Island communities who rely on CalMac ferry services have every reason to be sceptical when SNP ministers talk about replacing the ageing fleet.
The past winter saw many sailings cancelled with little warning due to a backlog of repairs and other mechanical issues.
The cost of maintaining CalMac’s fleet has rocketed in recent years in large part because of wear and tear.
And the on-going delays in building two new ferries at the Ferguson Marine yard in Port Glasgow is a political scandal that isn’t going away anytime soon.
Transport minister Jenny Gilruth is right when she says we need those boats in service as soon as possible.
But she’s also correct to suggest commercial shipbuilding must have a future on the Clyde.
The yards at Govan and Scotstoun are now focused on defence contracts and should be busy building frigates for the Royal Navy for years to come.
That leaves the Ferguson yard as the last place equipped to build CalMac vessels.
Scotland has one of the largest ferry fleets in western Europe.
It’s common sense that the country must retain the industrial capacity to build at least some of the boats that will be required in the future.
A contract to build two more CalMac ferries was recently awarded to a Turkish yard.
The Scottish Government must fix the mess at Ferguson Marine and ensure the business is ready to bid for more ferry work in the future.
Island communities can’t be let down again.
The only option is system change
Scotland’s justice system has many defects but none more so than the not proven verdict.
Giving juries the option of three verdicts is confusing, unsatisfactory and in need of an overhaul.
Stewart Handling has campaigned for the scrapping of the option since the man who supplied the ecstasy pill that killed his 13-year-old daughter Grace walked free.
Now, Stewart believes change is coming after a positive meeting with SNP Justice Secretary Keith Brown.
A consultation is underway and he told the Record he was “very encouraged” by the minister’s comments.
With politicians across the political divide backing abolition, the time is right to be bold.
Campaigners such as Stewart need to be heard and justice would be served by a binary choice verdict.
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