THE hypocrisy of the Labour Party knows no bounds! They seem to think that because they have been “transparent”, that makes it OK that Keir, Angela and all the other Labour snouts in the trough have taken bribes – or as they call them, gifts.
It is a disgraceful betrayal by those supposedly representing the working people who gave them their vote.
Rachel Reeves bleats on saying that there’s no austerity from them at the same time as she retains the two-child cap and removes the pensioners’ Winter Fuel Payment.
READ MORE: All of Keir Starmer's freebies so far - see the full list
Some of the pensioners have worked and paid their taxes for 40 years. So why target them with an austerity measure? There are other choices that can be made.
Tax the richest folks in the country at an additional 1% and the money from that source would allow payment of the winter fuel money for pensioners and allow for investment and improvements in education and in the NHS.
They won’t do that because they are beholden to all their millionaire donors. Labour are a shocking farce.
I hope all the folk in Scotland who voted for Labour MPs in Scotland are prepared for what comes next. Scotland will be decimated as our resources and our workers are exploited.
Our voices will continually be silenced by the 55 million-plus voices in England who will always be heard and listened to – while we in Scotland have to sit back down quietly at the back of the bus.
How have we who believe in an independent Scotland let this happen?
Jan Ferrie
Ayrshire
AMAZING Labour doubling down on freebies, donations and corporate hospitality.
The first thing Sarwar does in Liverpool is go on a freebie with Murray to the the football. Sarwar is a millionaire – why can’t he pay for his own football ticket?
Rachael Reeves says “no austerity’ under Labour” – just starve the children and freeze the pensioners – not just austerity but Labour austerity, wrapped up in “pensioners have had increases every year and will have another one this year” – so that is alright then. Even though pensioners have one of the lowest pensions in Europe and they know the effect of inflation on family budgets and children’s wellbeing.
READ MORE: What young Labour members think of Keir Starmer amid freebies row
Reeves talks about jobs in Merseyside, Teeside and Humberside – not a mention of the Acorn project in Scotland and not a mention of Grangemouth, even though England has five oil refineries and Scotland produces 92% of the oil. Looks like all Scotland will get is a brass plaque.
On Sunday Martin Geissler asked the Scottish Secretary Ian Murray about the existence of a multi-million-pound war chest to tackle poverty, as reported by a journalist. He said this was not true. On Monday night he had to retract his claim that a journalist had “made up” the claim of of multi-millions for the Scottish Secretary. The report was not true but it was not a lie – heaven help us, they do not even know the difference any more. Once upon a very long time ago, everyone knew the difference between a truth and a lie.
Don’t let anyone tell you Labour care about Scotland or Scots. It is only our resources they are interested in.
Winifred McCartney
Paisley
I REALLY hope and pray the SNP are going to capitalise on Labour’s floundering start to their stint at governing. Surely they are not going to continue to parrot Labour’s excuses about “difficult decisions”. Cutting Winter Fuel Payments was not a “difficult decision”, it was an easy target. A difficult decision would have been to match Scotland’s income tax rates, ie a slight increase in tax for people who can afford it, which would have raised approx £15bn (£1.5bn in Scotland x 10 for UK). Of course no UK party can mention increasing income tax!
Surely if the SNP have any sense they will find money from somewhere and reinstate the Winter Fuel Payments. I know that they have mitigated some UK policies the Tories introduced, but surely reinstatement of this benefit could win over many soft Labour supporters.
READ MORE: Stephen Flynn: Keir Starmer has 'broken his promise' to Scottish voters
I would also really urge the SNP to introduce some radical policies regarding reforming council tax, introducing a land tax etc. Policies which they have powers over and will make a REAL change to people’s lives here in Scotland.
My feeling is that soft No’s and undecideds will be willing to give Scottish Labour a chance in power in 2026 unless the SNP make a seismic shift in the next 12 months. We cannot rely on Starmer and his red Tories screwing things up over the next 12 months or so. He may have no principles but he isn’t stupid. We need some big decisions from the SNP that will make headlines and show that independence is our nation’s only hope.
Colin T
Largs
I SEE that Charles Mountbatten-Windsor is planning to make an appearance at the Scottish Parliament when the next session starts. I wonder by whose invitation he will be present. Does he expect that he will be welcomed by the Scots he presumes to treat as his subjects? Will he turn up dressed in the kilt in a shameless display of cultural appropriation, or will he wear his king uniform with its gaudy array of royal medals?
READ MORE: 'Undemocratic' royals to face protest at Holyrood 25th anniversary
I think it would be fitting to greet him with a song, and what better song than Burns’s A Man’s a Man for a’ That? Let every Scot see him for what he is and echo the words:
“His ribband, star, and a that;
The man o independent mind,
He looks and laughs at a that.
The honest man, tho e’er sae puir
Is king o men for a that.”
In the 21st century an independent Scotland with a society founded on social justice can have no more place for the inherited wealth and privilege of the monarchy than it has for food banks. “It’s coming yet for a that!”
Ni Holmes
St Andrews
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