• Scot Lib Dems comment on Nigel Farage’s visit to Shetland
• Abysmal A&E figures show SNP need to be removed from government

Scot Lib Dems comment on Nigel Farage’s visit to Shetland

Commenting on Nigel Farage’s flying visit to Shetland, Emma Macdonald Scottish Liberal Democrat candidate said:

Nigel Farage is welcome to visit Shetland the same as any tourist, but folk here will judge him on what he’s actually done for our islands.

Farage was on the fisheries committee in Brussels for years and barely made an appearance – then when there was a big debate on the fishing industry in the UK Parliament, led by our own MP, not one Reform MP bothered to show up to contribute. Photo calls are the easy part, but Farage has not done much more than that.

In Shetland, we need more than headline visits from party leaders. We need people who will stand up for fishing day in, day out.

Farage is visiting Shetland days after we learned that Russian submarines were taking a look at pipelines and cables in UK waters. Perhaps after Putin’s covert assets failed, he decided to send his most ‘overt’ asset?

Our communities need serious, consistent support, and a strong local voice that understands the reality here in Shetland – not more self-interested politicians who only turn up for the short term.

Abysmal A&E figures show SNP need to be removed from government

Commenting on new A&E statistics, which show that just 60.4% of attendees were seen in four hours, far below the Scottish Government’s target of 95%, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said:

These abysmal A&E figures show why the SNP need to be removed from government.

There are not enough beds in A&E because there are no longer the beds in longer-term wards to move patients to. Too many beds in longer-term wards are occupied by people who are medically ready to leave but can’t because the shortages of care workers and care packages won’t let them.

In May, you should back the Scottish Liberal Democrats on your peach, regional ballot paper to reward care workers and free up vital space in A&Es.