RUTH Wishart expresses her dislike of “tribal hatred” and proceeds to mention a few former Tory MPs whom she seems to regard as likeable sorts (Splits can only harm the health of Yes movement, November 4). She opines: “It was possible to imagine having an amiable disagreement with Matthew Parris, swapping bad hair day stories with Anna Soubry, or having a glass or two with Ken Clarke down the pub. Possible to admire Heidi Allen’s tour round northern food banks sampling the reality of her then party’s austerity at first hand, or to accept the earnest sincerity of Sarah Wollaston who, as an erstwhile GP, could recognise the vandalism of the NHS in England.”
READ MORE: Splits and new parties will harm the health of the Yes movement
Hmm. One of the by-products of the Tory party lurching even further to the right as a result of Brexit is that so-called “one-nation” Tories/former Tories such as the aforementioned are being regarded and portayed in favourable ways which ignore their appalling voting records on social security matters, among other things, over the past nine years. Matthew Parris may be considered an exception as he’s not been an MP for quite some time, but a swatch at theyworkforyou.com will provide a more accurate picture as to the calibre of the rest of them.
Soubry has stated on more than one occasion that she has no regrets whatsoever about having supported George Osborne’s austerity, despite how damaging it has clearly been, and continues to be. Sarah Wollaston’s experience as a GP didn’t preclude her voting for punitive cuts to the social security safety net, measures which she must have known would have an adverse impact on the health of those affected, including children, and create additional demands on the NHS etc.
Heidi Allen voting for callous measures then touring a few food banks with Frank Field to look into the impact seems either incredibly disingenuous or naive beyond belief to me. What exactly did she think she was voting for? And Kenneth Clarke’s hale-fellow-well-met, jazz-and-a-pint personality fails to mask just another cruel Tory at the end of the day; someone who was prepared to risk losing the party whip over Brexit but not over the bedroom tax, the benefit cap, the rape clause, cuts to disability benefits etc etc.
It’s not “tribal hatred” to loathe every single rotten Tory MP or former Tory MP whose support for brutal measures has caused, and continues to cause, entirely avoidable suffering and misery among the poorest people in society, including disabled people and children – especially if you’re one of those people.
Mo Maclean
Glasgow
AS a Scottish Green Party member I am perturbed at the visceral hatred directed at my party in your letters pages by some SNP supporters/members.
There is a strange idea that the Greens should stand aside and give the SNP a free run in all the Scottish constituencies. Have the SNP ever done this for another party? I very much doubt it. The SNP exist solely to bring about an independent Scotland, which is fair enough. The Scottish Greens support Scottish independence as a means to an end, not an end in itself.
READ MORE: The Greens have zero chance of getting MPs in Scotland
In my own constituency, as we don’t have the resources and the Westminster voting system is undemocratic, we won’t be putting forward a candidate of our own.
This means that I will be voting for the SNP candidate. This should not be taken as an indication that I fully support all the SNP policy positions, but that I do support Scottish independence.
As party members we get to vote on whether or not to stand candidates. This means that where Green candidates stand in this election, local party members have decided that this is their wish. That is democracy in action.
In conclusion, if the SNP candidates do not win in the constituencies where they are standing, it will be because the electorate wasn’t persuaded by their arguments, not as a consequence of the Scottish Green party splitting the vote.
Looking forward to a cleaner, greener, independent Scotland.
Jon Southerington
Deerness, Orkney
EVERY election for decades I have struggled between my wish for Scottish independence and my knowledge that the future of humans on the planet is at risk.
As every year goes by, it seems to me the necessity of voting Green increases. Therefore, I have always been pleased that the Green party supports freedom for Scotland thus resolving my dilemma. The letter in The National stating that it is a century since the independence movement was founded (Letters, November 4) only increases my doubts of its efficacy.
Others telling me that I should not vote for a Green future in a General Election so that the SNP can boast a full house in a Westminster Parliament for party political reasons gars me grue, and does not persuade me to vote for them ever again.
Iain WD Forde
Scotlandwell
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