A FRESH row was brewing in Orkney yesterday after one of the Orkney Four challenging Alistair Carmichael’s election result, demanded an apology from a Liberal Democrat MSP over remarks in his weekly newspaper column.

Reflecting on the turnout for Remembrance Sunday, Orkney MSP Liam McArthur wrote in The Orcadian newspaper: “Good weather certainly helps, but I strongly suspect the ongoing centenary commemorations for the First World War have had an effect too; reminding people about the sacrifices made on our behalf and the importance of the act of remembrance.

“Sadly come Monday morning, this solemn and dignified occasion had been replaced by the latest chapter in the vindictive hounding of my colleague Alistair Carmichael.

“The scars of this unpleasant episode look set to endure long after the current trial is concluded, with divisions in our community now deeply rooted. That is a source of considerable regret.”

However, Tim Morrison, one of those behind the petition heard in an Election Court in Edinburgh last week, said McArthur had gone too far.

“My grandfather, a socialist, was gassed in the First World War and experienced shellshock – the mustard gas gave him lung cancer which killed him,” he wrote in an email to the MSP.

“A cousin, an air force pilot died on D-Day.

“My mother was a refugee. My late partner, David Munro, was the grandchild of Holocaust survivors. Like many others in the same situation, he committed suicide.”

Morrison said he and the other petitioners expected their opponents to treat them with mutual courtesy and respect.

“The war was fought and won so we would have the rights to challenge our elected politicians irrespective of our party and even our motivation,” he said.

“These are absolute rights in a democracy. I appreciate you disagree with me/us but [we] expect to be treated with courtesy and respect by our opponents.”

He added: “I have kept my peace and done my best to stay within the bounds of polite (if satirical) debate. You have gone too far now in implying that in some way we are a disgrace to the war dead.”

Morrison said he had copied the email to his lawyer and had requested the right of reply from The Orcadian’s editor.

McArthur dismissed the call for an apology.

“In terms of my view that this represents ‘vindictive hounding’ of Alistair Carmichael, you may see it differently, but that is a matter of opinion,” he wrote.

“The source of the vast majority of the crowdfunding raised outwith Orkney to support this action and the highly personalised commentary that has accompanied many of the donations make it abundantly clear what the motivation is for a great number of those funding your case.”

Morrison said he was curious about what McArthur perceived as vindictive behaviour.

He said they had continually asked their supporters to refrain from threats or abuse.

“We have done everything we could to terminate this process as early as possible and to get the disputed election legitimised,” added Morrison.