Idea of building immigration centres on Scottish islands shows Priti Patel's lack of compassion – Kenny MacAskill

The suggestion that Scottish islands might be used as migrant detention centres is hardly surprising on two counts. Firstly, the callousness that the Home Secretary has for these vulnerable people and secondly the contempt that the Tories have for Scotland’s remote communities, if not the country itself.

Home Secretary Priti Patel vowed to stop people entering the country clandestinely and fix what she called the 'broken' asylum system (Picture: Frank Augstein/AP)

Priti Patel has the compassion, if not the heart, of a stone. Ignoring the horror and destitution that people are fleeing and even forgetting her own experiences; instead wallowing and shamefully revelling in her toughness. But her suggestion was hardly new. It's been practised for quite some time in Australia.

There the poverty-stricken Pacific island of Nauru has been used to house an overflow of Australian migrants. Thousands of miles from the land they sought sanctuary in, never mind thousands of miles from the lands they fled.

It maybe explains why the Tories are hiring Tony Abbott, the former Australian Prime Minister, as he probably knows more about that than he does trade deals. A Scottish island would in many ways be far more pleasant than what the fair land of Australia is providing.

Though, you never know with this Home Secretary just what horrors could be conjured up, on whatever isle was selected.

But it also just shows the contempt the Tories have for these parts. Even just a few days ago, one of the islands was being used for bombing raids. I suppose given the rain and mist it’s probably all that some of our lords and masters think they’re good for. That and the odd bit of hunting and shooting on a friend’s estate.

Why should we be surprised? They infected Gruinard with anthrax. Other islands have been considered for prisons for our own miscreants. Even on land, Dounreay may have escaped the dangers of the detonation of an atom bomb but it was left with the legacy of an atomic power station.

Jobs and investment? No chance. Houses and opportunities to keep young folk on the island or in the community? Forget it. But chemical weapons, radiation dangers, or other problems to be deported from their heartlands, oh aye for sure, go right ahead.

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