I’M increasingly convinced that the SNP should field candidates in English constituencies for Westminster elections. Nicola Sturgeon previously made joking suggestions that she might do so; I think it’s time to start taking the idea seriously.
In the last election, both main parties were pro-Brexit so many Remain voters had no choice to express their will without wasting their vote. Dissatisfaction with the two main parties is running sky-high at the moment, so there’s no doubt in my mind that the third-largest party could pick up a decent number of seats,
if only they’d field some candidates. In these days of hung parliaments, a handful of seats can make all the difference.
The main justification would be as retaliation against the Conservative’s gerrymandering to reduce the number of Scottish MPs, but it would also result in SNP MPs who would not be subject to EVEL. A fact which would infuriate Conservatives enormously, possibly provoking even more draconian anti-Scottish legislation which would further weaken the Union.
And last but by no means least: Scotland under SNP leadership now outperforms England to an embarrassing degree in almost any metric you care to look at. I firmly believe that SNP MPs in England would bring benefit to our neighbours south of the Border too.
Andrew Innes
Dundee
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