Dè tha dol | Monthly round up - August 2026

torcuilcrichtonmp
2 days ago
3 min read

Welcome to my monthly round up of my work both in parliament and in the constituency of Na h-Eileanan an Iar.

Visits in Stornoway

Stornoway Masjid

Along with Donald MacKinnon MSP I visited the Stornoway Masjid with Police Officer Neil Taylor following hateful misinformation spread on social media to give assurances on community engagement and support.

Keith Morrison - Stornoway Music Development Centre

Wee Studio director Keith Morrison has opened a new rehearsal space in Stornoway.

After seeing that there was demand for an affordable practice space for local musicians, he purchased the building with DC MacMillan and they now operate practice spaces, a recording studio and storage space to encourage our vibrant, local music scene.

I had a great time exploring the spaces and seeing just how vital opportunities like this are to encourage our vibrant, local music scene.

I have to say, I particularly admired DC's impressive ticket stub collection!

Air an Rathad Surgeries - South Uist & Leurbost

Building on our 'Air an Rathad' village surgeries last month, Donald MacKinnon MSP and myself hit the road again, this time in Leurbost, North Lochs and North Boisdale, South Uist.

Keep an eye out for us in your village - if you want to see us in your village next, get in touch.

Grand Opening at Cnoc Soilleir

I was delighted to attend the opening of Cnoc Soilleir's new extension which includes a 200 capacity performance space, dance studio, rehearsal spaces and green rooms.

It was a fantastic day showcasing the huge talent that the islands have. This space will be an exceptional international hub for Gaelic music and culture, and I look forward to attending many more events here in the future.

Supporting the Men of Ness in their Guga Harvest Application

Like many, I was extremely disappointed with NatureScot's decision to refuse this year's license for the guga harvest.

Throughout the process, I have supported the community and Donald MacKinnon and I were both in Ness on the day of the announcement.

I have submitted a Freedom of Information Request to establish how its board had been recommended to reject the license.

Wrote to New Government Ministers on Priorities for Na h-Eileanan an Iar

With the new Prime Minister came appointment of new Government Ministers.

I wrote to the new Ministers outlining the key priorities for Na h-Eileanan an Iar.

My role in Westminster is to be the voice of the islands and as the parliament resumes from the beginning of September, I will continue to raise the issues that impact our island communities.

My latest contributions will be found on my social media channels and website (linked at the bottom of this email). If there are any issues affecting you, please get in touch and myself and my team will do what we can to help.

CASEWORK WINS:

Caraidean Uibhist saved from £1k fee

The charity Caraidean Uibhist tackling loneliness and isolation in Uist contacted us regarding a £1,000 exit fee from their BT contract that they had been presented with. I intervened on their behalf and BT graciously dropped the charge. £1,000 is a huge charge for a small charity and now this money can be used to continue the vital work they carry out in the community.

Smart meter installed and compensation awarded

I received correspondence from a constituent asking for help chasing up an installation of a smart meter which was holding up the installation of a new heating system. Following contact with Scottish Power, they fitted the smart meter ahead of the cold winter months and provided compensation for the delay.

If you or an organisation you work for are facing an issue, get in touch and see if we can be of any assistance.

| AUGUST CASEWORK UPDATE |