Help the Highland Tiger

Enjoyed Thursday afternoon at the Grantown Show.

As well as meeting many local people just enjoying a fine time in the sun, it was interesting to talk to some of the community groups on their stands. I was most impressed by the volunteers of the Badenoch & Strathspey Community Transport Company, who provide a brilliant service making sure that all sorts of people can get around the community when they need to but also just to socialise.

And you couldn't miss the marvellous images used by http://www.highlandtiger,com/ to promote their work protecting wild cats.

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Tories Looking Forward to Cuts

Reading the Guardian piece about Shadow Treasury Chief Secretary Phillip Hammond yesterday left me cold and angry. Hammond seemed to be almost enjoying the prospect of the savage cuts in public spending he is planning should the Tories gain power in next year's election. Lots of macho talk about taking "early action" and "establishing credibility" with the City and global markets. All about needing to keep the financiers happy - the same ones who got us into this current mess - rather than understanding the impact of such cuts on jobs and services for the vast majority of people in this country.

I was in Grantown on Saturday, meeting folk at the Figgat Fair. The three small care homes there are prime examples of what may be under threat if Hammond and his ilk get their way.

Hammond may fully expect to be the nation's hate figure, but he will clearly have a big smile on his face as he wields the spending axe with undisguised enjoyment.

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