THERE was a point during the 2016 General Election campaign when I began to sense a genuine change a coming in the Labour Party – that under Jeremy Corbyn they were at last going to provide a credible opposition to the Tories.
I knew of many friends and colleagues who felt the same and had actually declared that they would be changing their allegiances from SNP to Labour – at least for this General Election. I toyed with the idea myself, however when it came down to it I felt that a vote for Labour instead of SNP could be used by the Unionist press to paint a picture of an independence movement in decline.
Even if Corbyn had won, Scotland could still have been landed with a Tory government we hadn’t voted for four years later – or less than that given he would likely have been made a scapegoat for the looming Brexit debacle. Independence was still the only way to guarantee we had control of our own future.
How glad I am now that I stuck by that decision.
READ MORE: Scotland's teachers 'very likely' to strike over pay
The latest news that teachers look likely to go on strike in Scotland, despite having been offered a pay increase equal to if not greater than their colleagues down south, reeks of shady tactics from the Scottish contingent of Corbyn’s Labour party.
I whole heartedly agree that teachers, as well as other public-sector workers such as NHS staff, police, firefighters etc are underpaid for the crucial role they play in society. But you need to ask yourself why the unions are encouraging strike action in Scotland but not in England – why might that be?
It seems fairly clear to me that the Labour party are weaponising teachers via their influences in the union to score points against the Scottish Government. The fact that petty political point-scoring is now deemed more important to the Labour party than the detrimental effect a strike will have on Scottish children’s education speaks volumes about the depths to which the party’s morals have now sunk.
If there were any doubt before as to whether Corbyn could provide an effective opposition to the Tories, then that has now been completely extinguished. During the calamitous Conservative era post-David Cameron he has utterly failed to hold the Tories to account for their almost daily mayhem and lack of governance.
I feel today, as I did in 2016, that Jeremy Corbyn is a decent, principled man. However it is now clear that he lacks the political savvy and appetite required for the fight against not just the Tories, but also against the establishment mainstream media, who will attack any challenge to the current one-percent-friendly status quo.
Scottish independence is the only option to escape the mess that the UK now finds itself in. It seems now that the leaders of both of the main Westminster parties are now doing their bit to underline that.
Name and address supplied
READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon urges teachers to accept 'fair' pay deal
IT came as no surprise that the two main opposition parties in Holyrood deafened us all by their silence on Brexit at First Minister’s Questions. The opposition parties could not bring themselves to raise the Brexit issue because they are in such turmoil and chaos within their own parties on Brexit, like ferrets in a sack frightened to pop their heads above the parapet!
It took the SNP’s Alasdair Allan MSP to raise the issue, and in particular the very serious issue in Scotland of fisheries. In reply to Mr Allan the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon rightly informed the chamber that only last week Scottish Conservative MPs en masse sent a letter to the PM insisting that we must be able to negotiate access and quota shares on an annual basis with no pre-existing arrangement being in force. This means access and quota shares must not be included in any future economic partnership.
The First Minister went on to highlight the detail on fisheries included in the agreement signed off between the UK and the EU on November 21. Paragraph 75 states that within the context of the new economic partnership, the new fisheries agreement on access to waters and quota shares included absolutely no mention of annual negotiations. So where now do those Tory MPs stand, and in particular Scottish Secretary David Mundell MP? Are they now drafting their letters to the 1922 committee demanding the PM’s resignation ? Or are they, like their MSP colleagues in Holyrood, deafening us all with their silence on the matter!
Catriona C Clark
Falkirk
READ MORE: Sturgeon: Mundell 'forfeited any last scrap of credibility' by not quitting
I’M sorry but I really thought our SNP MPs in Westminster were above this sort of garbage. I’m not talking about the football kickabout in the Commons as such (it makes a change to have sport instead of comedy within that chamber!)
I, like other SNP supporters I am sure, must be appalled at the sight of Hannah Bardell getting involved with Crouch and McGovern and their likes in a bit of fun.
Most of us independence-minded people in Scotland are of the opinion that we voted for SNP MPs in order to “go down there” and cause as much havoc and problems for the Tories as possible. Being part of a football team or “cavorting with the enemy” in any way must be condemned.
It appears that some (if not all) SNP MPs are being sucked into the Westminster game, because a game is what it is!! I am absolutely incensed at this incident, well reported in The National. I think Ms Bardell should apologise to the people who voted for her.
These SNP MPs are privileged to be representing the voters of Scotland (ie those of us who want rid of Westminster) and being “pally” with Tories is not part of the deal. Converse with them when you have to, but don’t please get chummy with the enemy.
Stop playing the Westminster game and start clapping again.
Ian Heggie
Glenrothes
READ MORE: Speaker cries foul over kickabout in the Commons by female MPs
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel