Liberal democracy Argyll Style
In case you missed it, as it didn’t make the national headlines, Argyll & Bute Council has a new leader in Councillor Robin Currie. He was most recently re-elected in 2017, securing the support of a stunning 11.2% of the island’s electorate /1

on first preference (22.4% of a 50% turnout).
Thus the council continues the current trend for people who have been firmly rejected by the electorate, standing as Tory, Labour, Libdem, Independent, Freemason(?) to band together in order to exclude the majority choice. /2

I’m not at all convinced that the designers of the STV system contemplated such disparate fellows getting into bed together.
Aquaculture campaigners first saw Councillor Currie in action in the Corran Halls during the hearing into the Ardmaddy application, /3

which had attracted 815 objections, including almost half the combined electorate of Seil, Esdale and Luing, 45 more than he got after the fourth preferences were added. He spoke powerfully in favour of the application, which he and his fellows then voted for overwhelmingly. /4

As we all now know, the objectors were right, Ardmaddy was the wrong place and has been abandoned.
What is interesting about this is that almost uniquely among the larger islands the people of Islay came to their senses about fish farming years ago and voted overwhelmingly /5

in a local referendum against allowing them. The main reasons, I understand, the presence of the strong and highly successful creeling fleet, plus the recognition that the island’s massive tourism and leisure sectors depend on keeping the environment healthy and attractive. /6

It breaks my heart when elected representatives are happy to inflict damage and pollution on someone else's front garden. The micro-economy of the Slate Islands is highly dependent on exactly the same factors as on Islay. /7

We should all be asking prospective Holyrood candidates to disclose where they stand on the issue of fish farming and perhaps also hypocrisy. End.