It would be a well-informed assumption that Robbie Drummond was made to walk the plank at Caledonian MacBrayne on orders from Edinburgh in advance of the new contract to operate west coast ferry services.

A decision on whether to give CalMac the contract without competitive tendering is imminent as the current one ends in September. Anyway, there is little need for a competition in the certain knowledge that any other entrant would lose, so just get on with it.

That view would gain general support on the west coast though with markedly less enthusiasm than in the past. As a veteran of several campaigns to “save CalMac”, it saddens me that the brand has been so badly tarnished, through the folly of its Edinburgh masters.

Being in charge of CalMac should be a great job for anyone of a maritime disposition. It certainly was in the past for respected veterans like John Whittle, Colin Paterson and Martin Dorchester. It should have been the same for Robbie Drummond who did his level best in the role.

However, it is difficult to run a ferry company without ferries and the nightmare which has been visited upon CalMac is almost entirely not of its own making. In that context, it is difficult to see Mr Drummond’s summary departure as anything other than another piece of scapegoating.

Robbie Drummond is leaving CalMac (Image: free)

Mr Drummond’s removal follows the dismissal of David Tydeman from the chief executive’s post at Ferguson Marine, having been held responsible – no doubt by the same firing squad in Transport Scotland – for the continuing........

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