Dave Thompson MSP

The future of BBC Alba was debated today in the Scottish Parliament. Highlands & Islands SNP MSP Dave Thompson used the debate to call for misinformed Gaelic critics to be nipped in the bud.

During the debate Mr Thompson said: "Gaelic is an important part of Scotland's culture, heritage and identity.  It is all the more sad therefore that at a time when the confidence of Gaelic speakers is beginning to grow, some people choose to attack and vilify Gaelic under the pretexts of disproportionate spending on a minority and the need for savings.

"Some councillors, in the Highland region of all places, have jumped on the misinformed populist bandwagon. That is despite the fact that Highland Council spends only a quarter of 1 per cent of its annual budget on Gaelic- well below what would be proportionate given the number of Gaelic speakers in its area.

"The latest populist to jump on the bandwagon is Labour Councillor Deirdre Mackay, daughter of populist, anti-Gaelic Councillor Rosie, who has obviously seen her dad hitting the headlines and now wants some of the action.  She has even gone so far as to criticise plans introduced by the previous Labour-Liberal Democrat Scottish Executive who, led by her employer Peter Peacock MSP, implemented the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act 2005.

Mr Thompson called on Mr Peacock and the Highland Council Labour Group to consider her position and said: "It is more with sadness than with anger that I raise this point.  A growing number of people are vilifying Gaelic and, if we do not nip that in the bud, it could expand to the detriment of Gaelic and the confidence of Gaelic speakers."