East Lothian Courier | News | MP: criticism 'small minded'

Tuesday, 6th January, 2009

Published: Thursday, 11th October, 2007 09:00

MP: criticism 'small minded'

COUNTY MP Anne Moffat has hit back at claims that she has hijacked the campaign against ship-to-ship oil transfers in the Firth of Forth for political gain.

Ms Moffat will tonight (Friday) host a public meeting in North Berwick against plans by Forth Ports Authority to allow millions of tons of crude oil to be transferred between tankers in the estuary.

Tonight’s meeting, which starts at 7pm at the Scottish Seabird Centre, will see the official launch of her petition against the transfers.

On Tuesday, the Labour MP successfully introduced a 10 Minute Rule Bill in Parliament, when she received cross-party support in her bid to bring in legislation to prevent a “potential environmental disaster”.

The Bill is scheduled to receive a second reading next Friday (October 19).

Postcards have been sent to thousands of homes across the county, calling for local residents to support the initiative.

However, the timing of her campaign has led to claims of electioneering from some quarters.

East Lothian’s Liberal-Democrat Provost, Sheena Richardson, has been actively campaigning against the transfers for 18 months.

“I don’t want this to become party political, but I am concerned that this is being seen as the start of a political campaign by a sitting MP,” she said.

“When local activists sent Anne Moffat a letter asking for her support in summer 2006 she was sympathatic, but didn’t commit herself to the cause.

“I am grateful to Anne for highlighting this issue in Parliament.

“Her petition can help keep the pressure on FPA, but you have to question her timing.

“She has tried to make this into a personal crusade when it clearly is not.”

Scottish Green Party spokesman George Baxter said: “It is a bit of a shame that Anne Moffat has waited until now to get involved.

“ Any involvement, particularly at parliamentary level, is of course welcome. I just hope she stays on board for the forseeable future.”

The county’s SNP parliamentary candidate, Andrew Sharp, added: “It will be interesting to see how long her interest lasts, given that there won’t now be a election in November.”

Lynden Jarvis, the Gullane-based FPA shareholder who challenged the company at its agm in 2006 and subsequently raised a petition that remains active at the Scottish Parliament, commented: “I am not concerned who gets the credit. I am just concerned with stopping the transfers from happening.

“The more protests there are the better.”

Local authorities opposing the transfers are Fife East Lothian and Edinburgh City councils, while the issue has also been raised in the European Parliament.

In their half-term report, published last month, FPA said they had almost finalised their environmental impact study, which must be submitted to Scottish National Heritage and the Scottish Government for approval.

However, any decision is challengeable in court.

It is this loophole that Ms Moffat is hoping to block through a tightening of the law.

“The only body who can prevent ship-to-ship oil transfers is Westminster,” she pointed out.

Responding to the criticisms levelled against her, the MP told the Courier: “I was actually the first person to raise this issue, at an adjournment debate on October 21, 2005 following an approach from a constituent.

“It is small-minded of people to say that I have not been involved before now.

“My 10 Minute Rule Bill was proposed four months ago.

“At that time, there was no question of an election being called

“I would ask all interested groups to come to Friday’s public meeting and support the petition.”

Social Bookmarking What are these?