Somerville on Stevenson resignation

Commenting on Stewart Stevenson’s resignation as Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change today, Shirley-Anne Somerville MSP – member of the Scottish Parliament’s Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change Committee – said: “Labour and other opposition parties should hang their heads in shame at hounding Stewart Stevenson – a decent and dedicated man – from office. Yes, he made mistakes, basically of communication, during one day of extreme and extraordinary winter weather, and has had the good grace to accept responsibility. Not one of the opposition parties at any stage has come forward with a single constructive idea about how best to tackle the weather conditions we have been facing. “What a contrast with Labour – they took the country to war in Iraq on the basis of lies about weapons of mass destruction, tens of thousands of people have died, and not a single person resigned. Indeed, Blair and the rest are making handsome earnings from their autobiographies and lecture tours. “Stewart is a better person than any of his detractors, and his decision to resign speaks well of him both as a person and a parliamentarian.”