It says a lot about the priorities of our Tory overlords that one of the first votes in the Commons is to be a vote to legalise the barbaric cruelty of tearing apart creatures they don’t control with creatures that they do control, taking blood stained pleasure from pain, and garlanding themselves in the entrails of entitlement. It’s not just the intrinsic repulsion that anyone with a basic capacity for empathy feels towards the braying proponents of ritualised cruelty to animals, fox hunting is a metaphor for the Conservatives’ view of the lower orders. Davie Cameron’s government seeks to unleash the dogs of woe on all of us, and that has a lot to do with why fox hunting excites such strong passions. We are all foxes now.
Over the past few days there’s been a lot of will they won’t they about whether the SNP will oppose the Tories’ attempts to reintroduce fox hunting in England. It’s the classic example of an England only issue, and was even cited as such by Nicola Sturgeon during the election campaign when she was explaining why the SNP would vote against privatisation in the English NHS. Currently the SNP is the only party which is taking a party line on the issue of fox hunting. All the other parties treat it as a personal vote, and allow individual MPs to vote according to the dictates of their own consciences. The SNP should do exactly the same.
A majority Tory government puts far bigger issues at stake than the rights of foxes, like for example the rights of human beings, the assault that is about to begin on the poor, the disabled, and the disadvantaged. But fox hunting is the traditional pursuit of the British upper classes and their implacable belief that they are born to rule, that they have the right to ride roughshod over anything and anyone which gets in their way. Fox hunting symbolises all of that, and that is what makes it such a powerfully emotive issue.
Standing up for foxes means standing up against the right of the Tories to ride roughshod over humans too. Good politics means recognising the power of symbolism. The SNP stands for an alternative to austerity, for opposition to Trident, for a new way of doing things. Opposing fox hunting is a symbol for that. It means standing up for the powerless against the powerful. Opposing fox hunting sends a message to the left in England that Scotland hasn’t abandoned them, that we’re not just looking out for ourselves. That we care. It’s the symbolism of solidarity with a small ginger canine.
It doesn’t matter that ripping apart foxes with the teeth and claws of dogs is a hoary old British tradition. It’s torture, and torture is not culture. There are no great constitutional issues at stake here, although the Tories and their allies will try to pretend otherwise. What passes for a British constitution is a set of practices and precedent which the ruling classes make up as they go along in order to advantage themselves. Scotland’s representatives in the House of Horrors should do exactly the same for Scotland’s advantage. And defending the rights of foxes in England does bring advantage to Scotland – because it makes us friends and allies on the English left.
Nicola Sturgeon said during the election campaign that Scotland would work to bring progressive politics to the entire United Kingdom. This is a cost free way of achieving that, a small sign that Scotland will make its mark. We’re all in this Union together, and it does Scotland no favours to be in a Union with a country whose legislators don’t understand the difference between torture and culture. As long as we are in this Union, as long as Scots travel the world and are confused with “the English” because the rest of the world doesn’t appreciate the difference between England and the UK, then Scotland has a moral duty to prevent the Conservatives from making England a laughing stock and an affrontment in the eyes of the world.
The SNP have yet to make a decision on how their 56 MPs will vote on the matter, but it won’t be long before Cameron introduces his bill to prevent Scottish MPs from voting on English only issues. He’s already announced his intentions to introduce legislation soon, so what does Scotland stand to lose by taking a moral stance on fox hunting while Scottish MPs still can? If the SNP abstains, the chances are that the barbaric practice will be legalised. However if they vote against there are enough Tory rebels to give the foxes a running chance of escape.
If the SNP were to vote against the legalisation of tearing living feeling creatures limb from limb with a pack of dogs, Fleet Street would scream in unison that the party was interfering in English affairs, like it was a bad thing to be opposed bone crushing bloody pain and gratuitous cruelty to animals. Daily Mail editorial writers would have apoplexy, although to be honest that’s normal for them, the Torygraph would thunder its disapproval, the Times would tut furiously, and the Guardian would be crushed between the weight of their last remaining liberal sentiments and their instinctive hatred for the SNP.
Scottish voters would look on the ensuing collective harrumphment of outraged outdated unionism and say, “Ha ha. Good!” Ensuring that fox hunting stays banned, upsetting the Tories, and pissing off the UK media all in one move, that’s a result. That’s a good day at the office that is. They have their blood sports, and we have ours. Ours are a lot more fun, and don’t involve ripping living creatures apart – except metaphorically. Making the Tories angry and upset is, in part, what we elected all those SNP MPs for. The 56 are not there to make life easy for the defenders of barbaric traditions and the UK’s OK yahs of privilege. So let’s make things uncomfortable for them. I want to see Jacob Rees Mogg cry. Let’s unleash the Scottish dogs of woe on him and the other upper class proponents of pain and privilege.
