ASK a member of the Tory government to explain why Brexit is a good idea, or whether school children should go hungry over the holidays, and you’re unlikely to get a straight answer.
Ask them about PPE contracts, ferry contracts or what you have to do to be sacked from the Cabinet, and you’ll just get waffle.
But when a Scottish politician asks a reasonable question in Parliament, it’s a different story.
Alyn Smith found that out as he asked Leader of the House Jacob Rees-Mogg about fireworks.
READ MORE: Jacob Rees-Mogg: Devolution would be 'triumphant success' if Tories ran Holyrood
The Stirling MP had recently run a local survey which found the vast majority of respondents want to ban the private use of fireworks.
He asked Rees-Mogg if the Commons could have a debate about the issue, which is a matter of concern for people across the UK.
The Tory minister could barely be bothered making it out of his seat to give the reply, which he delivered with the good grace you’d expect of his government.
“No,” he responded before plonking himself back down, resisting the temptation this time to stretch out on the benches.
Smith responded on Twitter afterwards: “The Leader of the House’s response says it all about this government's attitude towards my constituents’ views.”
I recently ran a survey in #Stirling on fireworks, with 89% of local people telling me they wanted them banned from private use.
— Alyn Smith MP 🏴🇪🇺🏳️🌈 (@AlynSmith) December 3, 2020
I raised it today in the Commons. The Leader of the House’s response says it all about this government's attitude towards my constituents’ views. pic.twitter.com/I3BAlm5Iv1
One Scots Twitter user replied: "Awful response. But thanks for trying to raise this. Our dog wouldn't go out at night for the best part of a month, and spent several nights in the house terrified during that time."
SNP MP Peter Grant added: "A lot of constituents have contacted me in favour of stricter controls on the sale and use of fireworks. Only the UK parliament has the power to impose the ban that many people support. Here's the British government showing how much they care."
It’s another public relations win for the Tories in Scotland…
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