Westminster treats Scotland with contempt
WHAT a disgrace the House of Common is. At 1230pm on Wednesday (June 28) an SNP MP attempted to ask the Prime Minister why the police and fire services in Scotland are paying more than £45 million a year in VAT, when others are exempt in the UK. This MP was heckled, interrupted and when eventually The Speaker called order, attempted to repeat the question, but the rabble was deafening. The Speaker joked: “We just about heard that.”
Theresa May replied, “The Scottish Government were informed that if they merged the services they would pay VAT” and sat down with a smug smile.
An English female MP was then called behind her and informed the house about St Alban’s Day and the House fell silent, both for her and the PM, with some trite reply and everyone cheered.
I ask what century are we in when the largest party representing the majority of Scottish people is treated with such contempt, yet the fawning masses fall silent for some obscure English religious saint or event.
It’s time the Police Service and Fire Service of Scotland refused to pay Her Majesty’s Government and the people of Scotland did likewise, until we are shown a level of respect from the UK Parliament and its private school behaviour.
It is a shameful place and, if this is supposed to represent the peoples of the UK, I do not wish it to represent me or pay for it.
My fellow Scots who voted Conservative should think hard on what they have done and what will be done to our country in the future. We will be paying more in tax, having fewer services and reduced to a poor cousin in Tory UK. Those 13 seats will haunt Scotland for years to come.
And our emergency services will continue to subsidise the DUP and other right-wing policies foisted upon us.
William McKissock, 17 Stamperland Drive, Clarkston,
Glasgow.
AFTER today (June 29) I have finally decided to give up watching First Minister’s Questions on television. Rather than a mature attempt to ask searching questions and receive informative answers on current issues, this weekly event has become more like the traditional Glasgow “stairheid rammy”, with three middle-aged women shouting at each other and exchanging insults while the watching neighbours cheer on their respective favourite.
The semi-circular seating arrangements at Holyrood were designed specifically to avoid the cross-chamber confrontational arrangements at Westminster, but in that respect they have clearly failed dismally. The weekly confrontation produces much heat but little light, with the watching media commentators later giving their opinions on who has “won the battle”.
Of course politicians in different parties will always have differing views on a wide range of subjects and policies, but there is no need to express these differences in such a confrontational and unpleasant personal manner. I can find better things to do than wasting half-anhour of my life each week watching this unedifying and irritating performance.
Iain AD Mann, 7 Kelvin Court, Glasgow.