Gaza should not be political fodder
Once again Westminster and the outdated and unfit establishment it represents has shown its true colours.
While I would usually follow a statement like that with the affirmation that I am not at all surprised – and after the absolute shambles we witnessed last week during a debate which should have been quite frankly a no brainer – I think it would be fair to say I was shocked by the total failure of the UK Government and their ability to make a sensible and moral decision.
When our SNP colleagues down in London put forward a motion for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and Israel, you would think this would be a universally-supported motion and one that, if passed, would give the UK Parliament a chance to do the right thing and speak up for the millions of people suffering in the region right now.
Instead, what happened can only be described as a political circus which saw Keir Starmer and the Speaker colluding behind everyone’s back to block parliament voting on the SNP motion but a Labour amendment instead.
Not only does this go against parliamentary convention, but it is simply shameful for the Speaker to bow to pressure over doing the right thing and allowing our MPs voices to be heard on a matter that is of upmost humanitarian and global importance.
Playing party politics is bad enough when the Tories or the Labour party think they are undermining the work of the SNP and its importance in our country – a county they have never respected or seen as equals I might add – but it is another thing altogether to use the horrific situation in Gaza and Israel as fodder in a game of political point scoring and dirty tactics.
It’s honestly repugnant and must not be condoned in any way or for any longer.
More than 29,000 Palestinian men, women and children have been killed, and huge areas of Gaza have been destroyed while Westminster sits on its hands and prevaricates. Enough is enough.
People in Gaza, Israel and voters in Scotland have been tragically let down – once again – and we all deserve so much better than an institution which will stifle our voices at every turn; disregard our democratically elected representatives who are only sharing the views of our communities, and stand by while innocent people are dying and watching their families, friends and homes be torn apart.
What is painfully clear is that Scotland needs to be able to make a different choice.
We need the ability to speak up for what we believe in and want in this world.
We need to break free from an institution that puts party politics above peoples’ lives.
Only independence can grant all of this and now more than ever, we need it.