Maturity has never really been Boris Johnson’s strong point.
And so it was today when Jamie Stone used a question to the Prime Minister to highlight the positive development this week which brings space port in North West Scotland a step closer:
As the BBC reports, a major obstacle was cleared:
A Scottish Land Court judge has approved a change of use of an area of croft land near Tongue in Sutherland for the building of the facility.
The land around the rockets hangar and launch pad must remain available to crofters for agricultural use.
The ruling means the first rockets carrying small satellites could launch from Space Hub Sutherland from next year.
So Jamie was joyful about this when he asked the PM if he’d come to the first launch. Boris then replied that Jamie would make a suitable payload :
https://twitter.com/Jamie4North/status/1438202896819105806?s=20
But did he really mean Jamie?
Hansard, which is usually pretty accurate, says at the time of writing that Boris Johnson replied to Jamie thus:
I thank the hon. Gentleman for his kind invitation. I look forward to taking it up. What we need is a suitable payload to send into space, and I think the hon. Gentleman would do very well.
But if you watch the video, what he actually said was “the Gentleman Opposite” which could refer to Keir Starmer.
Either way, it was rude.
And what annoys me is that he could have just said that the jobs would be such a boost to the economy of Northern Scotland. Honestly, we lose so many young people because there are no opportunities there. It would have been a good opportunity for the PM to show that he gives a damn about the Highlands. But then we all know that he doesn’t.
* Caron Lindsay is Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice and blogs at Caron's Musings. You can find her on Bluesky at caronmlindsay.bsky.social
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8 Comments
The development of a space port is a tricky one for the Liberal Democrats which wants to be seen as serious about environmental impact and climate change…or will the proposed rockets be electric powered?
@Caron, whilst understanding that you may hate Boris and the Tories and refer to him and them as the enemy and or / evil ( if not you I have seen those sentiments on this site) can you not take a joke? I seriously doubt whether Boris or the Tory party intend any real harm to Mr Stone or the Labour party leader.
As has been said by some on this site, the real work is done in committee, and shock horror! there are many cross party friendships and some mutual respect in the house so maybe reflect and relax.
You have the whole reshuffle to comment on, surely you’re not short of material?
Mountain out nothing on this occasion?
Do you think Nicola does?
What do you expect of Johnson the Peter Pan of Politics?
Though calling for Rabb not to receive his salary was obviously serious grown up politics?
@Brad Barrows 15th Sep ’21 – 8:25pm
From https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-58190702
“The estate’s chairwoman Dorothy Pritchard expects a spaceport in Sutherland to create much-needed skilled jobs for young people in the Highlands.
She says the proposal is to create the world’s first working croft land and carbon-neutral space hub – and that the priority has always been that “the close-knit crofting community, its stunning landscape, and native wildlife are protected”.”
We’re not talking about launching Saturn V rockets here. There’s more about addressing the environmental issues in the BBC article to which I linked.
My main concern would be that the satellites should only be used for genuinely useful purposes – e.g. weather/climate and other environmental observations.
I posted this on another thread but it seems apposite here
……….I’m confused about the policy on climate change..
Feb 2021…Ed Davey..”It’s astonishing that a new coal mine in Britain is even being considered — particularly the year we are hosting the vital COP26 conference. If Boris Johnson is serious about climate action he will call on Cumbria county council to scrap the mine…
Today at PMQ’s Jamie Stone (Lib Dem) asks the PM to back a space project in Sutherland (Johnson welcomes the project)..
Do we only support action on the causes of climate change in the constituencies of other parties?…………..
By the way; the idea that ‘local young people’ will be taking the highly skilled jobs at this site is laughable…
I agree with Justin and saw it as a flippant remark, a joke. In what way is it rude? I can imagine Jamie Stone laughed it off, what a pity some contributors on this site don’t. There are far more important issues to complain about like the LBC presenter who keeps playing back on virtually their every show Gavin Williamson stuttering saying I, I, I, I, I, I – belittling and mocking people with a speech stammer.