SNP MSP Colin Keir has described as “lacklustre” and “pitiful” an announcement by Lib Dem MP Mike Crockart of a campaign against the closing down of MoD barracks in Edinburgh.
The MSP for Edinburgh said that Mr Crockart’s campaign, to be started next month, was two months too late.
Concerns were raised by a former brigadier over the proposal to close the barracks which was announced a month ago after the basing review which started last year.
Mr Keir, the local MSP has said it begged the question ‘what has [Mr Lockhart] been doing in the mean time?’
Mr Keir said: “This is laughable from the Lib Dems. It is too little too late.
“Launching a campaign two months after the decision to close the barracks has been made shows how little the Lib Dems understand about the impact of their actions on their community.
“This is nothing but an empty PR exercise for Mike Crockart. As a LibDem MP for Edinburgh West he was in a unique place to influence these plans and speak up for his constituency in the first place.
“Serious questions must be asked about what exactly he has been doing as a Lib Dem MP while the review was taking place?
“Did he make representations to his LibDem colleagues in Government on the garrison?
“What contribution or appeals did he make during the Basing review?
“If the answer these questions are ‘none’, as I suspect then he has some serious explaining to do to his constituents.”