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Wee Ginger Dug 
I want to have your children.
Deliberate ploy by the Tories to pick this for a start. I agree with you Paul, the thought of it fills me with revulsion so sod it and vote nay .
P.S. I don’t want to have your children ( sorry )
I’ll have your children Paul, but only on weekends and maybe the odd bank holiday… if it helps?
There is a zoological argument to this. Foxes are territorial but didn’t recognise political borders. Kill a high number of foxes in England and the population will move around to occupy good territories left vacant by the hunting deaths. Territory by territory, the entire fox population of the UK will therefore, be affected by the reintroduction of hunting – including those with the good sense to reside in Scotland.
The SNP should vote, citing the zoological evidence that this is not an England/Wales only issue.
It should, I agree be a free vote.
The benefit of this is it would signal the minutiae of effect on Scotland that will trigger the SNP voting at Westminster. It will also piss off the Tories that someone from, say Renfrewshire East, should have a say in something so quintessentially English as class driven, cruelty and slaughter of wildlife.
Absolutely spot on. Fox Hunting is a class issue and not a historical culture thingy. SNP represent a class free society where everyone is equal.
Foxes are vulpine, not canine. That doesn’t excuse setting dogs on them for ‘fun’ though.
I know. But they are canids, and that’s near enough for the purposes of making a rhetorical point.
Given that Scotland shares a border with Northumberland, Westmorland and Cumberland – that is reason enough for the SNP (and other political parties in Scotland) to express at least an opinion in Parliament on this matter) – certainly foxes (and Hominids) in the area will soon learn which side of the border offers a brighter future; however – do not be distracted unduly by such matters [there is likely a more important issue being shoehorned in somewhere under this smokescreen]. When the Scottish Parliament was first set up in 1999 an inordinate amount of time was spent discussing the matter of Fox Hunting and not discussing the far more relevant issue at the time [i.e. 13th April 1999, just two weeks before the Scottish Parliament was elected and no doubt a condition of the same] that the UK Government unilaterally changed the Fishing boundary thereby [England] annexing some 6,000 square miles of North Sea Scottish waters (also rich in oil and gas) under the so called ‘Scottish Adjacent Waters Boundaries Order 1999 [‘The Stolen Sea]’ – the sly foxes.
Ah, but so is a Coyote … hmm …
If they kill the English foxes, Scottish foxes will move into the vacated territory.
Oh hell, I’d do it just to watch the Mail implode. 🙂
An early indication of just how bad and vindictive things are going to be.
We should of course learn how to organise better and protest collectively, making life harder for them in peaceful ways.
For example, at 70, I pay my lovely cleaner the living wage. Could we create a movement where people offering services would not work for less? Difficult I know, since many people are so hard up, but it may be worth a try? It is just one example of strong action to make them pay attention to poorer people.
The most sense I’ve read about this carry on yet.
P.S. Much though I love your writing, I’m just “not genetically programmed” for the babies 😀
I do agree that DC chose this deliberately to make SNP a target for press attack no matter what they do. If the segment of the English population which abhors this sport should be smart enough to see this and put the blame where it is due.
I don’t know how many of then voted for a Conservative, or didn’t vote at all, but I think they should look to their own actions before they start expecting anything of Scottish MPs.
I agree, SNP MP’s should vote as they think right, but there’s a way the SNP can use this to their advantage by voting to stop the repeal of the ban as Labour want, and asking Labour to support them to see if they actually reciprocate.
.
Although I would vote against fox hunting in my own country we’ve got to let their MPs decide what kind of country they want.
Sorry but I don’t think the foxes would agree with you – like all vulnerable living things, whether animal or human etc – it behoves all of us to ensure we live in a civilised world regardless of our location. Ripping a terrified living creature apart for sport under the guise of animal management is hardly the mark of a civilised society anywhere. This is not about politics, its about human decency and empathy with the living things that share our planet.
agree wholeheartedly, mumsyhugs! As Ghandi said, the mark of the civilisation and moral progress of a nation can be seen in the way it treats its animals.(paraphrased). And that applies equally to the vulnerable human members within a society. Cruelty to animals is clearly linked to cruelty to humans to the extent that animal abuse can be used to predict domestic violence/child abuse, and vice versa. I will be very disappointed if our 56 do nothing to prevent this horrible repeal from taking place.
