Tory influence

Whatever you may think of Tory politics, as the UK Government rejects the SNP’s “full fiscal autonomy at any time” Scotland Bill amendment, you can only admire David Cameron’s political chutzpah in the way he plays with Nicola Sturgeon and her party.

While in the general election the SNP took Scotland with Labour’s assistance, we know Mr Cameron successfully stoked up fear elsewhere in the UK of a 
Labour government run by Alex Salmond to secure his outright majority.

SNP Westminster success may have gifted Mr Cameron power but he now ruthlessly exploits that power to crush the SNP’s ceaselessly divisive ambitions.

SNP MPs bluff and bluster across the floor of the House of Commons but it’s votes that count – and of course the Tories have more of them than any other party. Nationalists will maintain the Tories have no mandate here and the SNP is the only voice of Scotland. This is parochial nonsense.

The Tories democratically form the UK Government. Scotland is part of the UK and, as we all know, this reflects the wishes of the majority, as made clear last September.

Just more than half of us voted for Labour, Tory and Liberal Democrat candidates in the general election. All three main unionist parties in Westminster are as one in their opposition to the SNP’s separatist agenda in general and, in particular, the financial suicide that is full fiscal autonomy.

As SNP MPs endlessly strive for division, it’s clear we are dependent on the Prime Minister’s political dexterity and the pro-Union Westminster majority to ensure the outcome of the referendum is respected.

Martin Redfern

Royal Circus

Edinburgh