Mixed reaction from politicians to news Galloway will not become national park
There has been a mixed reaction from politicians to the news that Galloway will not become Scotland's third national park.
The decision was slammed by Labour's Colin Smyth, while Tories Finlay Carson and John Cooper criticised the NatureScot consultation.
The SNP's Emma Harper believed the decision showed the Scottish Government had listened to local people.
Reacting to Thursday's announcement from Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon at Holyrood, South Scotland MSP Mr Smyth said: 'For too long, Galloway has been Scotland's forgotten corner – and the government made it clear it wants to tear down the 'Welcome to Dumfries and Galloway' signs and put up 'No Entry' instead.
'The Cabinet Secretary knows she could've brought forward plans for Galloway that supported farming and forestry and helped them thrive. She could have built something special. Made a change for the better. Instead, she has taken the easy way out and walked away.
'The government has failed to set out an alternative to its inaction. No plan B to fix a local economy built on low pay. No action to stop the fastest depopulation in mainland Scotland'.
'This isn't just about ditching a national park – this is about ditching Galloway's future.'
The Tories were critical of the consultation process.
Dumfries and Galloway MP, Mr Cooper, said: 'The consultation on a Galloway National Park was deeply flawed – it was always far too vague.
'And while I raised right at the start questions about what weighting would be given to the opinions of those living in Dumfries and Galloway compared to those outwith, I never got a satisfactory answer.
'There were attempts to portray the 'blank sheet of paper' approach of the consultation as a good thing, but it was nebulous, and led to claim and counterclaim about what a Galloway National Park might be like.
'Galloway is not like the other two parks – our hills have hill farms, not just hillwalkers – and no way should remote and distant national park bureaucrats be anywhere near decisions on some of the most productive grassland in the UK.
'Agriculture is the backbone of the economy in Dumfries and Galloway, and it's not just about farmers and stockmen – it's about the hundreds of jobs in associated businesses, from seed merchants to machinery firms, to accountants who do the books.'
Galloway and West Dumfries MSP Mr Carson added: 'The government's handling of the national park selection process has been opaque, inconsistent, and dismissive of genuine local engagement.
'Communities across Galloway invested time, energy, and hope into a process which could and should have united communities, but that process was poorly communicated and ultimately felt predetermined.
'Rather than fostering trust and collaboration, the Government's approach has sown division and confusion. It has left many wondering whether rural voices are truly being heard in this parliament.
'We could have avoided months of uncertainty and frustration. We should have had an independent review of the existing parks so that lessons could be learned.'
Naturecot's consultation revealed the majority of people who responded were from the area that would be covered by the national park, with 54 per cent of respondents against the idea.
South Scotland MSP Emma Harper said: 'Too often the Scottish Government and its agencies are accused of not listening to the voices of the people, so I hope those accusations can be brought to a peep now that the consultation process has been shown to be open, transparent and fair, and was one of the major factors determining the Government's decision.
'Going forward we need to strike the right balance between biodiversity, the natural environment, tourism and the economic development all of our communities are striving for regardless of their views on the park itself.
'I firmly believe that whatever views each of us held on the proposals that were on the table and expressed through the consultation process, we all collectively need to work together on how we develop Galloway economically, socially, and culturally over the years and decades ahead.
'That work would require to be done regardless of whether national park status was a reality, but now the decision has been made it's more relevant and urgent than ever.'
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