It would make a strong
man weep in his porridge. The shock news this morning is that the MSA finds
itself unable to issue a Permit for this year's Closed Public Road Mull Rally.
This is due entirely for insurance reasons which no doubt are being further
influenced by the ramifications around the FAI which is due to start next month.
Plans were already well underway and a route formulated for this October's event, with the organising team and the Muileachs unaware that doubts were already being raised in corridors and meeting rooms far to the south. So the news has hit them like a bolt from the blue.
But rally folks are a resilient bunch, by gawd they have to be these days, and thoughts are already turning to a different 'event' on rally weekend this October, so please keep the date free in the meantime.
On a political front, little can be done at present due to the General Election, and no doubt our dearly beloved MPs will have other things on their mind when Parliament resumes afterwards, but it would appear that this is entirely a Scottish legal matter so perhaps there is a glimmer of hope that something can be done up here.
If the Scottish Government wants to demonstrate its 'independence' here's a chance, get the Scottish legislation sorted and approved without waiting for the Westminster lot to get back to work, and get it done now! Rally folks are tax payers and government funders too you know.
Michael Russell (SNP) is the Constituency MSP for Argyll and Bute. Email: Michael.Russell.msp@parliament.scot. Or write to him at The Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh, EH99 1SP - and ask him what he proposes to do about this and how quickly?
This is not just a minor sporting matter, this event has a huge economic and social impact on an island community. That should concern him rather more than a mere 'sporting matter'.
No doubt I shall return to this topic in due course !!
Full text of the Beatson's Mull Rally statement here:
Plans were already well underway and a route formulated for this October's event, with the organising team and the Muileachs unaware that doubts were already being raised in corridors and meeting rooms far to the south. So the news has hit them like a bolt from the blue.
But rally folks are a resilient bunch, by gawd they have to be these days, and thoughts are already turning to a different 'event' on rally weekend this October, so please keep the date free in the meantime.
On a political front, little can be done at present due to the General Election, and no doubt our dearly beloved MPs will have other things on their mind when Parliament resumes afterwards, but it would appear that this is entirely a Scottish legal matter so perhaps there is a glimmer of hope that something can be done up here.
If the Scottish Government wants to demonstrate its 'independence' here's a chance, get the Scottish legislation sorted and approved without waiting for the Westminster lot to get back to work, and get it done now! Rally folks are tax payers and government funders too you know.
Michael Russell (SNP) is the Constituency MSP for Argyll and Bute. Email: Michael.Russell.msp@parliament.scot. Or write to him at The Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh, EH99 1SP - and ask him what he proposes to do about this and how quickly?
This is not just a minor sporting matter, this event has a huge economic and social impact on an island community. That should concern him rather more than a mere 'sporting matter'.
No doubt I shall return to this topic in due course !!
Full text of the Beatson's Mull Rally statement here:
