Recovering SNP candidate Skene making ‘tremendous progress’
SNP election candidate Danus Skene is back in Shetland and recovering from a “serious illness” in the Gilbert Bain Hospital.
Mr Skene had been receiving treatment at hospital in Aberdeen but is now in Lerwick and is said to be recovering well. He had warm praise for the NHS staff who had treated him, as well as criticism of Westminster politicians’ and their approach to the health service.
He said: “It’s good to be home, and to be making tremendous progress, thanks to the wonderful treatment I’ve had from the NHS staff in Aberdeen and now Lerwick.
“It’s been very interesting to see, at first-hand, how essential it is to keep our NHS clear of the sort of wanton privatisation the Tories are imposing south of the border.”
The party’s branch spokesman Robbie McGregor said: “We’re very pleased that Danus is on the mend and we look forward to him taking an active part in winning this constituency. Shetland needs an SNP member in Holyrood, to put the islands’ case to the government in a reasonable, friendly and constructive manner, rather than the endless attack mode of the Liberal Democrats.”
David Spence
Wishing Danus, a speedy and trouble-free full recovery.
John Tulloch
I’m very pleased to hear Mr Skene is recovering and hopefully, he will soon be up and about.
I’m less impressed with Robbie MacGregor’s comment:
“Shetland needs an SNP member in Holyrood, to put the islands’ case to the government in a reasonable, friendly and constructive manner.”
I’m sorry, isn’t that what the combined good officers of ‘Our Islands, Our Future’ (OIOF) have been doing for the last three years and twelve formal meetings? Yet at the end of it all SIC comes out of it with a £9.3 million cut (with inflation) in their annual grant?
Even Mr Skene won’t manage to improve on OIOF’s “reasonable, friendly and constructive manner.” But that approach is anyway seen to have failed.
What is needed is an end to the schmoozing around Holyrood and a more Paisleyesque approach. Somebody to tell the SNP straight – “like it is.”
At least Tavish has an Islands Plan and the Lib Dems have passed a conference resolution on greater local powers, which is more than anyone else has done.
What will the SNP do for Shetland?
Brian Smith
Paisleyesque!!!
John Tulloch
🙂 I knew you’d like that one, Brian – in style, not political content, I hasten to add!
I’m afraid that’s what’s needed, is somebody to stand up to the SNP and tell them the blunt, unvarnished truth.
No more schmoozing, that approach has failed, signally.
iantinkler
It is good to know Dannus is getting better, it however is sad to see his rather unpleasant comment “about wanton privatisation the Tories are imposing south of the border”! Firstly the term wanton is unpleasant and inaccurate. Hardly a good example of Robbie McGregor,s comment that, the perspective SNP member in Holyrood being, ” reasonable, friendly and constructive”. It makes Robbie,s comment about the Liberals endless attack mode look just a tad hypocritical.
The SNP record for Shetland health services are hardly worth boasting about in any case. People turned away from hospital, ambulances failing to arrive and now a cash shortfall of a massive £3.9 million. Never mind, we are all used to centralised politicians following party propaganda.Time for a change in Shetland perhaps? (http://www.shetnews.co.uk/news/12310-boost-to-nhs-funding-but-challenges-remain)
Gordon Harmer
Wishing you a speedy recovery Danus, if only to remind you that the Scottish government have privatized the Scottish NHS to the tune of millions. http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/505304/EXCLUSIVE-The-secret-sell-out-of-Scotland-s-NHS
Gordon Harmer
I wonder where Nicola where found the extra £500 million for the NHS has it come from the cash strapped councils budgets. “Additional money can’t simply be used as a sticking plaster for the NHS.
The SNP response to a problem is an eye-catching announcement and a few short-term measures …patients deserve far better and the NHS needs far more support. Not a quick bung because there is an election looming.
Michael Garriock
Has the once upon a time stalwart Liberal supporting Shetland Times re-aligned themselves with the SNP?
The second half of this news story reads like a party political broadcast script.
iantinkler
Robbie McGregor’s comment, “friendly and constructive manner! “How about, the nationalists comments, ” Traitors, Quislings, Drunkards and Senile . That was just the SNP officials!!!