I CANNOT be alone in wondering at the revolt that is beginning in the north – the north of England that is.
If the Red Wall broke to favour the Tories (shock horror) at the last General Election, either as a political gesture or a two-fingered one, surely it’s nothing compared to what is currently happening.
There’s a battle ground emerging there, following on from last week’s drip-drip leaks to the media before the PM came to parliament to announce the three-tier system. You can almost forgive those who voted Tory (I did say “almost”).
READ MORE: Lesley Riddoch: Where's the Unionist uproar over the Welsh border announcement?
They potentially felt betrayed, overlooked, taken for granted by Labour for many years. Now why does that sound familiar? Perhaps believing there was no alternative, they chose the Tories to get the job done they’d voted for earlier, namely to leave the EU. No, I can’t forgive them for that.
But all that baloney from the PM in his victory speech about understanding how the Tory victory was aided by Labour voters who’d “lent their vote” now appears to count for nothing.
Centralised Tory power in London has both ignored and isolated English local authorities and their leaders throughout the Covid crisis, but more particularly in regard to last week’s changes.
And that, coupled with the failure of both the PM and his government to gain and retain trust, has all added fuel to the current fire of agitation.
READ MORE: English MPs not invited to 'shambolic' briefing on Northern lockdown restrictions
So what if those “northern” leaders are holding out for better financial support packages for their areas? Why shouldn’t they? But how long will they, can they?
The PM has already pointed out his state power by informing the hotspot councils that his government “will intervene if they do not agree to restrictions”. What does he have in mind? Calling out the local police, or perhaps the army?
That the north/south divide in England is widening again, in what appears to favour the “south”, is of no consequence. Tory party and leopards don’t change their spots! For them, it’s power begot and retained at any price. And certain voters, certain areas are nothing other than dispensable.
How soon will Red Wall voters realise this? The PM’s “state power” is backed up with the numerical “power” of those new Tory MPs, keeping his party in power as he forges ahead with a form of postcode lottery regarding local lockdowns and the other little matter, conveniently less frequently highlighted – Brexit.
Our alternative is not a change of government in Westminster. Ours is independence. An independent Scotland on their doorstep will be a good neighbour, not an oppressive overpowering one. And not least, our independence will provide the opportunity for English voters to regard and recalibrate their political future.
I hope it’s not too selfish of me then to want the “north” to wake up to their wasted vote, to continue to agitate, to revolt agin Westminster.
Selma Rahman
Edinburgh
ON Wednesday I watched the early evening news from STV, whose top story was the latest poll putting support for independence at an all-time high, which was given several minutes of analysis highlighting the importance of this development.
I expected the BBC to follow suit ... fat chance! Top story was “don’t go to Blackpool to watch the football” and the poll was never mentioned.
Absolutely shows how biased they are by omission, and if evidence was needed, this is why the BBC should be ignored and their licence fee should be ripped up and put in the midden.
Peter Winning
Edinburgh
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