View across the Outer Harbour of Stornoway

Friday, 13 November 2009

Accidents and errors

A man, working on a local crab fishing boat, lost a finger yesterday in an accident. Hebrides News reports:

The Stornoway coastguard rescue helicopter was altered and flew to the scene some five miles off the Butt of Lewis yesterday.

It's bad enough this man lost a finger. But having to alter the helicopter first, wow.

(Yes I know, it's a typo)

Friday 13 November

Fairly bright morning, but with a lot of cloud about and windy. The south of the UK is braced for stormy weather, with high winds and gusts up to 75 mph. Sends me wondering what all the fuss is about - that's normal for the Western Isles, where I'm at.

Yesterday, a by-election was held in the constituency of Glasgow North East. The candidate for the Labour Party won, with the Scottish National Party coming second and the Conservatives third. Hard on their heels was the British National Party. There was a record low turn-out, for a Scottish by-election, of 33%. Glasgow NE is a poor and deprived area, with high unemployment and all the attendant problems. The BNP, in polling 5% achieved one of its best results in a Westminster election. I repeat my position that if parties like the BNP come to the fore, it means that there are problems in society which are not seen to be addressed by any of the mainstream political parties.