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Lib Dems take voters for granted…again. It is a constant
irritant that the Lib Dems and Tories try to reinforce their lead in
the seat by implying that other parties can't win. It is
patronising, as well as being less than honest. We in the SNP
are firm believers in the voters of the constituency. If we
win the argument, we can win their support. No party in recent times
has won the constituency with a majority of all voters' support, due
to low turnout.
the Berwickshire News, April 2005
Sir,
We should not be surprised that a former Lib Dem spin-doctor
turned MP should use his election literature to try to fool voters
in to falling for the two-horse race line again. Euan Robson also
ran a similar line in 2003.
As Mr Moore knows, Sir Archy Kirkwood had a considerable personal
vote in the area. That personal vote depressed other parties' vote
and as Sir Archy is standing down, these votes are up for grabs.
Your own paper highlighted that there would be candidates from
not two but at least six parties by my reckoning. It is pretty
arrogant of the Lib Dems to claim that only two can win. Have the
rules of democracy been rewritten, or do voters still decide
elections?
This week, a national opinion poll across Scotland showed that
some 46% of all voters backed Independence for Scotland and this
rises to 56% of those aged 18-34. The Lib Dems, and Tories, depend
upon deterring younger voters and supporters of "smaller
parties" from turning out to vote at elections and they try to
portray the result as a foregone conclusion to achieve this. In
2001, Sir Archy was elected by just 29.8% of those eligible to vote
while 39% of the electorate did not vote at all! Euan Robson was
elected by just 20% of the electorate while 51% didn't vote! If the
lost voters turn out in good numbers and vote it would have a big
impact. There is no doubt electing the local candidate, Aileen Orr,
for example, would really make the establishment politicians take
notice.
In 1979, the Liberals were a distant third in the former
Berwickshire and East Lothian seat. Did the Lib Dems tell people
they could only vote Labour or Tory when Sir Archy's new seat was
created in 1983? I don't think so. What happened? Sir Archy was
elected.
Lib Dems and Tories have done precious little for Berwickshire
over the years, its fishermen, farmers and young people. The area
continues to lose jobs, while housing is becoming unaffordable for
young families, schools are closing and local hospitals are being
downgraded. It is time we took the opportunity to look for a new
standard bearer to fight our corner.
Yours sincerely
Paul Wheelhouse |
