JO Swinson needs to be careful what she wishes for. Her current constituents have the stark, and for some of them unwelcome, choice between remaining in or rejoining the EU but leaving the UK, and a futile protest vote that will be ineffectual in the EU debate and leave them incarcerated in a Johnson/Corbyn hell.
In the unlikely event that she holds her East Dunbartonshire seat, she will be a party leader who is unable to participate in many parliamentary debates under the EVEL convention. How long she is able to sustain this position in a party with a sizeable number of former Cabinet ministers such as Chuka Umunna, Philip Lee, Luciana Berger, Angela Smith and Sam Gyimah is debatable.
She may have been the best of a poor choice in a party of a dozen to take over from a 76-year-old man; how she will fare in a party of crocodiles like Umunna is a different matter.
Anyone voting for Ms Swinson in the expectation of her being the next Prime Minister is as misled as she is herself.
Ian Richmond
Dumfries and Galloway
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 The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.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