Nicola and Park of Keir

 
 
Those of us who campaigned to save the Greenbelt between Bridge of Allan and Dunblane are glad to see Nicola Sturgeon gone. 

She gave the green light to the Judy Murray tennis centre housing etc. known as the Park of Keir development despite a Public Inquiry rejecting it because it contravened every planning regulation in the book and vociferous local opposition from the community.

What came, as a complete surprise to me both yesterday and today is the animosity her very name aroused in an area which has strong Scottish Nationalist support.
 
Admittedly my mini survey is anecdotal but from Dunblane to Alloa not one person I spoke to had a good word for her.  The first inkling I had of Nicola’s unpopularity was when I mentioned it to two people in the gym:” about time” another added” good riddance.”
 
One woman in a busy cafe stopped what she was doing   to rattle off a list of all the promises Nicola had made over the years and had failed to deliver because she was obsessed with Independence and latterly transgender issues. And so it went on.
 
What I had not anticipated was the mention of Nicola’s resignation would bring such big smiles as if they had suddenly won the Lottery.
 
It has to be said though that she was a great communicator and a powerful figure who dominated Scottish politics for the past decade,
 
But, like Margaret Thatcher, she lost touch with her core base, her roots, and according to some Scottish political commentators, refused to listen or take advice.
 
So it seems her political card was marked some time ago and it was not a question of  “if” but “when”.


Photo: part of the Greenbelt with Dunblane far right. 

PS. So far the Park of Keir development has not gone ahead due, we suspect, to lack of funding despite Judy Murray telling the Public Inquiry that this would be forthcoming.