Why Margaret Thatcher's 'greatest achievement' should make you wary of voting Labour

Austerity. Brexit. Corruption. Dominic Cummings’ jaunt to Barnard Castle. The erosion of civil liberties. Fuel poverty. The Grenfell Tower fire. The hostile environment. Parliament’s illegal prorogation, Jennifer Arcuri’s ‘technology lessons’. Kwasi Kwarteng’s mini-budget. The PPE scandals. Lockdown parties. Owen Patterson’s paid lobbying. Priti Patel’s resignation and sacking. Russian donations. Party donors’ tax avoidance. Windrush. Voter ID. X-rated videos in parliament. Youth services funding cuts. Nadhim Zahawi’s dodgy tax affairs.

The Conservative party has spent the past 14 years writing an alphabet of corruption, vandalism and self-serving greed. They have left the country weaker, poorer and more divided than ever in my life. It is time for them to reap what they have sown, and for people across Scotland to take to the ballot box next week to show the Tories, for the first time in their political careers, that their actions have consequences for them – not just for other people.

They know themselves that they fully deserve electoral annihilation. Speaking about one policy announcement made by his then Prime Minister, one senior Conservative minister reflected that “it was a disaster on all fronts, a total unmitigated disaster that scarred her prime ministership... I’m not even sure that she understood... how extreme the words coming out of her mouth really were.” Even from a short list of two, it is hard to know who he is talking about. Liz Truss, with her kamikaze mini-budget, or Theresa May, with her steely commitment to the hardest possible Brexit?

Margaret Thatcher pictured in Downing Street in May 1979 after her first election victory (Picture: Tim Graham/Getty Images)

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While it could easily be either, the quote above is from Phillip Hammond, May’s Chancellor, whom she sidelined as she decided to dive in headfirst towards a ruinous policy choice that no one voted for. If that is what Hammond had to say about May, perhaps the only Prime Minister of the past 14 years genuinely committed to public service, then we can only imagine what the others have to say about their dear leaders.

Austerity then Brexit

The economy has floundered under Conservative stewardship. Real wages have stagnated for over a decade, leaving millions struggling with a cost-of-living crisis. Productivity growth has been abysmal. The political choice to impose austerity throughout the 2010s starved public services and infrastructure of desperately needed investment at a time when borrowing costs were the lowest in history, hampering long-term growth prospects and eroding the foundations of our society. Brexit – the Conservatives' signature project – has been an economic disaster, depressing trade and investment and leaving our country an international pariah.

Meanwhile, the Conservative party has waged an assault on British democracy and institutions. From unlawful prorogation of parliament to breaking international law over Brexit to repeated ethics scandals, they have shown contempt for democratic norms and laws. From the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act, which granted police broad powers to severely limit freedom of assembly and expression, to the Elections Act, which introduced mandatory voter ID, an anti-democratic policy Labour plans to keep, there has scarcely been an aspect of public life which the Tories have not corrupted.

They have spent the past decade attacking the independent civil service, hollowing it out through real-terms pay cuts while undermining its staff in the press for a few cheap clicks. Their policies have often seemed designed to consolidate power rather than serve the public interest.

Labour won’t repair Tory damage

None of this aligns with the open, liberal and progressive society we have built in Scotland. As Scots head to the ballot box next week to punish the Tories for all of this and more, they should reflect on Margaret Thatcher’s answer when asked about her greatest achievement in office. “Tony Blair,” she said. “And New Labour.”

Unless Keir Starmer has a political personality transplant in the next week, I worry that Messrs Cameron and Osbourne will be able to answer that same question with a smirk and a very similar answer. Little of what the Labour party has said so far gives me any hope that they are committed to repairing the damage done by Conservative party. Instead, I find myself confident that the rubble will be arranged in a much tidier fashion.

Scotland needs more. The SNP offers a bold vision for Scotland's future that Labour simply cannot match. While Labour remains tied to a failing UK political system, the SNP dares to imagine a different path – one where Scotland takes full control of its destiny as an independent nation. This vision isn't just about constitutional change; it's about unlocking Scotland's full potential and building a fairer, more prosperous society.

Fighting Scotland’s corner

In Scotland, Labour's history is one of broken promises and neglect. For decades, Scottish voters loyally supported Labour, yet saw little in return. The party took Scotland for granted, using it as a reliable voting bloc while failing to address the unique challenges and aspirations of the people who have built lives and communities here, very far from Holborn and St Pancras.

In contrast, the SNP has consistently put Scotland first. Since coming to power in Holyrood, the party has fought tirelessly to protect Scottish interests and values. From defending Scotland's place in the EU during Brexit negotiations to implementing progressive policies like free university tuition and prescription medicines, the SNP has demonstrated a genuine commitment to improving the lives of ordinary people in Scotland.

Recent history has shown that Scottish Labour MPs have failed to effectively challenge Tory policies in Westminster. If they can’t even challenge the Tories, how do you think they’re going to manage when it comes to their own boss? The SNP, with our unwavering focus on Scottish interests, has proven to be a far more effective force for Scotland in Westminster – regardless of which rosette the Prime Minister wears. As we look to the future, Scotland needs a strong, united voice in Westminster, one that will fight for Scotland's interests without compromise. Only the SNP offers this.

Stewart McDonald is SNP candidate for Glasgow South