Time To Apologise To Scottish Travellers

It's been in the news again this week.

Calls for an apology to Scottish Travellers for years of discrimination and ill-treatment.

The calls will not go away, so it's time to take the issue seriously - once and for all.

Maybe that'll happen thanks to the petition presented to the Scottish Parliament's Public Petitions Committee.

Now the committee is to ask Scottish Government ministers to respond.

The petition was presented by Ken MacLennan, from Inverurie in Aberdeenshire, who outlined examples of mistreatment going back 500 years.

But the committee also asked him for more supportive evidence as it was not clear as to why the Scottish Government should apologise.

As well as seeking a response from ministers, the committee agreed to write to human rights groups to seek their input, too.

Mr MacLennan said afterwards such a move would be "helpful" and would also "open a few cans of worms".

There are a couple of recently written memoirs which give a real insight into the discrimination suffered by Scottish Travellers. The books are No Easy Road by Patsy Whyte, and Never To Return by Sandy Reid.

Both are highly recommended.