SNP Thurso

Why I’m voting for Lucy Beattie and the SNP to represent me in the Caithness Sutherland and Easter Ross constituency. 

A vote for Lucy Beattie and the SNP can bring the much needed change to this constituency. Having met and listened to her a number of times I have no doubt of her commitment to work hard for the diverse communities she will represent.

 There is little doubt the seat will be down to a fight between the SNP and Liberal Democrats. The Liberal Democrats to me represent the same old Conservative values we are so used to from the UK government. Jamie Stones record on voting in parliament shows this; voting against or abstaining on benefits to help those unable to work through illness or disability and voting against raising welfare benefits. He was also absent for important votes on workers rights, the cost of living, climate, windfall tax, devolution and human rights – all things I would expect my MP to be present for. The Liberal Democrats were the party who went into coalition with the Tories in 2010 and voted for austerity measures breaking their pre-election promises to the voters, leaving integrity behind for a seat in government.

 We can expect to see the Labour party taking the majority of seats in England, a party whose values have also slowly become more aligned with those of the Conservatives. The big sell in their manifesto is Great British Energy. This is yet another plan to sell off energy produced using Scottish renewables to foreign investors to line their pockets and will do nothing to combat fuel poverty or energy security for people in Scotland. We cannot allow our most valuable resources to be sold off. With independence we can nationalise energy to have a more secure future in which folk aren’t having to choose between eating and heating while multinational companies enjoy record profit year after year at our expense.

A county that is energy rich should not be in the situation where people are enduring some of the highest energy costs and associated fuel poverty during a cost-of-living crisis, caused by Westminster policies. Only with independence can Scotland achieve a fairer, more prosperous country without being held back by draconian decisions made by a self-serving UK Government that is far removed from reality.

 Let’s pretend for a moment that there was no SNP, no Scottish government or devolution. We would not have free prescriptions, no free bus travel for under 22 year olds  and over 60 year olds we would be paying tuition fees at university, paying for personal care at home, no extra £25 a week child payment to help those in poverty, no baby boxes, no extra free hours for early learning and childcare. You or someone you know will benefit from some or all of these policies because of the SNP. Imagine what we could do with full powers devolved as an independent nation.

 By voting Lucy Beattie and the SNP on the 4th of July you can rest assured you will have an MP who will work for this constituency from local to national issues. It will set us on the road to recovery from austerity and a brighter, better, independent future.