Former Scottish secretary Alistair Carmichael today called on SNP MPs and MSPs to back the Press and Journal’s campaign to keep Highlands and Islands Enterprise local.
The northern isles MP said people across the region would be watching to see where their priorities lie.
He has tabled an early day motion (EDM) at the UK Parliament on the issue, which has been signed by Ian Murray, Labour’s only MP in Scotland.
The Scottish Government provoked widespread fury last week by confirming the dedicated board for the agency would be scrapped and replaced by a national panel overseeing several organisations.
Opponents have claimed the move would undermine 50 years of progress in the Highlands, but the SNP administration insists there is no threat to HIE.
Addressing MSPs yesterday, Economy Secretary Keith Brown rejected the allegations of centralisation.
Lib Dem Mr Carmichael pointed to the majority against the move at Holyrood and urged SNP Highlands and Islands MSPs, as well as the party’s MPs in Westminster, to stand up to their colleagues in Edinburgh.
He said: “They could make it very clear they will stand up for the Highlands rather than for the SNP.
“They should fall in behind this. They should make it clear they are prepared to work with people in other parties.
“This is a fight that can be won. They can make a difference, the question is will they?”
He said jobs and businesses were at stake, adding: “Their constituents will be watching to see what their priorities are. Is it the economic strength of the Highlands and Islands or the political strength of the SNP?”
Mr Murray said disbanding HIE would be a “huge backwards step”.
He added: “Local decisions should be taken locally wherever possible and I hope the SNP Government will reflect on this and reverse these misguided plans.”
The EDM, which was tabled yesterday, notes the work of HIE and its predecessor the Highlands and Islands Development Board over more than half a century in delivering economic and community development across some of the most economically-fragile communities of the UK.
It also calls on the Scottish Government to “abandon this unnecessary and dangerous piece of centralisation” that “risks damaging the economy” of the region and congratulates the P&J on its campaign.
But Mr Brown said: “As far as the allegations of centralisation are concerned, there is a real problem with that, given that we are establishing an agency in the south of Scotland — that does not sound much like centralisation to me.
“We are making sure that we have the right services for the right parts of Scotland. I give the assurance that HIE will remain as an agency–that will be enshrined in law.”
