AS politicians enter a period of recess can we take time to reflect? Reflect on the political scenario we find ourselves in, awaiting a much-needed Westminster election. On reflection it has been a pretty rough time for the Conservatives, much of which has been self-inflicted, but unfortunately it is the country that has suffered the consequences. Yet what the country has heard from Labour has been a commitment to more of the same.
No commitment from Labour to introduce a “Child Payment” like we have in Scotland across the rest of the UK in an effort to tackle the ever increasing poverty rates, which are a damning reflection on us all. And what about the cost-of-living crisis still crippling many households?
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As we await the alarm bell for the election, the list of MPs not standing for re-election is growing daily. Why is this? To date we have almost 100 MPs standing down at the next election: 63 Conservatives, 17 Labour, nine SNP, one Green and six independents. The last time we saw such figures departing Westminster was back in 2010, when Labour were in government and numbers reached almost 150 standing down.
That figure of 63 Conservatives surely deserves to rise on reflection of the damage the Conservatives have inflicted on society. One thing is sure: voters are reflecting.
Catriona C Clark
Falkirk
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