Tell that to the Iraquies.
Or the Grey Fox.
Cameron today, in the Commons, cited the words “one nation” several times. As that ‘one nation’ he & his red/yellow tory allies will happily saddle Scotland with renewing Trident at a cost of 100 billion against our clear mandate not to do so. Therefore if we must wound them at each and every opportunity we get; and this is one such opportunity. The SNP MPs should be allowed a free vote on fox hunting. Scots voted to end ‘business as usual’ at Westminster and if the SNP allow the tories another easy passage then they let down every Scot who voted for them. What is more important SNP, keeping Cameron happy or keeping your voters and members happy? What would David Cameron & HIS party do, if the roles were reversed. The Tories never lack political ‘killer instinct’. It’s the only language they speak. ‘Play nice’ for them and all you will receive is their contempt as the Liberal Democrats discovered to their cost.
I am not quite sure that you are correct about the SNP taking a party line. At least, I saw Nicola Sturgeon’s tweet yesterday that a decision had not yet been made, which seemed to indicate otherwise. It is a difficult issue. On the one hand, it is certainly an England-only issue, but it might be one left to MPs’ consciences.
Vote it down for fox sakes.
We ,as SNP’s are going to get flack whatever decision Nicola takes in this issue but I would argue that its best to leave the English members to make their own decision and for SNP members to abstain.It will be a good test of discipline and it is a free vote after all and foxes are vermin so exterminating them is not a bad thing although I do question the method being used here.It will be interesting to see how the other parties vote in this essentially English matter .
The only “vermin” around are human; for many a fox has a slow death thanks to the many poor (meaning “inept”) shots on the loose in Scotland and England. And let’s not forget the many and varied useless “big shots” from WM and the like, annually given the freedom to stravaig our Scottish hills each summer. Get rid of the lot, I’d say and have well-tested professionals do the job.
Our 56 SNP MPs should do the right thing and vote against reinstating fox hunting.
Sod the English issue so doesn’t affect us crap, its a “one-nation” parliament and our MPs are just as entitled to vote on this issue as any MP from toryshire.
Totally agree. The 56 should vote against this barbaric ‘sport’. Our MPs are part of this one parliament, so have just as much right to vote against it as anyone else there
I’m not so sure that the issue isn’t relevant to Scotland – many Scots who care about other sentient animals will suffer emotionally if and when such a brutal merciless activity recommences next door, so to speak, and we all sat on our backsides and let it happen. That is in effect, condoning it, saying it is acceptable. It will then be difficult to counteract pressure from tory brutes in Scotland who wish to bring back fox-hunting here. I would also see it as a test of the genuineness and honesty and empathy of the new mps. I have witnessed a pack of dogs ripping another living sentient animal apart and it is sickening. Problem is, it is not fashionable to care about animal distress, trauma and suffering.
My first disagreement with you Paul.
Of course fox hunting is repugnant and morally undefendable. So is whaling and many other obnoxious pursuits.
But I want Scotland to be a self governing country. The obvious corollary to this, is that England runs itself in whatever manner it feels fit. We, who want independence, should only offer advice in concerns that do not directly affect us.
Every SNP MP should stand up and decry foxhunting for the barbarity it is, but they MUST allow England its freedom in matters like this. To do otherwise gives Westminster all the political justification it needs, to interfere in our concerns.
I understand where you are coming from Gavin but perhaps we should see this as a moral issue.
If England decided to reintroduce corporal punishment for kids (a la the “bring back the birch” brigade) should the SNP say “up to them – nothing to do with us” or should they take a moral stand a put it on the public record that they object?
The fascitic press might well have a go at the SNP for interfering in English matters but the vast majority of English people will see things differently and applaud them for taking a moral stand.
Between them these papers sell less than 5 million copies in England – that means that nearly 50 million don’t read them. So who cares what they say? They already hate the SNP and think little better of Scotland. They certainly don’t need the fate of poor foxes as an excuse to vilify.
Sod it. The English interfere in our every move. They manipulated the Referendum, they probably rigged the Referendum. They, with only one Tory MP, will dictate cuts on the most vulnerable of Scots. Then they want us to refrain from interfering with them. Sod it. When we have control over our own affairs, we can let them have control over theirs.
Apart from that, we are a compassionate nation. We must not stand back while anyone praises the ritualistic torture of any living creature.
Sorry Paul, I too agree with Gavin over this.
All reasonable thinking people are against fox hunting and all blood sports.
