The isles SNP MP has slated Jeremy Corbyn on the eve of the Labour leader’s visit to the Western Isles.
The Labour leader will be in Lewis on Wednesday to kick start a five day Scotland tour.
The party reckon they can oust Angus B Macneil at the next general election. After June’s snap poll, the MP holds a majority of just over one thousand votes, significantly reduced from 2015.
Mr MacNeil criticised Mr Corbyn’s support for the Tories’ “hard Brexit” for the UK to leave the single market and customs union.
Macneil in bullish mood as Corybn eyes his seat
22 August 2017
Such a stance is opposed by the majority of Highlands and Islands companies with many “thriving business sectors” which relying heavily on streamlined trading with the EU, said Mr MacNeil.
“The SNP, unlike Labour, is standing up for businesses and the wider community and will continue to press for the devolved administrations to be represented in the Brexit negotiations.”
Jeremy Corbyn advocates many SNP policies in England while “ rubbishing” them in Scotland, said the MP.
Western Isles tourism industry is enjoying experiencing an extremely busy season,
boosted by RET introduced on all ferry routes by the SNP -
Corbyn’s party had “no answers on transport and built very few houses”, in contrast to more than 300 built in the islands under the SNP, he added.
Islanders are against Trident renewal, a view shared by Mr Corbyn but not by his own party, said the MP.
Angus MacNeil said: “I would ask him to reaffirm a commitment to nuclear disarmament and tell the Parliamentary Labour Party they are wrong.”
And only now is the islands’ mobile phone system improving after Labour caused problems when they were in power when they auctioned off the spectrum regardless of coverage, stated Mr MacNeil.
Mr Corbyn should persuade his councillors locally to “come out of hiding.”
They all “threw away” their Labour badges and declared themselves as independents at the comhairle election in May.
“Surely he can at least achieve that on his visit,” said Mr MacNeil.