Scottish Government are “villains” for imposing HPMAs on fishing communities, says Edward Mountain MSP

Highlands and Islands MSP, Edward Mountain today cast the SNP-Green Government as villains to island and coastal communities due to their deeply unpopular and highly controversial Highly Protected Marine Area (HPMA) proposals.

The Scottish Conservatives used their Holyrood debate to call on the Scottish Government to drop their current proposals for HPMAs.

During his speech Edward Mountain MSP referenced the protest song, ‘The Clearances Again’, and said:

“Presiding Officer, you will know as I do that many folk songs that you hear are written either about heroes or villains. Now in this case, we’ve had a folk song written, ‘The Clearances Again’ and it’s not about heroes, it’s about villains – and that’s the way the Islanders view it.”

Edward Mountain MSP also criticised two Highlands and Islands MSPs for not attending today’s debate on HPMAs:

“Now looking at the Highlands and Islands MSPs I don’t think there’s any doubt that we, on this side of the Chamber, understand it, and I know Labour understand it, and I know the Liberal Democrats get it. I’m pretty sure the Greens don’t get it and I’m pretty sure some of the MSP’s on the SNP benches get it. Fergus Ewing… gets it, and I think Kate Forbes gets it.

“But what’s clear is the other two Highlands and Islands MSPs, Maree Todd and Emma Roddick, don’t get it. In fact, I don’t even seen them in the Chamber today. Perhaps that’s because they have taken the Government’s shilling so they don’t have to respond or take part in this debate, but they will pay for it at the next election, of that there is no doubt.”