IT’S Theresa May tribute week at PMQs, with MPs pinning sheaves of wheat to their lapels and reminding us all of those glory days when there was a Brexit deal on the table. Innocent times. If only we’d known then what we know now.
Some claim these novelty brooches are actually an indication of support for the National Farmers Union’s Backing British Farming campaign, but surely that can’t be right, because the campaign is about protecting food standards and half of those with grass stuck to their jackets have voted to allow any old poison onto our dinner plates if it means signing a trade deal with the United States.
But back to Brexit deals or no-deals, and the UK Government’s plans to simply disregard the Withdrawal Agreement that was – as the name suggests – agreed back in January. At any other time, you might expect such an outrageous and indeed illegal move to be all that politicians were talking about. But unfortunately these are not normal times, and instead Keir Starmer wants answers about testing.
WATCH: Ian Blackford brands Boris Johnson a liar over power grab plan
Why are some people being told to travel hundreds of miles just to get tested, or that home testing kits are unavailable? Or at least, that’s what I hear him ask. Apparently Boris Johnson hears him say “why is NHS Test and Trace rubbish and all of the doctors and nurses involved in delivering it absolutely useless?”
Naturally, the Prime Minister has a robust response to the question his opponent is not asking, coming to the defence of those doing an “absolutely heroic job” in these difficult times and bemoaning the fact that Starmer is not using PMQs to give them a pep talk. Presumably everyone in the test centres and laboratories downs tools at noon on a Wednesday, looking to the leader of the opposition to give them the boost they need to carry on.
It falls to Ian Blackford to raise the question of a parcel of rogues creating a rogue state – “one where the law does not apply”, though rather than focusing on the Withdrawal Disagreement he bundles his objection together with his regular complaint about the UK internal market plans – one to which the PM has a well-rehearsed answer. His question “Why does the PM think he and his friends are above the law?” is a pointed one, but in response we get the usual insistence that Brexit represents a “massive devolutionary act”.
WATCH: Boris Johnson says he expects everyone in the UK ‘to obey the law’
It then falls to LibDem Alistair Carmichael to push the PM on his outrageous latest move, and top marks to him for finding a creative way of doing so. If Johnson thinks it’s acceptable for his own government to ignore international law, on what basis would he oppose a wildcat referendum on Scottish independence? Zing!
Johnson takes the unusual tack of scolding Starmer for “neglecting to ask a question about this important subject”, then has the nerve to reference his own responsibility to protect the peace process in Northern Ireland. What we can’t have are “extreme or irrational interpretations of the protocol which could lead to a border down the Irish Sea,” he says.
What on earth is he rambling about? It sounds like he’s saying he is justified in ignoring the law when it suits him because you can’t trust anyone else to do what you want them to do. He’s protecting the peace process, not risking it, he’s protecting food standards, not throwing them out of the window, Ian Blackford talks rubbish and Keir Starmer hates nurses. Are we clear on all that? No further questions!
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel