Scottish Labour Leader, Richard Leonard MSP, visited the Mull of Galloway yesterday (8 August) on the first stage of his ‘Summer Tour’ of key locations across Scotland- and praised the local community spirit and determination.

The visit took him to the most Southerly point of Scotland where Richard Leonard met with representatives of the Mull of Galloway Trust, took part in the Mull of Galloway Experience, toured the Gaillie Craig Café and visited the RSPB Nature Reserve.

Speaking after the visit Mr Leonard said, “I am grateful to the Trust for showing me round the site and share the magnificent views of the Mull of Galloway as well as the tour up to the top of the lighthouse.  The achievement of the Mull of Galloway Trust in bringing the ownership to the community is terrific and helps to demonstrate the real change I want to see as Scottish Labour across Scotland.

“Community ownership is at the heart of creating a Scotland that works for the many and not the few.  The Mull of Galloway Trust are using the land on Scotland’s most Southerly point to help the community by bringing a growing number of visitors to the area, creating local jobs but also maintaining an area of utterly stunning beauty for generations to come.

“It is a great example of the community spirit and determination I found across Wigtownshire on my visit, which is an area all too often forgotten by some.  It was the passing of the Land Reform Act 2003 under the last Labour Government which made the community ownership of the Mull of Galloway achievable.  A future Scottish Government would go further in giving more say to local communities over land ownership.”

South Scotland MSP and Scottish Labour’s Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy, Connectivity and Transport Colin Smyth said, “Richard is determined to lead a Scottish Labour Party that stands up for every part of Scotland, rural and urban, north and south.  So, I was delighted to take Richard to Scotland’s most southerly point to kick off his tour of Scotland and see at first hand not only the amazing beauty of our region, but find out how the local community has come together to make our region a better place and to discuss how we can support such initiatives in the future”.