MP APPEALS FOR EU-TURN ON SCOTS GAELIC SNUB

GAELIC WAR OF WORDS OVER ENGLISH SPEAKING POST

Na h-Eileanan an Iar MP Angus MacNeil has hit out at “crackpot bureaucracy” after being contacted by a constituent who had a job offer withdrawn at the last moment when European Commission officials realised she spoke Scottish Gaelic rather than Irish Gaelic - despite not needing either language for the job.

Mr MacNeil’s constituent, Anne-Margaret Stewart, was offered a traineeship as fisheries socio-economist with the European Commission Research Centre after demonstrating she could speak two languages, but was contacted just weeks before her start date when HR officials realised she was Scottish and not Irish. The job offer was withdrawn – despite the fact that the post only required communication in English.

Mr MacNeil said:

“ Brussels reputation for crackpot bureaucracy is not helped by this ridiculous discrimination. Ms Stewart was well qualified for the job and passed through the interview stage without difficulty. It was only at the last minute when it was realised she spoke Scottish Gaelic instead of Irish Gaelic that the job offer was withdrawn.

“The fact is that this job only required communication in English, but despite clearly being qualified and capable the offer was withdrawn because officials didn’t know the difference between Scots and Irish Gaelic. Ms Stewart has been treated terribly and these loopy language rules should be changed.

“This job was in the field of fisheries which as an industry, is of key importance to Scotland , and in particular to communities where Gaelic is spoken which makes the decision all the more unacceptable.

“I think people in Scotland will feel badly let down by this shabby treatment, and we should expect a rather more common sense and accommodating approach from European institutions.

“Gaelic is not just part of our cultural life and heritage, it is an everyday living language and it should be recognised as such.

“The situation also underlines the success of the Irish in securing official status for their language and the failure of the UK Government to treat Gaelic with anything other than indifference. Thank goodness we have a Scottish Government that is actively promoting the language, investing in Gaelic education, and encouraging a whole new generation of speakers.

“I will be in touch with my SNP colleagues in the European Parliament and the European and Irish authorities to see if there is a way through the current impasse that would help Ms Stewart take up the post she is eminently qualified for.”

ONE WEEK TO SCRAP SEPTEMBER FUEL DUTY HIKE

RAISING FUEL PRICES WOULD HINDER ECONOMIC RECOVERY

SNP Westminster Transport spokesperson Angus MacNeil MP has called on the UK Government to scrap next week’s planned 2p increase on fuel prices - warning the hike could hinder economic recovery.

Mr MacNeil said:

"Pushing up fuel prices is absolutely the wrong thing to do in the grip of recession and this increase could actually hinder economic recovery.

"Just when the UK government should be stimulating the economy, the Treasury is intent on slapping another 2p on the price of petrol and diesel - hitting already hard-pressed households and businesses. The increase is especially damaging for the haulage industry.

"Currently, fuel duty accounts for about 71 pence of every pound the motorist spends at the forecourt.

"Increases in fuel duty are not a green tax, they are a Brown one, and people across Scotland have had their fill of Labour’s fuel duty increases. What Treasury Ministers in London forget is that for people in rural areas, a car is a necessity and not a luxury.”

LABOUR UNDER FIRE OVER DISAPPEARING DEFENCE JOBS

9,500 SCOTTISH JOBS AXED SINCE 1997

CONCERN AS CONSULTATION CLOSES ON UIST RANGE

The UK Labour Government is under fire over official Ministry of Defence (MoD) figures which reveal that 9,500 Scottish defence jobs have been lost since Labour came to power.

MoD figures reveal there are now 1,930 fewer service jobs and 4,570 fewer civilian jobs in Scotland than there were in 1997 with a further 3,000 jobs based on direct MoD expenditure lost between 2002 and 2007.

The SNP seized on the revelations which come as a consultation over the future 125 jobs at a missile range in the Hebrides comes to a close.

Angus Robertson MP, the SNP Westminster leader and Defence spokesperson, said:

“These figures expose the lie of Labour’s claimed support for defence jobs in Scotland - after twelve years in power almost ten thousand jobs have disappeared.

“As the consultation on the future of another 125 jobs at the missile range in the Hebrides closes this week, Ministers must be held to account over their commitment to defence jobs in Scotland .

“The irony is that Labour backbenchers line up to scaremonger about the future of defence jobs in an independent Scotland , but the facts show that it is the UK government that is closing bases and cutting jobs.”

Western Isles MP Angus MacNeil echoed concerns as a consultation on plans by the MoD to halve the workforce at the missile range on South Uist and Benbecula and withdraw staff from its base on St Kilda, comes to a close on Thursday.

Mr MacNeil added:

“Labour’s record on Scottish defence jobs is rotten, and that is clearly worrying as the consultation on jobs at the Hebrides range comes to a close.

“The range is a cornerstone in the economy of our community - it is the largest employer in the Southern Isles chain.

“As the true extent of the devastation of Scotland ’s defence sector wrought by the Labour Government becomes apparent, UK Ministers should defend our defence sector for once.”

MPS ABANDON BROWN AS GOVERNMENT POSTS GO UNFILLED

LABOUR BELEAGURED AS GENERAL ELECTION DRAWS CLOSER

Reports that at least 12 Parliamentary Private Secretary posts have not been filled following June's reshuffle show how beleaguered the UK Labour Government has become and expose real apathy on the Labour backbenches says SNP MP Angus MacNeil.

PPS posts are normally filled by MPs looking to embark on a ministerial career but, as 12 go unfilled and the Prime Minister looks increasingly to the House of Lords for Government ministers, the shortage MPs willing to serve in the UK Government has been revealed.

The last parliamentary term saw a number of high profile PPS resignations and Downing Street have now admitted they no longer keep a comprehensive list of post holders.

Commenting on the reports, which appear in today’s Financial Times, Mr MacNeil said:

“Gordon Brown’s administration is an absolute shambles. There have been so many departures in recent months that Downing Street can’t even keep track.

“The Prime Minister has not only lost public confidence, he has clearly lost credibility within his own party as well.

“PPS is the first step on the government career ladder but Labour MPs no longer believe the climb is worth their while.

“It’s no wonder that even the payroll vote is abandoning the Prime Minister. In recent months, the UK Government has made a farcical attempt to privatise Royal Mail, tried to throw loyal Ghurkha soldiers out of the UK and threatened the Scottish recovery with £500m of cuts while pushing ahead with unnecessary vanity projects such as Trident.

"How can Labour ask the public to vote for Gordon Brown, when their own MPs don't even want to work for him?"