I AGREE with Richard Leonard: There should be a General Election in 2018 (Tory Brexit deal will be ‘voted down in parliament’, The National, June 4).
Where I categorically don’t agree with him is that Labour will win it.
I think we shall have a hung parliament, and whichever coalition that emerges will do the United Kingdom no favours whatsoever as chaos reigns supreme.
It would seem clear that as this currently hypothetical election day approaches, voters will require to choose between perpetuating the catastrophic leadership represented by Theresa May, or voting for another Tory of similar stripe who might be slid into her seat immediately before such a vote, or they can plump for the (already proven) unelectable Jeremy Corbyn.
Proven, absolutely, for amongst the ongoing catastrophe of literally pantomime proportions which represents the UK’s current leadership, Corbyn and his party have categorically shown themselves unable to win council or local authority elections in any type of decisive manner, and that against a government which has consistently demonstrated itself to be a calamity of biblical proportions.
Faced with a “lesser of two evils” option, voters will hold their noses and plump for the best fit for their preferences, meaning the Leave-minded part of the franchise will possibly stay Tory.
Meanwhile, in the UK (excluding Scotland), there is no place for the Remain voter, excepting the party of zero credibility, the LibDems. Let’s face it, when it comes to them, without the ongoing pumping of the mainstream media, the LibDems would have been first marginalised then consigned to history’s dustbin years ago.
This means that the time is now ripe for a new party – a pro-European Union, UK-wide party, which is well funded. Many current media articles indicate the funding exists, just awaiting a charismatic and strong leader. We can guarantee that unlike the SNP such a party being pro-UK and pro-EU, essentially an “establishment” party, would be most surprising if it didn’t get very favourable coverage. Good media always equates to votes. Good funding equals an even bigger slice of the franchise.
Couple that complimentary reporting to a pro-EU stance joined to a strong English/Welsh protest vote, and for the first time in a long time, British politics will have the opportunity of being severely shaken up, for a little while.
This could also equate to 40-plus MPs for the SNP again, as their core vote is unlikely to move while the Unionist parties are now looking at a four or five-way split, depending on the strength of the Ukip revenant.
It represents a window of opportunity for Scotland, but do not be surprised if the SNP bloc is again shut out by a combination operating under a British nationalist umbrella. It will simply be a new grouping.
That window, if it appears, will be short-lived, because the UK establishment prefers the illusion of democracy rather than democracy itself. For where else in the world is the next government already named, in full, prior to any election? Only, to my knowledge, in the UK, do you have each ministerial position filled by either the incumbent or the opposition “shadow” before the vote has even taken place.
A MacGregor
E Kilbride
ON Monday Richard Leonard took the opportunity to announce that the Labour Party was going to bring down the Tory government over the Brexit deal, force a General Election, become the new government, and successfully negotiate a new last-minute Brexit deal in what little time remained before Brexit Day.
On Tuesday the Labour Party in Westminster tabled a number of amendments to the Brexit bill that will be almost certainly be defeated when it comes to the vote and that its MPs but going to abstain and allow the Tories to overturn the highly significant Lords EEA amendment.
Not because it is neutral on the amendment and outcome of the vote but because it is as divided on Brexit as the Tory party and can not guarantee to get the support of enough of its MPs to win the vote with the help of abstaining rebel Tory MPs.
The Labour Party leadership has no chance of defeating the Tory party in a Brexit vote and will continue to avoid the issue by abstaining as each Brexit vote comes around.
It is unlikely that Jeremy Corbyn will risk a vote of confidence over any Brexit issue as the possibility of losing power would outweigh any moral principles over Brexit held by Tory rebels and reunite the Tory party for the vote.
Is the leadership of the Labour Party in Scotland uninformed, naïve or just plain stupid?
The Scottish branch obviously has little in the line of two-way communications with its party headquarters or it would not have bungled the timing of its announcement, which presumably originated in that office.
John Jamieson
South Queensferry
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