High Noon for Crofting?
I have been away on holiday for a few days in Gdansk. Usually when I go on holiday I miss a lot of crofting scandal and intrigue. This holiday was no exception. Upon my return I caught up, via Twitter, with goings on during the crofting election campaign. Here are a selection of the tweets:-
Been abroad for few days. Catching up on @CroftingScot election shenanigans via twitter. Things get no better for @scotgov @FergusEwingMSP!
— Crofting Law (@CroftingLaw) March 8, 2017
@Neilsoncrofting @CroftingLaw you will have to agree with what Mr Kennedy says or he will cancel the meeting #balloon
— James macMillan (@jimmacmillan2) 28 February 2017
Hear we go! #crofting #croftingelections2017 @Neilsoncrofting @CroftingScot @CroftingLaw pic.twitter.com/ELukb87qfn
— kirsti (@Mrs_Ems_x) March 2, 2017
The news from the hustings was Kennedy said buy your croft and get automatic de-crofting and leave the crofting system, means no regulation
— Billy Neilson (@Neilsoncrofting) March 3, 2017
From the hustings, just remember that without the 1886 act there would be no crofts no crofters no crofting and therefore no owner/occupiers
— Billy Neilson (@Neilsoncrofting) March 3, 2017
@Linda_60_B According to the Convenor last night at the hustings, they should be absolved of all connections and let go their own merry way!
— Billy Neilson (@Neilsoncrofting) March 3, 2017
@CrabbitCrofter It came over loud and clear at the hustings rubbished the tenancy and regulation system saying the 1886 act was the problem
— Billy Neilson (@Neilsoncrofting) March 4, 2017
A reply to queries, the view of the candidate who was re-standing, buy your croft and leave the crofting system, automatic de-crofting https://t.co/6DBngZgr5U
— Billy Neilson (@Neilsoncrofting) March 4, 2017
Wow. Just wow. If ever there was a reason not to vote for someone. Just got a whole new list of reasons. #crofting pic.twitter.com/4jsmiFCMHg
— Rhoda Meek (@wodieskodie) March 4, 2017
The man is aff his heid + what’s he doing standing in that little dookit like a statue of a saint. Oh yes, because he thinks he is St Colin https://t.co/HiKGhRajwm
— Crabbit Crofter (@CrabbitCrofter) March 4, 2017
And St Colin’s level of delusion is off the scale. All power corrupts. What better example than this.
— Crabbit Crofter (@CrabbitCrofter) March 4, 2017
Unbelievable. This is someone who’s standing for the crofting regulator for a second time. Kennedy wants to destroy the crofting system. https://t.co/AdegSH0cc1
— Crabbit Crofter (@CrabbitCrofter) March 4, 2017
This is someone standing for an election. Have a read and consider whether you’d vote for him https://t.co/Yw6w211Dib
— Domhnall Macsween (@sweenyness) March 4, 2017
He should have added “FAKE NEWS” and be done with it. https://t.co/AvZ86g2JbP
— Crabbit Crofter (@CrabbitCrofter) March 5, 2017
Colin Kennedy clearly needs professional help. Do @CroftingScot not have a duty of care? https://t.co/cihEI6u7ra
— Rebecca Hutton (@crofterbecca) March 4, 2017
@sweenyness @CroftingLaw I was at the Hustings as a new entrant and he came across as arrogant, aggressive and manipulative!
— kirsti (@Mrs_Ems_x) March 7, 2017
@sweenyness @CroftingLaw He said when you buy your croft you should be free from regulation, surely this only means destroying crofting?!
— kirsti (@Mrs_Ems_x) March 7, 2017
@sweenyness @CroftingLaw At one point the man behind me referred to him as a ‘Trump’! Just what we don’t need in charge!! @Neilsoncrofting
— kirsti (@Mrs_Ems_x) March 7, 2017
He said that “if you buy your croft you should be free from regulation”- Now if this happened in previous years there would be no crofting!
— kirsti (@Mrs_Ems_x) March 7, 2017
He wouldn’t have a croft to play with if his ancestors did this! We only have crofts because the previous generation fought to keep rule
— kirsti (@Mrs_Ems_x) March 7, 2017
He said”the people in Edinburgh don’t understand crofters, the city folk don’t have the right’-So you have to be born rural to understand?
— kirsti (@Mrs_Ems_x) March 7, 2017
My fave was’we don’t need to get new crofts there are plenty this ‘waiting list’ doesn’t exist, folk are just fussy to where the crofts are!
