TWO hundred and eleven Tory MPs agree that telling lies in parliament is OK. That holding parties whilst people were dying of Covid was OK. That increasing the nuclear warheads stockpile in Faslane from 180 to 260 is OK. That the rape clause is OK. That the bedroom tax is OK. That the Internal Market Act, which is a “power grab” against our parliament, is OK. Ignoring the United Nations over Diego Garcia is OK.
That shrinking trade with the rest of the world is OK. The fact that trade deals with the rest of the world – which were to be so abundant once the UK left the European Union – have not been so forthcoming is OK. That the NHS is not getting an extra £350 million a week is OK. That the Northern Ireland Protocol can be unilaterally tinkered with is OK. Scottish fisheries and farming have been damaged and that is OK. That the shortage of workers caused by Brexit will work out, maybe, sometime in the future, and that is OK. Oh and let us not forget that the success (not) of Brexit is OK.
READ MORE: 'Sleekit' Boris Johnson quietly scraps £3bn rail link to Scotland
Inflation of 9%, 10%, 11% is OK. Fuel prices approaching £2 per litre are OK. The icing on the cake ... the return to imperial measurements, oh, that is OK.
Johnson will be cock-a-hoop over his win in the vote of confidence, and he will now be feeling safe and secure. Even if the by-elections go badly, no-one can challenge him again for one year.
Johnson is not like those who came before him. I heard someone say that he would leave the Prime Minister’s job soon anyway because there was not enough money in it. Then I remembered that Winston Churchill was not great with money, and the “Tory Club” had to make sure he was not thrown out of his house, Chartwell, and that he could remain there for the rest of his days.
Money is not the issue, it is the power, and maybe that is something admired by his wife as well. This, in my opinion, is not what went on with Mrs May, or Mr Major – with them the votes of no confidence wounded them.
READ MORE: Ian Blackford mocks Boris Johnson after confidence vote - watch the brilliant exchange
Commentators keep repeating that 148 MPs voting against Johnson has damaged him. I am certain that he will consider it a badge of merit, and will find ways to spin what many would consider negative into a shining spotlight into which he will step and do his next tap dance.
I had a conversation with someone on Tuesday morning who told me I should forget all about “Partygate”, it was nothing. I should be thanking Johnson for the £400 off the heating bills, and admire him for giving weapons to Ukraine. Well, the 25% windfall tax is mitigated by the tax relief on increases in production from the North Sea. In 1994 the UK gave Ukraine “security guarantees”.
READ MORE: Keir Starmer flops at PMQs with no mention of tight confidence vote
Sadly the person I was speaking with found it difficult to understand how these stories intermingle. That is a phenomenon which I often come across. It is also one of the reasons I keep writing, trying to draw ideas together and to explore how things join up.
All that logic, and more, will not turn the heads of staunch Unionists, but I hope against hope it charges the emotional batteries of every independence-supporting Scot. It is our emotional response which will ultimately lead to our independence. It really is time to talk with all our fellow Scots, and for us to get really emotional about our own personal reasons for wanting Scotland’s freedom.
Cher Bonfis
via email
BY meddling to stop an indyref2, George Foulkes proves he has self-interest at heart – it certainly shows he has no love for Scotland. We have had treaties, the Edinburgh Agreement etc. So what is this unelected disgraceful lord playing at and afraid of? The House of Lords, like Boris, should be ditched for good but justice and freedom will come soon.
Glen Peters
Paisley
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