'Gaelic speakers are equal': Kate Forbes hits back at Andrew Marr over road signs

GAELIC speakers are "equal citizens" and "deserve our respect", Kate Forbes has said after Andrew Marr described the use of the language on Lowlands signs as "ridiculous".

Veteran journalist Marr was speaking at an “In Conversation” event with Anas Sarwar at Labour conference this week when he said it was "offensive" to display the Gaelic language in areas where, he argued, it wasn't spoken.

The former BBC political editor went on: "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.”

Deputy First Minister Forbes, who also has responsibility for Gaelic and speaks the language herself, told The National that it is an important part of Scotland's identity.

She said: “Gaelic speakers are equal citizens and deserve our respect.

"Despite historic efforts to stigmatise and denigrate Gaelic speakers, the language remains a vitally important part of our cultural identity.

"We are taking a range of measures to support an increase in people speaking, using and learning the Gaelic language. If one of Scotland’s languages isn’t welcome here in Scotland, where will it be welcome?”

Kate Forbes is a Gaelic speaker and has portfolio responsibility for the language (Image: Jane Barlow/PA) Elswehere, Marr prompted Gaelic speaker and pro-independence blogger Paul Kavanagh to respond.

Kavanagh, who creates Gaelic maps, pointed out that the language was spoken historically across the country – not solely in the Highlands and Islands as Marr implied – with Fife, West Lothian, Dumfriesshire and Stirlingshire among the areas to record its use.

"Gaelic and Scots are very much still alive, despite the best efforts of Anglo-centric Scots to marginalise them," the campaigner wrote. 

"The Gaelic language was not at one time merely spoken almost everywhere in Scotland, including the area of modern Edinburgh, it was also central to the very creation of Scotland as a nation. Without Gaelic there would be no Scotland, and Andrew Marr would have no 'Scottish Labour' event at which to display his ignorance."