— kirsti (@Mrs_Ems_x) March 7, 2017
@SCFHq Are we to assume that Mr Kennedy,s record speaks for its self. hopefully the good people of Argyll will not re elect
— James macMillan (@jimmacmillan2) 2 March 2017
@CrabbitCrofter I’ve just had a canvasser at the door, Who was convinced that I am you 😉
— Rhoda Meek (@wodieskodie) March 6, 2017
I say. Never been accused of lying and spreading lies quite so vehemently before, by someone standing on my door step. Something I said?
— Rhoda Meek (@wodieskodie) March 6, 2017
@CroftingScot please tell your canvassing commissioner in Argyll that this is Rhoda Meek’s twitter handle. Calling voters liars is not on.
— Rhoda Meek (@wodieskodie) March 6, 2017
@sweenyness @CroftingScot I was doorstepped and accused of being behind a Twitter account I have nothing to do with. I did not appreciate it
— Rhoda Meek (@wodieskodie) March 7, 2017
@sweenyness @CrabbitCrofter I was outright told that I was!! Would not accept that I wasn’t. Closed the door on him.
— Rhoda Meek (@wodieskodie) March 7, 2017
@wodieskodie @CroftingLaw @sweenyness @CrabbitCrofter 'S e dearg amadan a bh'ann.
— Allan MacLeod (@fidhlear) March 8, 2017
@fidhlear @wodieskodie @CroftingLaw @sweenyness direach! agus fhathast dearg amadan a th'ann. Gun chiall
— Crabbit Crofter (@CrabbitCrofter) March 8, 2017
@wodieskodie good. Plenty of crofters out here are now crabbit cos “Convener” Kennedy’s main aim seems to be to destroy the crofting system
— Crabbit Crofter (@CrabbitCrofter) March 7, 2017
@wodieskodie if he really cared about crofting he would announce he has withdrawn from election + hope others are able to clean up his mess
— Crabbit Crofter (@CrabbitCrofter) March 7, 2017
@wodieskodie Bull in a China shop hardly begins to describe disaster he caused in @CroftingScot No one now supports him apart from idiots
— Crabbit Crofter (@CrabbitCrofter) March 7, 2017
Should this candidate really be sporting the @CroftingScot logo? Looks a bit like he has been endorsed by them #crofting @Neilsoncrofting pic.twitter.com/hSsi29i4m9
— kirsti (@Mrs_Ems_x) February 27, 2017
Shocking. Kennedy should be openly rebuked by @CroftingScot for misusing the logo of the public body on his election materials @CroftingLaw https://t.co/VgilADmkpT
— Crabbit Crofter (@CrabbitCrofter) March 7, 2017
Calls the fairness of the election in Argyll into question. Abusing his position for personal gain. Ethical Standards need to investigate https://t.co/T7FPxtPOql
— Dunc Mac (@DuncMacL) March 7, 2017
@CroftingLaw @crabbitcrofter @Neilsoncrofting this needs to be urgently highlighted to press & @scotgov They need to put out disclaimer
— Dunc Mac (@DuncMacL) March 7, 2017
@DuncMacL @CroftingLaw @CrabbitCrofter @Neilsoncrofting @scotgov Notified @cne_siar Questioned legitimacy. Suggest you raise concerns
— SkyesTheLimit (@SkyesTheLimitUK) March 8, 2017
@CroftingLaw @CroftingScot Well yes I had an interesting phone message on my mobile from Tiree asking about Commissioners conduct!
— Billy Neilson (@Neilsoncrofting) March 9, 2017
@CroftingLaw @CroftingScot A Tiree voter asked if Commissioners expect financial or other remunerations for giving crofting advice!!
— Billy Neilson (@Neilsoncrofting) March 9, 2017
@Neilsoncrofting Another example of brown envelopes at @CroftingScot perhaps? https://t.co/E4FCC4fOia #crofting
— Crofting Law (@CroftingLaw) March 9, 2017
There appears to be solidarity amongst those tweeting. Their views are clear and similar to many expressed over the past year following the allegations of abuse of power within the Crofting Commission. Allegations that appear to have been well founded in light of the U-Turn taken by the Crofting Commission, their subsequent apology and the findings of the Governance Review. Whether this solidarity is reflected amongst the non-tweeting crofting electorate remains to be seen next week. The polls, as we all know, do not always get it right. We should, however, know the answer by High Noon next Friday.
Image Information: At High Noon, June 4, 1989 – political poster featuring Gary Cooper to encourage votes for the Solidarity party in the 1989 elections (first semi-free elections in the People’s Republic of Poland). This is a historically significant poster, one of the symbols of the end of communism in Eastern Europe. It depicts Gary Cooper carrying a voting ballot instead of a gun, and wearing a Solidarity logo above his sheriff’s badge. The Solidarity movement heralded the collapse of communism across Eastern Europe. Photo taken inside the European Solidarity Centre in Gdansk on 5 March 2017.