Politicians clash over Borders Railway Project
Published 17 Oct 2012 11:30
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Local MSP Christine Grahame is pictured with Transport Minister Keith Brown at the site of the proposed railway in Galashiels.
TORY MSP John Lamont has been accused of "peddling a fallacy" after he claimed the Scottish Government was guilty of mismanaging the Borders Railway Project to reinstate train services to the region after a gap of 45 years.
Mr Lamont, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire said in a radio interview that if the rail scheme was delayed again the public would be concerned over further increases in the cost of the project.
He warned that the SNP Government's handling of the crucial proposals threatened to be a repeat of the Edinburgh trams debacle, and claimed many local residents would prefer to see the money spent on other forms of transport..
Christine Grahame, SNP MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale & Lauderdale, has attacked Mr Lamont's 'inaccurate and ill-informed' criticisms of the Scottish Government's role in the delivery of the rail route linking Edinburgh and Tweedbank.
She said: "I must point out that John Lamont is peddling the fallacy that the SNP Government is funding the line. I would remind him that the bulk of the costs will be met by Network Rail which means the cash would not be available to fund road improvements or better local bus services. It should also be noted that Transport Scotland is in charge of the project."
She reminded Mr Lamont that attempting to place Borders Rail in the same bracket as the Edinburgh trams fiasco was a reckless assertion to make when it was the Tories who firmly backed the trams project while the SNP opposed it.
She added: "We need no lessons from Mr Lamont or his Conservative colleagues when it comes to financial prudence. He should be supporting this crucial infrastructure investment which will be important for the economic well-being of the Scottish Borders".
This article appeared in Border Telegraph 17 Oct 12
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Aoxomoxoa
Unregistered User
Oct 17, 13:27
Report commentTo be fair to her, Christine Grahame is an expert on being inaccurate and ill-informed.
Recommend?
Yes 7
No 5
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hazelkaye
316 posts
Oct 18, 10:07
Report commentWell seen the gents are wearing their hard hats - whilst she's not!
Recommend? Yes 5
No 2
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fegguk
Unregistered User
Oct 18, 15:55
Report commentI don't often agree with Christine Grahame however in this instance Lamont is quite clearly misrepresenting the facts to make political capital.
Recommend? Yes 7
No 5
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Labsnark
Unregistered User
Oct 20, 09:59
Report commentHazelkaye, I was about to suggest that Ms Grahame was the only one who is so thick that she isn't vulnerable further damage, but then I saw Keith Brown and Davis Parker were with her...
Recommend? Yes 4
No 3
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NED KELLY
Unregistered User
Oct 23, 07:58
Report commentHas everybody in Scotland lost the plot and forgot what the Tories did to the country.Labour are no better stand up for yourselfs and vote for independance.Or is it true what the English say only hagis bashers north of border,for god sake free yourselfs from your English MASTERS.
Recommend? Yes 3
No 7
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