THE broadcaster Andrew Marr has apologised and admitted he was "completely wrong" for claiming that Gaelic road signs in parts of Scotland were "offensive" and "ridiculous".
Earlier this week Marr sparked anger after criticising the use of Gaelic during an event with Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar at the Labour Party conference in Liverpool.
During the event Marr hit out at the inclusion of Gaelic on road signs in parts of Scotland where he claimed the language was never spoken.
"I find it equally offensive that all sorts of parts of Scotland, which have never been Gaelic, have never had Scots spoken [have Gaelic signs]," he said.
"Why does Haymarket [station] have to have the Gaelic for Haymarket under it? It’s ridiculous.
"The Scots are made up of many different peoples historically.
"Many different groups of people have come to Scotland and they brought different languages and I think we should let languages rest and prosper where they come from.”
After facing criticism from Gaelic speakers, Marr has now apologised.
"Right," he said on Twitter/X.
"On the Gaelic business.
Right. On the Gaelic business. Sometimes when good friends take you kindly to one side and explain patiently why you are completely wrong, you have to accept that you are completely wrong. I have long thought that what the great Scottish medieval poets called.”inglis” https://t.co/jx29XxjTrq
— Andrew Marr (@AndrewMarr9) September 26, 2024
"Sometimes when good friends take you kindly to one side and explain patiently why you are completely wrong, you have to accept that you are completely wrong.
"I have long thought that what the great Scottish medieval poets called 'inglis'
"And the 20th century ones Lallans, is being pushed aside in modern memory and use…
"But I got overexcited and was wrong. Whatever is the Gaelic for sorry, that…"
Notably, Marr posted his apology in response to a goading comment from Labour peer George Foulkes to former Scottish Government minister and SNP MSP Jeane Freeman.
Replying to Freeman's criticism of Marr's comments on Gaelic, Foulkes said:
"Could you please repost this in Gaelic?"
It comes after Deputy First Minister and Gaelic speaker Kate Forbes weighed-in to say that “Gaelic speakers are equal citizens and deserve our respect."
