Westminster does not work for Scotland.
That is something we must all remember as we make ready for another vote on our people’s future.
This is not about Europe. The EU referendum was just the trigger.
It is about democracy and the complete and utter failure of the current UK state to treat Scotland as an equal partner.
In a “successful union” or even a “precious union”, one partner does not ride roughshod over the other partner’s wishes.
There’s supposed to be give and take. There’s been no give by Theresa May since 62 per cent of Scots voted to remain in Europe.
She has ignored Nicola’s Sturgeon’s compromise offer – backed by other parties – to find a “differentiated” solution to allow Scotland to stay in the EU single market.
So no give – and now a threat to take.
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May and the Tories have made it clear that they will use Brexit to mount a smash-and-grab raid on the powers of the Scottish Parliament.
Holyrood backed the wishes of Scotland’s people and voted against triggering article 50.
It was ignored too by Theresa May.
So, too, were Scotland’s MPs in the Westminster Parliament.
Only one out of the 56 of them – the sole Tory – voted in favour of triggering article 50. The rest voted against. Again, ignored.
It is often said by British unionists that Scotland has its say through the Westminster parliament.
In 2015, on a record turnout, Scotland returned SNP members to 56 out of 59 of our allocated seats in the House of Commons. The SNP won half of all the votes cast.
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That was a time of great optimism – and anger. We sent our MPs there to do a job – and they certainly have not been silent.
Recent figures revealed that SNP MPs spoke in an average of 64 debates last year, significantly more than Labour and Tory MPs – and they have raised the profile of the country at Westminster, with mentions of Scotland and Scottish rising from an average of 1493 times a year from 2012-2015 to 3733 a year.
But no matter how hard they work and how loudly they talk up Scotland, the system works against them.
Our SNP MPs put down 50 amendments to the recent article 50 bill, designed to reflect the views of the majority of Scotland who voted Remain.
Every single one of those amendments was voted down by Tories representing English seats. Sadly, they also got a helping hand from Labour MPs.
Many Scots were horrified that when it came to debating the Scottish aspects of Brexit. Our MPs were refused time to speak.
One who did, Joanna Cherry QC, was cut off prematurely. No wonder the youngest MP, Mhairi Black, feels like packing it in.
But it’s not just Brexit where our wishes are ignored. Scotland’s MPs at Westminster are repeatedly
over-ruled on a whole variety of issues.
Whether it’s the restrictions on trade unions, benefit cuts, the renewal of Trident, the bombing of Syria, support for child refugees, more powers for Holyrood – in all these votes, the Scots MPs have been voted down by MPs for English seats.
That is a matter of simple arithmetic. There are 533 constituencies in England compared with 59
in Scotland.
In the last century, England has increased its representation in the Commons from 492 to 533 today.
Scotland has seen its seats reduced from 74 to 59. We will always be outvoted.
The Tories even brought in English Votes for English Laws which prevents Scottish MPs voting on a whole variety of areas.
But that will not stop MPs from England voting on Scottish laws.
And it is English MPs who will decide whether Scotland gets to choose its own future in another
independence referendum.
Incredibly, the final say on whether we get a referendum lies not with the Scottish Parliament, not even with Scottish MPs at Westminster, but with people who we don’t vote for and who don’t represent us.
“Scotland’s future in Scotland’s Hands” was the key argument of the Yes side in 2014.
It’s time to make it happen.
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