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Motion · S5M-24083 · 5 Feb 2021

SS Politician Wreckage 80th Anniversary

Lodged by Dr Alasdair Allan Standard Motion 20 supporters

The motion

That the Parliament notes the 80th anniversary of the sinking of the SS Politician, off Calbhaigh, Eilean Èirisgeidh, in Na h-Eileanan an Iar, on 4 February 1941, while en route to Jamaica; understands that the islanders’ liberation of the merchant vessel’s cargo, including 22,000 cases of malt whisky, inspired Compton MacKenzie’s 1947 book, Whisky Galore, and films in 1949 and 2016; notes that raids were made by customs officers to reclaim the salvaged whisky, but that islanders hid bottles around the island, including in Sgor na Bèiste; understands that 19 islanders were incarcerated for theft, with sentences ranging from 20 days to two months; further understands that bottles raised from the wreck have been auctioned as recently as 2020, and hopes that the famous story continues to be of benefit to the island's economy and culture in the future.

Supporters (20)

Source: the Scottish Parliament motions and amendments record.