Boris Johnson suffers double by-election humiliation
View email online | | | | | | | | | | | Jun 24, 2022 | | | | | | | | | | | Neil McIntosh | | Editor of The Scotsman |
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Hello from The Scotsman. As I write, I've got the radio on in the background, burbling away with analysis of last night's by-election results, in which the Conservatives lost heavily. It is inevitable that the media drifts towards the obvious story: what does this mean for Boris Johnson? But my hunch is that, in the foreseeable future, nothing much will change. The Tories - a cynical view You know, by now, that we think Johnson should have gone many months ago. But his tenacity, or bloody-minded determination to hang on (depending on your worldview) means he's still in office, and I'm not sure what path leads to things changing any time soon. There is a cynical (or worldly) view among Conservatives that the coming months are going to be horrible, so they might as well let Boris take the flack, and elect a new winner ahead of the next General Election. That last point, cynical as it is, at least nods to there being a world outside the Westminster bubble, but only to acknowledge that it's going to be a difficult place that becomes increasingly hostile to Conservatives. And that is what taxes me: in a crisis, that's a dangerously narrow worldview. While politicians engage in their inward-looking party machinations, what about all of us out here in the real world? The crisis before us As we've reported this week, we face a brutal increase in the cost of living later this year. Train services have been at a standstill for much of the week (although Alastair Dalton's analysis of those strikes' true impact is an interesting, insightful counterpoint that's worth a read). Police numbers in Scotland are likely to fall. Inflation is on the rise, diluting earnings and eating into savings. In these tough times, can we rely on our leadership - any of them - to have their eye on the economic ball? And, in Scotland, we have the added complication of our national question. Will an SNP leadership, gunning for another referendum, have much time to think of how to ameliorate the suffering likely to emerge this winter? Even if we are obliged to cover the internal machinations - they do matter, of course - these bigger questions of lives and livelihoods are ones we will be returning to as much as possible in The Scotsman in the days and weeks ahead. We start tomorrow. On a lighter note Also coming up, tomorrow: plenty to take your mind off it all, we hope. Our Weekend magazine features poet Michael Pedersen talking about his new book, and his friendship with the late musician Scott Hutchison. Rebecca Pert reflects on how oil transformed Shetland, Alistair Harkness reviews Baz Luhrmann's Elvis, and we reveal why cows are not to blame for climate change. Alongside all the news, sport, pithy opinion arts and more we bring you in the weekend package, we hope you at least can't accuse us of not offering broad appeal. And, just before I go, I'd like to pay tribute to the colleagues who notched up an impressive 15 nominations in this year's Scottish Press Awards: I hope they take great pride in that achievement, and have my fingers crossed for a few wins at the ceremony later this year. But, for now, I hope you have a wonderful, relaxing weekend. Best wishes, Neil McIntosh Editor, The Scotsman | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Scottish spending review: Police Scotland chief warns officer numbers may have to be cut | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | The head of Police Scotland has warned officer numbers may have to be cut as the force faces a multimillion-pound funding gap following cuts outlined by the Scottish Government. | | | | | | | | Read more + | |
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