Carmichael calls for petrol talks during Murphy visit to Isles

4.58.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 24th Aug 2009

Commenting ahead of tomorrow’s visit to Orkney and Shetland by the Secretary of State for Scotland, Jim Murphy MP, Northern Isles MP Alistair Carmichael said “I am delighted that Jim Murphy is coming to the Isles and I trust that he will be given a warm welcome.

“He must however be prepared to listen to the local community and their concerns. I am therefore, very disappointed that despite an invitation from me he has refused to meet local businesses and other representatives to discuss the impact of high fuel costs in the Isles. There is little point in coming all the way to Orkney and Shetland if he is not prepared to engage with the whole community when he gets here.

“The Secretary of State is well aware that this is a matter of enormous importance to local people, in the absence of any willingness to discuss it I can only assume that he has nothing to say.”

On 18 July 2009 Mr Carmichael wrote to Mr Murphy on this matter.