Boris, Recess and Alister

Monday August 5th 2019

Christine Grahame MSP

Christine Grahame MSP writes her monthly column for Midlothian View.

Boris at the Dispatch Box

I must confess as I type this I am distracted by the performance of Boris Johnson at his first PMQs and I say “performance “ advisedly. Yes Alexander Boris de Peffel Johson is a bit of a wordsmith, but when challenged about the economic analysis of a “No Deal” Brexit by the SNP, has despite his extensive lexicon, run out of words, and a call for optimism and bravado is no substitute for substance.

He dismisses out of hand the fact that Scotland voted 62% Remain but his attitude makes him a huge liability. It is little wonder that Ruth Davidson backed “Anyone but Boris” in the recent leadership campaign. So while his practiced bluster and buffoonery is quite OK for “I’ve got News for You” it spells bad news for Scotland and our economy. European leaders don’t get the joke or the joker. It’s no laughing matter after all. By the way “word check” changes Peffel to “piffle”.

Recess and catching up.

These weeks when Parliament doesn’t sit gives me time, and my staff, to catch up on more difficult cases, to set up meetings and agendas for August and into the next term such as with the many Community Councils across the constituency.

The Summer Surgery Tour in bruv Tony’s car is back on track and details are on my website and a reminder of the stops will be delivered through all my Midlothian constituent’s doors in early August together with details of my “term time” surgeries in Gorebridge, Newtongrange and Penicuik.

In the meantime both offices in Gala and Edinburgh are still manned (actually womanned) most of the time because staff rightly are having holiday breaks and best if you email me if in doubt.

PS. Alister Jack?

Who he? Well he is, without your leave, the new Secretary of State for Scotland and it’s bye, bye David Mundell with whom I got on well despite our opposing politics. Ditched without a thank you for his loyalty to the conservative party.

Now we have a landowning, privately educated Brexitir, just what we need. New to the UK parliament it is said on his election he tried to set up “pairing” with an SNP MP that is so they could both be absent on occasion thus cancelling out each other’s votes. This was, it is claimed, so that he could spend more time on his estate. The “pairing” request was refused but the fact that he made the request tells us a lot about him.

Oh and he claims that Scotland might experience a few “bumps” on the road with a No Deal Brexit despite his own government’s projection that it will cost 100,000 jobs in Scotland. That’s more than “bumps” in anyone’s book. So we have Boris the Brexitir anointed PM by 66% of the Tory membership and Alister Jack anointed SOS for Scotland. Isn’t that SOS appropriate? More like an SOS for Scotland which voted 62% Remain. Frankly the sooner we are independent the better.

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