A catalogue of catastrophes from May’s incompetent, divided team

AFTER outrageous filibustering and last-minute ambiguous promises to her rebel flock last night, promises contradicted outright by her spokesman on the Radio 4 Today programme first thing this morning, Theresa May has apparently staggered away once more, temporarily, from the yawning abyss of constitutional and economic chaos effortlessly prepared for the UK by her divided, incompetent apology for a “Government team” .

Railway chaos across the south and north of England; the Windrush scandal, created by Mrs May’s very own “hostile environment”, costing Amber Rudd her career but more importantly destroying the lives of many British citizens and their families and preventing the NHS from employing desperately needed specialists from Commonwealth countries; the crazy, desperate plan to have Northern Ireland declare itself simultaneously both within and outside the EU customs union; the inhumanity, not least towards the mental and emotional wellbeing of younger children in poorer larger, families, of the rape clause: these are just some of the more obvious ghastly consequences of our continued toleration of this appalling administration.

The retiring leader of the CBI was also interviewed this morning, about Brexit. He was extremely articulate about the dangerous mess that we are now facing, again created by an irresponsible divided Conservative administration, leaderless – fighting among themselves, unchallenged by a prevaricating official opposition.

About articulacy: this Prime Minister, to return briefly to the unfortunate Ms Rudd, was apparently aware enough of her own lack of empathy, her own inarticulacy, to have used her as a replacement in all major party leader debates during the last election. Her attempts to “meet the people” have been, without exception, grotesque – behind the closed doors of empty warehouses, surrounded by lackeys and bodyguards before sweeping away in a convoy of darkened windows.

Throughout this nightmarish period the Scottish Government, with limited powers and the help at times of Green and Labour MSPS, has successfully mitigated the worst viciousness and harm of Tory diktats from Westminster. Meanwhile, the Tory contingent has sustained smirking, shameless disgraceful diversion and denial.

So, when you print a letter, like the one from Alasdair Sampson today (June 13), the morning after our Holyrood Parliament was treated with contempt by an inarticulate, cynical UK Prime Minister and her totally out-of-control incompetent Cabinet, removing powers to protect our environment, our key industries and our people from the worst of what will now follow as we are led over the Brexit cliff edge, the irony is extreme.

There will be consequences of events yesterday in Westminster. As a first step, I hope reality finally breaks through for people like Mr Sampson and the false basis of Ruth Davidson’s political persona and her mantras in Scotland are nailed. Frances Mckie,

20 Ash Hill, Evanton.

I HOPE that when I unfold Thursday’s edition of The Herald I read the banner headlines “Ruth Davidson slams the Westminster Government’s treatment of Scotland”. It would be ironic indeed if the silence of the leader of the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party were to contribute in no small way to the break-up of the UK.

John Milne,

9 Ardgowan Drive, Uddingston.