 | 'The spokesman (for the First Minister) brushed aside as 'nonsense' fresh suggestions yesterday by the SNP that Lord Hardie was guilty of cronyism in the appointment of sheriffs after two individuals with Labour connections were invited to the bench.' Murray Ritchie in the Herald, January 21 st 2000. |  |
Nationalist candidate for the Ayr seat at Holyrood, businessman Jim Mather was also on hand outside the chamber to praise the "formidable SNP team" about to leap into action in the contest scheduled for March 16.
Plans for a new air traffic control centre at Prestwick have been on hold for four years but the SNP opposes Labour's plans to use a public private partnership to fund it.
In a speech decried by his political opponents as "a remarkable rant," SNP transport spokesman Kenny MacAskill said the only country to privatise its air traffic control was Fiji, which had sold off its services to Australia and he accused New Labour of selling out "family safety."
He then concentrated on the recent decision of FedEx to pull out of Prestwick and attacked Scottish Executive Ministers for "a shameful abrogation of responsibility" for not doing more to persuade the company to stay.
The express carrier announced last month that it would cancel its flights at the airport following the breakdown of lengthy negotiations between the US and British Governments over international air regulations.
FedEx hoped to be allowed to load cargo at Stansted but Britain would not agree as there was no sign of reciprocity from the US in freeing up the US freight market.
During the debate Enterprise Minister Henry McLeish offered to meet company representatives to ask them to reconsider. He accused the SNP of continually talking down the Scottish economy and attacked them for using up Parliament's time with issues which were reserved for Westminster.
The Lib Dem motion, with Labour backing, carried the day. While it expressed party opposition to the use of PPP to develop air traffic control services, it noted it was a reserved matter.
4 th February 2000
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