WHO would vote for any of the contestants at Sunday night’s TV debate? Rishi Sunak had nothing to say except his usual mantra that anyone who disagrees with him is irresponsible. Liz Truss pleaded with the watching audience to recognise her competence at securing rushed bad trade deals just to get numbers on the board.
Of the other, three Kemi Badenoch is going to change something but doesn’t say what or how, Tom Tugendhat relies on his military service experience to manage the whole country, Penny Mordaunt wants people to trust her but is not revealing any policies until she is elected.
READ MORE: SNP slam 'ironic' cancellation of Sky debate after candidates pull out
During the debate about National Insurance and tax no-one mentioned the disappearance of Boris Johnson’s £8.6 billion Leave bonus promised to the NHS, which was written on his battle bus for all to see. Neither did any of the candidates declare that leaving the EU has cost the UK hundreds of billions so far, but they all declared that they must find ways to benefit from leaving, which only exposes the fact there was no plan for post-Brexit despite them having had six years since the referendum.
Also, what happened to Johnson’s promise that he would negotiate the best trade deals ever with both the EU and the USA? So far the outcome is one bad deal and one no-deal.
Unfortunately, Scotland has to put up with all the lies and incompetence coming from a sick Westminster. The only hope is independence.
Mike Underwood
Linlithgow
I AGREE that “Watching would-be Tory leaders squirm is top viewing”, (The National, July 18) and have found the numerous “Why Boris Johnson failed” programmes rather tame by comparison. However, putting the two together sets alarm bells ringing – or perhaps tolling would be a better description.
How on earth could any selection process have resulted in a person apparently known to be unsuited for any position of authority acceding to the highest office in the country?
The UK electorate uses a variety of bespoke election systems to try to ensure that the most suitable candidate is democratically selected to fill every political position.
This is the time to ask why a system that fails to meet democratic objectives in so many ways is still being used to elect the most powerful political figure in the country.
John Jamieson
South Queensferry
YET again we were subjected to an evening of “debate” between a set of incompetent, failed has-beens and some “never-will-be’s” who are attempting to succeed Comical Ali in Downing Street.
We should really care who succeeds as, given their performances so far, none care about the “precious” Union. We should care, but why bother?
READ MORE: What did the Tory leadership candidates say in latest TV debate?
The decision will rest with about 180,000 mainly white, ancient citizens, probably bucolic, retired colonels in leafy Esher or blue-rinse matrons in the grassy downlands of Sussex. The good citizens of the “verdant pastures” of the Raploch or Possil will not get a say and will continue to be neglected by the UK Government.
While the Scottish Government may not be perfect, Scotland does not deserve to continue to be the colony of this corrupt, broken Westminster system. We must get a move on at ridding ourselves of this modern example of “rotten boroughs”.
Colin Mowat
Laurencekirk
PS Was the gathering at Chequers last weekend which prevented Johnson attending the Cobra meetings a “party” or a “business meeting”? I feel we ought to be told, and also who picked up the tab.
I HAVE managed to avoid watching a single second of the Tory leadership TV so-called debates. Why are these folk on primetime national TV in the first place?
Even in the unlikely event that one of the contenders is found to be slightly less objectionable than the rest, the only people who can vote in this contest are Tory MPs, followed by signed-up members of the Tory party.
Given the ready availability of internet technology, could all these debates not be broadcast on Tory TV or whatever internet mechanism is currently available to them? It would free up the schedules for more interesting and relevant subject matter. A couple of repeats of The Muppet Show come to mind.
Brian Lawson
Paisley
THE second detailed Holyrood white paper titled “Renewing Democracy Through Independence” continues the Scottish Government’s vision for an independent Scotland.
In building a new Scotland, Holyrood strives for a wealthier, happier and fairer country in the modern world.
In fact there are 10 independent European countries similar in size to Scotland that are wealthier and happier than all of debt-ridden Tory Brexit Great Britain put together. A well-endowed independent Scotland would top them all. Where is the Unionist vision for Scotland?
READ MORE: Scots Tory MPs urged to oust Boris Johnson today with no-confidence vote in embattled PM
Last year the people of Scotland voted again for a Holyrood parliament with a clear majority in favour of independence. In line with that democratic mandate, indyref 2 will take place in October 2023. All Unionist voices who oppose this must be regarded as undemocratic pariahs!
There are really only now two choices for Scotland: either to remain in a Tory hard-Brexit UK, which Scotland overwhelmingly voted against, or to become a fully independent nation working alongside the other nations of the British Isles, Europe and the world.
Grant Frazer
Newtonmore
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