Hiding behind the soundbites

THERESA May has spent this election campaign dodging TV debates, ducking awkward questions from reporters and ignoring members of the public.

The Prime Minister would happily spend the next three weeks endlessly repeating meaningless soundbites like “Brexit means Brexit” and “strong and stable leadership”.

This Tory Government hate any kind of scrutiny because they know their callous policies cannot withstand even the tiniest amount.

But yesterday, May came face to face with the brutal reality of Conservative rule.

The Tory leader was taken to task over cuts to disability benefits by a voter called Cathy Mohan, who has a learning disability.

The fiery confrontation in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, was caught by TV cameras and could be a key moment in the campaign.

May believes Jeremy Corbyn and his divided Labour Party are so useless she has no need to defend the cruel and shambolic way her party have governed for the past seven years.

It’s nothing short of contempt for the electorate that explains her continued refusal to take part in a proper leaders’ debate.

But the clash with Cathy after weeks of only speaking to hand-picked audiences of supporters shows the wheels could still come off the Tory campaign.

Meanwhile, Ruth Davidson was proving she is almost as detached from reality as her boss.

In a speech in London, the Scottish Tory leader complained that the Daily Record had been all nasty to her new councillors by claiming they had “invaded” Scotland.

She seems to think the tone of our coverage has something to do with nationalism or Scottishness.

Actually, we dislike Tories because they shaft working people, hammer the disabled and feather the beds of their rich friends.

And that’s true whatever side of the Tweed they happen to come from...