But on this one, the SNP must step back and let the English electorate accept what they have voted in. Nothing will change with regards the Scottish ban, but for SNP to meddle in an English & Welsh affair, they are just creating a ‘Credibility Club’ with which to be beaten with, repeatedly.
We’ve seen how MSM react to any sliver of perceived unscrupulous behaviour, so why unnecessarily give them ammunition?
Not voting against fox hunting in England & Wales and SNP MP’s can still hold their heads high.
And ask yourself why has this issue arisen so early in the parliament?
Answer: it’s yet another Tory trap…and the SNP must tread warily.
Once we are independent, we’ll let England vote whichever way they like on torturing animals. While we are not independent and part of this great family of nations, we have a duty to keep the psychopathic big brother under control
Hey, *they* wanted us to stay and have our say in the running of the UK.
They *begged* us to keep influence in their parliment.
Let them deal with the consequences.
The sensible reply to this matter!! This time as you say Gavin, I too disagree with Paul. Abhorrent as this matter is we must leave it to the barbarians to decide for themselves. The one issue being, if a fox being hunted goes across our border?? It then comes under SG protection and the huntsmen MUST call back the hounds or risk a cross border incident!!
Likewise, Gavin. By all means let SNP MPs speak as their conscience dictates and seek to persuade their English colleagues to the enlightened course. However, not only is this, in the clearest possible terms, an England only issue – Nicola highlighted it as an example. Her credibility especially with the UK as a whole would be seriously damaged – and we will need that in spades many times in the years ahead As one other poster says, a rather obvious Tory trap of which we should step well clear – while still making Scottish opinion known.
really seems quite simple – its a free vote – so SNP needs only state it will allow it’s 56 mp’s to decide if they wish to take part
thier own choice then – not the choice of the party
Not a fan of fox hunting.
Fox hunting and all its archaic trappings is one tradition that should be firmly left in the past where it belongs. I understand the hands off strategy on England only matters, but in this instance I’d let our MPs vote their conscience and send a message. We were invited to join in weren’t we?
Besides those border foxes don’t recognise the lines on a map. 😉
Where do border collies stand on this issue?
On their hind legs?
Boom boom!
And what of a vote on, say, child welfare? If the SNP decide to leave the vote to the elected representatives of the people of England and Wales, the argument will be that ‘The SNP seem to care more for the well-being of foxes than of children’.
There are many potential issues where personal morality comes into play. Do we have a ‘free’ vote on them all? Is fox-hunting of more moral import than child welfare? Or more important than brutality in old folks homes?
The SNP can, of course, argue for the retention of the Act. But voting is simply not justifiable.
Fair point
The SNP is absolutely right to say that they will not make any decision until they see the actual proposals being put forward by the British Government. This allows time for those people in England and Wales who oppose the idea to lobby the SNP for support. It also allows time for the media to do their worst in presenting this as a big deal, confronting the SNP with the dilemma of voting with progressive elements in rUK or standing by a commitment to EVEL. Everyone knows this is a set-up and the SNP should milk it. They should leave it until the final moment before they make a public decision as to how SNP MP’s will vote. I will support whatever stance is taken by our FM. .
Sounds good to me, Arthur.
Reblogged this on We Are The 45 Plus.
I’m for having them abstain. Let the Tory politicians vote with their consciences, and if they vote for fox hunting to come back, let the electorate have at them. Only those voting for the sport can be blamed for it coming back.
It’s a win / win situation for the SNP. If it’s still banned, the SNP sit above the pathetic party-political situation, and hold the moral ground of Scottish-only matters. If the ban is lifted, then England becomes even more alien to Scots, and probably to some in England.
In the longer term, it will reduce Tory VI in Scotland even further (all other events not considered).
How many SNP MPs will vote in favour of fox hunting?
Stick with the free vote and let’s get away from “whipping” and all that other nasty stuff they do at Westminster.
The ruling classes have about as much sympathy for the most vunerable humans in society as they have for foxes.
Our SNP MPs have to exercise their legal right to vote on any issue in a Westminster parliament.
If one Tory MP in Scotland still means Tory rule over Scotland, 56 SNP MPs have every right to vote on matters that affect only the English and Welsh.
I am sure the majority of people in England and Wales would be happy about the SNP saving them from the Tories’ brutal policies affecting them.
We have sent our MPs down south to show them how things should be done.
Fox Hunting is an obscenity, However it is an English issue. Our MPs should speak against it, but abstain. If we vote it will be used as an additional excuse for EVEL.
