South rises to park Nats' illogical plans

DEPUTY LEADER OF THE SCOTTISH CONSERVATIVES

- Rachael Hamilton

THE SNP has decided to drop its plans to designate a new national park in Galloway and Ayrshire, after a consultation exercise found that a majority of locals were opposed. That might look like a rare example of the Nats appearing to listen. But the truth is that it's a last-minute, face-saving climbdown by the SNP, who had attempted to push through this scheme long after it became clear that it was unworkable and unpopular.

Their initial proposals were dead in the water long ago, and even their attempts to consult the people of Galloway and Ayrshire were deeply flawed, with local people kept in the dark throughout.

The turning point arguably came when Green Minister Lorna Slater took charge of the scheme at the time her extremist party were inexplicably in government.