Lib-dem rethink

I thought the Tory/lib Dem coalition had ended before the 2015 general election but obviously not in Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirkshire.

A quick look at the 2017 results show the Tory vote increased by 8,396 at the same time as the Lib Dem vote decreased by 7,812. that’ s some coincidence, especially as during the whole campaign, we never heard a word from the Lib Dems locally.

This shift is all the more unusual when you consider David Steel held these at for the liberal/ Lib De ms from 196597 and Michael moore from 1997 until the general election in 2015. I would have thought the Lib Dem vote would have if anything increased in order to try to regain the seat from the SNP.

I have, of course, heard of tactical voting but, for Lib Dem supporters to go so far against their own party’s beliefs and manifesto promises to support the Tories just to get the SNP out is amazing.

While they can’t have foreseen the final result, they must have been fully prepared to accept Tory policies for the next five years and all that entails. The result locally is we have lost a hard-working MP in Calum Kerr and nationally gained a minority government currently trying for an alliance with the DUP, which is, according to most sources, unlikely to survive. It will be interesting to see how the vote goes locally and nationally at the next general election which again, according to many sources might not be that far away.

DAVID LAING

West High Street, Lauder