Edinburgh Evening News

End the agony Rishi – call an election now

- Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP is Leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats

In less time than it took for a lettuce to reach its use-by date, she crashed the economy

The end of this week marks the last moment at which Rishi Sunak can feasibly call a general election and have it coincide with the English local elections in May. He’s stated that he won’t do that, but there is still a chance he might.

If threats to depose him as Prime Minister from within gather momentum, the one ace he has up his sleeve is his ability to visit the King and pull the plug on this entire parliament­ary session. I sincerely hope that’s what happens.

Can you remember the last time it felt like we had any kind of stability or even morality in government? I struggle to.

Cast your mind back to Theresa May. Her “strong and stable administra­tion, governing in the national interest” soon became decidedly weak and wobbly. Then we were given Boris Johnson. While women gave birth alone and loved ones were prevented from saying goodbye to Covid victims dying in intensive care, he was living it up with his mates, in total violation of the very rules he was instructin­g others to follow. He was followed by Liz Truss. In less time than it took for a lettuce to reach its use-by date, she crashed the economy and sent mortgage rates skyrocketi­ng.

That left us with Rishi Sunak. A man who seems determined to tear up our commitment to fighting the climate emergency, to deport planeloads of refugees to Rwanda in defiance of internatio­nal law and who refuses to return the money of a donor embroiled in a racism row. This is a man who every day diminishes the standing of the country and the great office he holds. That’s no way to run a country. It’s why Lib Dems are like caged tigers right now. We’re desperate to get out there and take our message of new hope and the promise of change to the people.

People need an end to long NHS waiting lists, to rising violence in schools and the pound in your pocket feeling like it just doesn’t go as far as it used to. But Rishi Sunak can’t or won’t give these issues the attention they deserve. It’s why we urgently need a general election to get the Conservati­ves out of power.

 ?? ?? Rishi Sunak visited an apprentice training centre this week
Rishi Sunak visited an apprentice training centre this week
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