I believe The Hunting Act itself is not a political or class issue as is sometimes suggested. It is a far greater issue of compassion, moral integrity and common sense.
Cruelty runs right through the social spectrum. The article is very enlightening and relevant, however it doesn’t mention The Hunting Act protects, I believe, all mammals from hunting with dogs. That includes many forms of hunting; not just fox hunting.
I see this proposed repeal as simply a common sense issue of right and wrong that should not have arisen. If everyone could unite on the main issue, the sheer weight of public opinion, if properly expressed, might persuade most of the MPs to represent the moral stance of the majority of decent sensible people of the United Kingdom, and vote against the proposed repeal of The Hunting Act.
The road to hell is paved with good intention. The SNP will need to act decisively to ensure that moral integrity and common sense can prevail in the UK.
No way should fox hunting be reintroduced and our SNP MPs should vote against it. I don’t care whether it’s an England and Wales only issue or not. These creatures have a right to live and should not be used for sport, certainly not something as cruel as this. I grew up on a hill farm and saw foxes regularly. I’ve been fortunate enough to have caught them asleep, curled up enjoying naps in the sunshine or watched cubs playing near their den. They are scavengers mainly and help clean up by eating the animals and birds that die on roads etc. They do at times help themselves to hens and lambs, but they don’t know that they shouldn’t. We however, should know that hunting them with dogs is just wrong.
The England only so we don’t vote policy needs to be reviewed now that we have enough MPs which could actually make a difference.
Our MPs are elected as members of the UK parliament and have every right to vote on all matters and this is exactly what they should be doing.
No point going all the way to London at taxpayers expense to sit on your hands.
As one human being, i have always admired foxes. They are survivors against all odds. Ethically and morally, the torture of animals affects us as beings. This has bugger all to do with an English only political issue. Torture is torture. We send people who organise dog fights to jail. Fuck the cultural argument – it doesn’t exist.
As you said, “Good politics means recognising the power of symbolism.”, and that is exactly the reason why the SNP should not vote on this.
We are a different country, and should stick to our principle of not interfering in another countrys’ affairs.
It is an obvious test of our principles.
God, I hate to come down opposing voting against fox hunting, a practice I abhor, but this ‘moral’ issue is no more or less moral than anything else Wastemonster votes on. Education, health, military, vivisection, immigration, etc. etc. etc. all have huge moral impacts. If the SNP has a principle of not voting on purely English matters (such as education) then it has to stick by that on this matter too. It could be argued that there is nothing that happens within these isles that does not effect all its inhabitants but the only meaningful distinction we can make in these circumstances is the political one. This is a devolved matter so we Scots get to make the laws in Scotland so we have to allow the English to make the law in England. Sorry Welsh folk.
I have to agree Hugh. We should abstain. I sign petitions for animal rights around the world so it breaks my heart but it is the only thing to do if you intend standing by your principles of not voting on English only matters. It is a Tory trap.
We have to just imagine what will happen on one of the first votes that the SNP MPs are going to be involved in. Cameron will be able to rubbish everything from then on in if they vote against this as a solely English matter. It is unbelievable that in this day and age, people even consider this as a sport, and not the cruel barbaric act of some kind of overlord. I grew up on a farm north of Inverness and always loved seeing the foxes as they out ran our dogs with great glee.
Laws are for the guidance of the wise, and the obedience of fools.
A free vote for SNP MPs would be my choice.
A statement by that the SNP position is not to vote on English and Wales only matters, however fox hunting is banned in Scotland, our MPs are members of this parliament and so are entitled to express their views, and to vote on this issue should they opt to do so.
Ideally chipping in that ..”following discussions with Welsh MPs”.
I don’t understand the supposed value of the principle of abstaining on English-only matters.
It was all very well as a symbol when there were only 6 seats at stake. Now there are 56, and the only reason they are there is because of how much the unionists begged us to “lead the UK rather than leave it”.
Now there’s a very tight majority, and the Tories need to know that ANY time even 13 of them can’t show up, or 7 of them rebel, 56 SNP MPs might suddenly appear and troop through the Nay lobby in front of Labour, to kick their wrong-headed neoliberal bullshit into the long grass.
That kind of disruptive, reformative power is priceless, and the SNP (unlike any other party) have a >50% mandate from their constituents to wield it.
Being kind to animals is just a bonus.
All the creatures of this earth have a place in it and a living to make probably with the exception of man who is a complete waste of space where all the rest are concerned. Having lived cheek by jowl with several urban foxes who earned their living on the railway between Slateford Road and the Union Canal in Edinburgh no doubt living off the rats.How one of them used to view our dogs with complete curiosity first thing in the Morning, probably never saw a Pug in it’s life and wondered how they never saw him.
So I am with you Paul I want the SNP to vote this rotten bill down.
For the very reason that fox hunting is considered “sport’ to the elite…..Scotland should oppose it. ‘Sport’ ,,, to ius ordinary mortals implies a fair contest.
I am repulsed by ‘hunting’ in any shape or form. That said, we are fighting for more than the rights of foxes. We are fighting to free our country. This must be borne in mind by our elected SNP MPs.
Fox hunting is banned in Scotland, so we don’t have the moral right to support it anywhere else and abstaining is supporting it, so for me we vote to continue the ban. If we can make some political mileage out of it all the better.
If it encourages the introduction of EVEL then we can take advantage of that also, so it’s a ban for me.
Over on CommonSpace James McEnaney argues that it would be hypocrisy to vote against, having said they wouldn’t vote on rUK matters. Worth a read.
” garlanding themselves in the entrails of entitlement”
Good god, you can write man – I am moved by your words to laughter, fury and sometimes tears. Please don’t ever stop.
Suggestions:
1. Everyone who can should copy the salient points of this article to every possible site in England. Show campaigners that, even though this horror does not affect Scotland, we are with them. Fuck the government; reach out to the people.
2. SNP members must take part, and take part vociferously, in the debate; stating that they abhor the government’s proposal, that they encourage every ‘right-thinking English person’ to vote against it but that they will not dictate to the people of England as Westminster does to those of Scotland: stating publicly that they have recognized the trap and will not step into it. Why not air the machinations of Cameron? Give them lots of stick then say, “We have given our word and, no matter how it grieves us, we keep our word, unlike this government. This barbarity is on the hands of David Cameron and he should be ashamed to use the brutal slaying of living creatures in an attempt to score cheap political points. Cruelty to animals is a known precursor of cruelty to humans; who will they come for next? Your old? Your children? Your sick?” Lay it on thick – this is a very emotive issue.
Really let fly at them and take all the moral high ground: on the issue; on Cameron’s attempt to make political capital out of cruelty and bloodlust and on having ethics in politics. That should be the message – get that out on Today in Parliament, press releases to all papers, interviews, individual MPs writing to the press; turn this evil manoeuver back on Cameron..
Alex Waugh @ 2.33
Swinging back and forth here between agreeing with those saying the SNP should back off from a trap and then finding myself agreeing with those saying fuck it go for it.
I think part 2 of your post nails it.
Cruelty to any living thing man or animal is a no no. Oh for Independance, I don’t want to be part of this union that thinks the barbarity of fox hunts is sport. England should look at the misery of its poor in society, not what would please its upper classes. Disgusted to think Cameron would even consider a vote on this evil practice.
I have just written and tried to post something which does not agree with your point of view, only to be informed in quite blunt terms that it could not be posted. Are you now censoring views you disagree with?
If this post is also banned I will believe there is some other reason but if it isn’t I will be very disappointed.
There must be some technical reason your post could not be posted. It certainly wasn’t banned by me. Perhaps it was too long, or maybe it contained too many links?
It was short but it did contain f… as in I could not give one ….
Thanks Dug. I didn’t really think it was because I disagreed with you
There was a post yesterday from Nicola on Twitter, suggesting that the massive movement growing against fox hunting, and the massive petition, could play a big part in how the SNP vote. This will be about what the people want, and they will have the people’s mandate to vote against repealing the law.
I agree, this is a tricksy move by the slithering Tories, but we’re not there to play nice or sit with our hands in our laps waiting for approval. We have a job to do, and by god we’re going to do it. Vote agin it, and let them froth. Let the right wing media froth. Let’s do what’s morally right and and let’s refuse to play their antiquated parlour games.
This is like saying you are only a bit pregnant. Either you have a policy of not voting on English-only legislation and want EVEL to apply always or you don’t. If the SNP block is to maintain credibility then abstention is the only option. Politics often sucks and this is a classic example of how there is no good choice – you either compromise on your principles or you compromise on your morals. The 56 will be able to do more good for more people (and animals) in the long term by abstaining. It may be good to think that any way of stiffing the Westminster system should be exploited but setting aside our declared policy is not the way to maximise the effect of our small SNP presence at Westminster.
We are being played people. Nicola must keep her word. It defys all logic to put such an abhorrent law through first so look for the ulterior motive.