WE have to stop this, we have to stop it, now! We are the most accommodating country in the world! But to our detriment, not to our benefit. Let me explain.
We allow another country to put forward candidates for our national parliament ... And they’re not even registered in our country!
They influence our laws and governance but are registered elsewhere! Hell, they could, one day, even take control of our Parliament!
Just because they have a branch in Scotland, that doesn’t change the fact that they are are English political parties. This nonsense has got to stop, and stop now!
“Shock, horror and we protest!” will be the screams ... “that’s unconstitutional!” Well, no, there is no constitution, they make things up as they go along!
What we need to declare is that unless a political party is registered in Scotland then it will be barred from standing for election.
“You can’t do that, we’re British,” you’ll hear. We can ... it’s a Scottish Parliament or Scottish council election, not a UK election, that this will apply to.
Anyway, a precedent has already been set. Cameron nearly stumbled over his podium to instruct the Scots that they will not be allowed a vote on English laws (EVEL).
So, by that same principle, unless a political party that wishes to put forward candidates for election that could, in effect, vote on laws in Scotland, is registered in Scotland, then by their own precedent they should be barred from doing so!
Does that sound harsh? Should there be a debate about it? Eh, no!
I’m fed up watching our Westminster Conservative and Labour parties consistently and continually ignore us. It’s time to stop and take control! This is OUR parliament, OUR country!
If we don’t do this, do we allow any political party stand at Holyrood elections?
Do you want to see Farage and his right-wing Brexit party being able to vote on Scottish issues? Or even the DUP? Technically, as a UK party, they could also stand, as it is now the case in Scotland! Frightening, isn’t it?
What if the English parties protest at this outrage of having to register in Scotland for Scottish elections and decide to boycott?
Fine, let them. Only you can’t boycott something that you’re not qualified to take part in. It’s not as if Scotland would be the only country in the UK that the Tories and Labour don’t stand in (see Northern Ireland)! So what do we do? Or what don’t we do? More to the point!
We declare in Parliament that unless you’re registered in Scotland then you can’t stand in Scottish elections.
We don’t enter into debate (Scottish Greens should be in agreement). We should start to dictate terms, not have to ask the English parties’ permission as we seem to do in other matters.
A though just crossed my mind there. Why is it that when two countries make an international treaty, and some time later, one of them wants to break that Treaty, that they have to ask for permission from the other country just to be able to have a vote about it!!!
Maybe it’s just me. Maybe I’m ignorant in the making and breaking of international treaties, but is that normal? Hmmm. Food for thought, and maybe the subject of another letter...
I’m deviating, so to get back to my point.
Enough of this kowtowing to our “ masters”. Let’s call them out and dictate our terms, COMPLY OR BYE BYE!
Let’s run our OUR OWN Parliament on OUR OWN TERMS and show the world we’re doers not just sayers.
AM I ALONE?
Kenneth S Macrae
via email
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