THE anointing of the new PM and the appointment of her acolytes will continue to make headlines in various disguises for days and even weeks to come as Team Truss attempts to morph into a semblance of government.

The media (mainly a right-left boxing ring) are so absorbed in ratings and sales that they continues to dance to a tune that fails to deliver anything other than their masters’ voices. And in the process we the public are fed rhetoric, lacking in balance, analysis or questioning: preventing the establishment of the very space that should enable us to ponder, discuss and decide for ourselves.

Now you may choose to pay or subscribe to the media, but even downloading enables adverts and funding of the vested interests. The BBC isn’t free: we pay and we get state messages, disguised directives, likes and dislikes (Joe Lycett, the latest). Elsewhere, we decry that as propaganda, fake news, media manipulation.

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The media over the last six weeks has failed to explore the gulf between the warring factions, their party and the wider public, or hold to account the absentee government. We’ve been smothered by a blanket of the contestants’ activity as though we were all willing participants. We’re not. We’re being forced down blind alleyways.

So what if she’s the third female PM? So what she’s if not from London? Her first PMQs demonstrated that she wants a carry on Conservative government that will lower taxes, decries windfall taxes, and is happier with tax breaks. No matter a freeze or a cap, the companies will demand the bill is paid, in full by us the consumer, the majority of whom are not shareholders. Profits secured, the “loan” paid, even if it’s generational.

At being told of a freeze, of monies targeted and going to the “most needy”, will the population just accept that and assume there are green shoots and recovery is on the way? Will there be any anger at the overall financial crisis that is ongoing, no matter any short-term fix, will there be strikes or will those be further curtailed, even outlawed? Will we accept more of the same, and be told to revive some Dunkirk spirit, standing shoulder to shoulder in food bank queues or inside warm rooms, or ride the buses (OK, I’ve got a bus pass)?

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What are the chances that somehow, banks and rooms will be spun into good news stories, with photos and interviews of cheery pop-up tables from good neighbours helping out with hot food? But two small pop-ups on my social media in the last week were all I ever saw of what appeared to be thousands at Enough is Enough events across England, and we know that marches across Scotland are poorly attended if even commented on by the media.

Non-violent civil disobedience has been around for centuries – Mary Barbour, the suffragette movement and Rosa Parks are just some of the most recent examples of individuals and movements. And when there is violence, it’s always those in power, in charge, being threatened, who resort to violence. I’m just wondering how long people will ponder what has brought the UK to this state, and then decide how much longer they need to wait for change, or if there is a case to make change, just what that case will look like.

Selma Rahman
Edinburgh

THE last thing Scotland needs is a reboot of the Thatcher years. “Thatcher II: Back With a Vengeance” will do us nothing but harm. Truss knows that she has no seats to gain in Scotland and the only benefit she can get from our country is what she can take from us to buy votes from the English electorate.

Now is the time to do whatever it takes to get us out of this toxic Union before the asset-stripping gets into full stride.

Ni Holmes
St Andrews