It’s time Scottish Government took control of our port operators - Bruce Whitehead
Another example of political failure to listen to common sense comes from Canadian-owned Forth Ports, the public asset-stripper and property developer masquerading as a maritime transport provider.
After Rosyth lost its short-lived overnight passenger and freight ferry service in 2018 (I traveled on it in 2010 to go cycling in Germany), local hero and shipping freight enthusiast Derek Sloan galvanised efforts to get it back again. But despite attracting funding from UK and Scottish governments, Forth Ports says it's binning the project.
As usual a political blaming and shaming row erupted, between local MP Graeme Downie and the SNP. Despite the Scottish Government pledging £3m to match UK government pledges, Mr Downie hinted that the SNP was somehow to blame even though it offered customs clearance at nearby Grangemouth plus infrastructure investment. Mr Downie even seemed proud of the fact that "no public money was spent", as if investment on the business case might have been wasted.
Perhaps Forth Ports was put off by Downie's other pet scheme, to attract rotting nuclear submarines for disposal at Royth Docks.
Anyway, the Scottish Government should now take control of Scotland's port operators, as it did with Scotland's rail operators, and start by giving our country its badly needed direct shipping route to Europe: from Rosyth on the Forth!
Arts projects boost economy
All the evidence shows that spending public money on arts and culture projects brings massive returns. Just look at the growth of Edinburgh's festivals since they launched 80 years ago after The Second World War. No surprise then that the council found an extra 25 per cent for the Edinburgh arts budget next year, partly funded by the 5 per cent Tourist Visitor Levy.
Cllr Iain Whyte as a Conservative must surely be familiar with the concept of inflation, something that governments of his stripe from Thatcher to Truss have been routinely happy to inflict on Britons. Cllr. Whyte says arts bodies asking for more money “should deliver more”. One might ripost: Liz Truss should have delivered more instead of causing a financial crisis which sent everyone’s mortgage – and inflation – through the roof.
The arts groups need extra cash because of surging inflation – which began under Tory rule!