Willie is so inept, so cack-handed, and really not taken seriously on anything, that I fear this development isn't going to be much help.
I'd be delighted to be proved wrong, but really, in the context of the biggest recession since the 1930s, and an independence referendum, and fights about whether we keep our free prescriptions, Lockerbie isn't really on the radar. As a reason to vote LibDem - sorry, don't make me laugh.
I’m sure “it’s the economy stupid” applies in Scotland as elsewhere and agree there are few votes in calling for a Lockerbie enquiry.
ReplyDeleteBut having the courage to do so will impress many activists and shows Rennie’s determination to put the Lib Dems back in the game.
And only a small recovery is needed to remove the SNP’s overall majority and make the Lib Dems a prospective coalition partner after the next election?
And holding a Lockerbie enquiry could be part of a coalition deal?
Dream on, grasshopper. There's so much wrong with that, politically, I scarcely know where to begin.
ReplyDelete