WITH the General Election activity in Scotland now in full swing, it is already obvious the kind of tactics and strategies which are being adopted by the branch offices of the Unionist opposition parties in Scotland, as opposed to their head offices down south.

It is abundantly clear that in England the Tories are going to face a catastrophic defeat not seen since the post-war landslide of the Atlee Labour party and of course the arrival of the Blair era in 1997. Such a resounding defeat of the Tories down south should of course be replicated in Scotland, should it not? This, including the total wipeout of the Tory party north of the Border, should be a done deal, but will this be the case?

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You have to look closely at the strategy being pursued by the Unionist parties in Scotland in what is a Westminster General Election. It is quite clear that the tactics of the Tories, Labour and the Liberal Democrats is to “play the Holyrood card”. This is to clearly deflect attention from the disastrous policies of the Tories across the UK and the complete absence in the Labour and LibDem manifestos of anything related to Scotland.

As a result, at every gathering of these parties – be it at the hustings on the television, radio or talks to the press, or in fact social media – their strategy is to attack at every opportunity the SNP performance at Holyrood instead of indicating what they as a party are going to do for Scotland at a national UK level.

This is obvious from the approach of the Tories in Scotland, who are soon to have a leadership vacancy. Douglas Ross and his so-called “Scottish Conservatives” have spent years suggesting that they are different from their Westminster cousins to the point that they believe they are a different party. In fact, his modus operandi is never to talk about his party’s attitude to Scotland and the disastrous policies which have impoverished our nation. His approach is to completely savage our independence aspirations at every turn, and offer nothing by way of policy that will lead to prosperity for Scotland.

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His desire to remain a Westminster MP at any cost says it all. He has no interest in even making devolution work, and is happy to support any policy his English Tory party conjures up, even if it impoverishes Scotland even more.

The history of the Labour Party in Scotland says it all. For years, this party provides the Scottish electorate with hollow promises of increased prosperity and being at the centre of the Westminster decision-making. Here once again, Anas Sarwar attacks the SNP’s record at every turn, promises the earth and kids us that they are a left-of-centre progressive party.

This quasi-conservative party need to find a new name, as Labour is now a complete misnomer. Their national policy is “a fit” for England and their prosperous “south east”, and does nothing for Scotland. Anas Sarwar the Labour spin doctor shouts the need for “change”

but cannot explain what this will be. If they succeed in Scotland by converting their two Westminster seats into double figures, those MPs will simple “disappear” into the huge 400-plus of the ruling Labour party never to be seen or heard from again and never talking about the issues that directly affect Scotland. I have seen this happen repeatedly over the last 50 years. There is no such thing as Scottish Labour, only the Labour party in Scotland.

In relation to the LibDems, this clearly English-based party make polices they will never have to deliver in Scotland and remain a tactical voting haven for disaffected Tory and Labour voters. Only the SNP can look after Scottish interests and the future can only be secured with independence.

Dan Wood
Kirriemuir