Lib Dems call for Holyrood to be recalled over Calmac crisis

Mr Cole-Hamilton said the situation was "critical".

The state-owned firm said that the situation had worsened at the weekend after MV Lord of the Isles, which serves Coll, Tiree and Colonsay, reported an engine issue on Saturday.

Meanwhile the troubled MV Glen Sannox, which only entered service last year between Troon and Brodick on the island of Arran, is facing £3.2m of further costs.

The MV Isle of Arran was also not in service due to “unplanned technical issues”.

Although all MSPs packed up their offices and left Holyrood last Thursday, the dissolution of the Parliament is not until April 8.

Mr Cole-Hamilton told The Herald's Unspun Live podcast: "We're effectively in recess rather than dissolved. And I think on something as serious like this, a crisis which is engulfing every island community and the coastal communities that serve them or are on the opposite side of the body of water they're on, then it is a national problem, a national crisis in fact.

"Particularly as we're coming into what should be an incredibly lucrative fortnight over the Easter period for people who want to go on holiday to Scotland's beautiful islands, who can't. For those islanders who are stuck at home needing some kind of medical intervention on the mainland who cannot, and businesses who depend on tourists and supplies to come by those ferries.

"So all in all, we need to get back into the chamber of the Scottish Parliament as parliamentarians. We need to sort this mess out. And in particular, authorise the Scottish Government to greenlight an immediate recovery package for those communities. I'm talking money in pockets now, not waiting until a new government is formed."

Mr Cole-Hamilton has written to the other party leaders and Presiding Officer Alison Johnstone asking them to agree to the recall.

"We're not talking about days and days off the campaign trail. We're talking about an afternoon's work in the Scottish Parliament, doing what our electors sent us to Parliament to do and fixing a national crisis.

"I think that people in island and coastal communities would take a very dim view of politicians who said, no, thanks, I've got a photo op. I'm not going to bother coming into Parliament to fix this mess.

"It's a political problem that's been created. It requires a political solution. You can't come up with a political solution from the campaign trail," he added.

Turkey-built MV Isle of Islay was due to carry its first passengers from Islay on Friday but the sailing was delayed by a technical problem and "snagging" issues.

The faults have now been fixed.

MV Isle of Islay was ordered from Turkey's Cemre shipyard four years ago and was originally due for delivery in late 2024, but a series of delays have been blamed on various factors including the war in Ukraine and the Turkish earthquake.

The vessel set off on its first passenger sailing from Port Askaig at 12:30, arriving at Kennacraig on the mainland about two hours later.

Scottish Labour’s transport spokesperson, Daniel Johnson, said: “Islanders don’t need more warm words from politicians – they need a change in government."

Scottish Tory spokesperson for transport, Sue Webber, said: “Islanders have been betrayed at every turn but, maybe, the current crisis wouldn’t be so deep if the Liberal Democrats hadn’t repeatedly voted for SNP budgets."

A spokesperson for the SNP said: “This is an unprecedented situation, but rightly the focus is on bringing ferries back into service and progress is being made on that front with the MV Isle of Islay operating today – our island communities need action, not political soundbites and that’s the priority right now.

“While we have an immediate set of circumstances, the long term solution is more ships and we are building them – we’ve got three major vessels coming on stream this year with more than £2.0 billion invested in ferry services in our time in office."

A Scottish Parliament spokesperson said the Presiding Officer was "not minded to recall the Parliament".

They added: "The Parliament is currently in a period of ‘pre-election recess’ and is not expected to be recalled for any reason other than being required to respond to the situation of a UK General Election being called for the same date as the Scottish General Election."

Duncan Mackison, CalMac’s chief executive, previously described the situation as “critical” and warned ferry users that services will continue to be amended in the coming days.