IAN Blackford, the SNP Westminster leader, reportedly made a reshuffle to bring in fresh talent while kicking out the SNP’s highest-profile MP – that is, Joanna Cherry QC MP, who stood up and took Boris and his bonkers Brexit government to court and won not once but twice. Strange, but where was the new fresh talent then?
I joined the SNP on September 19 2014 having never voted SNP before. My mum was born 75 years ago in Surrey, England. She has lived in Scotland since she was a teenager and is now a proud SNP member. So I always had the impression that the SNP was a bunch of anti-English crackpots who wanted to relive Braveheart on an endless loop and shouting “Freedom” at passing cars.
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I was totally wrong, the SNP is a modern (albeit with growing pains) 21st-century democratic party. Some might wonder about the democratic bit after several well-publicised issues with votes and decisions by the NEC, but I think that will all be sorted out soon. However, at its heart the SNP is a democratic party and its sole purpose is to deliver the decisions back to the people of Scotland. Oh how Unionists hate the idea that London rule could be ended and the theft of Scotland’s assets, taxes and laws could one day soon no longer be able to be used to prop up the failing United Kingdom experiment.
Before 2014 independence was not on my radar at all. Working in London, travelling on the underground, walking to and from meetings with great statues to the good and the great of the days of empire and all those Union flags. The Union flag underpants, the tacky tourist shop merchandise – what’s not to like? I find it funny because now I find the rear lights of Mini cars laid out as a Union flag not only ridiculous but a sign of a dead empire desperate to try to trade on its past glories. Hello, Unionists? The empire is dead.
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Many of you reading this may feel the same, but we have all got a different story how we came to the position of realising that Scotland’s future is not a plaything for Tory toffs and their offshore trust funds hidden in tax havens.
So back to the point. Sometimes almost by chance you meet someone who has no hidden agenda and has also arrived at the same point of view but perhaps for different reasons. That person for me was Joanna Cherry QC MP. When given a list of seven possible candidates, I put Ms Cherry QC last. I thought “A lawyer? No thanks” and put 1 and 2 next to two other women’s names. No need to rig the list of candidates, there were several good smart women to support. Thankfully others and many of them saved me from my mistake by voting for Joanna Cherry. Once I had met her and heard what she had to say I realised my error.
I read that Ian Blackford MP had “sacked” Joanna from the front bench and replaced her apparently because she is not a team player and upsets people? Well thank god she’s not, that’s all I can say. Let’s face it, a team player who was more worried about upsetting people wouldn’t have fought the UK Government in court, would they? Much better to have a legal illiterate on the front bench instead?
You see, being clear of mind and focused on delivering Scotland’s future for the benefit of everyone in Scotland requires people who are not happy to sit in Westminster, collect the queen’s silver and play the UK game. In fact Scotland needs politicians, business leaders and its citizens to stand up and upset the status quo if we are to end this unfair unjust Union any time soon.
So three cheers for politicians who upset people. Oh and if you’re wondering who convinced me about voting Yes in 2014? It was the then deputy first minister Nicola Sturgeon MSP how things have changed.
David Henry
SNP Member
— to www.thenational.scot
