A SHOCK blow for beleaguered Remainers Change UK, as their lead candidate for the EU elections in Scotland, David Macdonald, announced he is quitting and backing the LibDems. It’s just the latest twist in Mr Macdonald’s epic political journey. A No voter in 2014, he later joined the SNP and attempted to stand as a council candidate, before becoming an independent councillor, joining Change UK, leaving Change UK and going back to being an independent – while telling Scots to vote LibDem. “Politics is ever shifting,” he says.
BUT why would a No voter join the SNP? “My position was never one of nationalism,” Mr Macdonald explains. “I joined the SNP purely because I wanted to understand their message. It was on the back of the referendum campaign in Scotland, and I wanted to understand what they were as a party and what kind of message they were putting out.” Of course! Joining a political party for 18 months to find out what their policies are – totally normal behaviour.
Kevin McKenna: Dysfunctional SNP Westminster group threatens push for independence
TO Deanston Distillery near Stirling, where the Scottish Tories launched their EU election bid. Sweltering in the sunny weather, hacks were keen to seek out some ice cream. Fortunately, Tory MSP Dean Lockhart, who represents the region, was able to utilise his local know-how and recommend a fantastic little shop nearby. “Tell them to vote for me,” he joked. Great to have a clued-up politician on hand! Or it would have been, if the place had actually existed, which it didn't.
BACK in Holyrood, SNP minister for public health Joe Fitzpatrick was spotted buying no less than nine ice creams at the Scottish Parliament’s coffee bar. Truly leading by example. Ministers came under fire last year over fears poppadoms and prawn crackers would be included in a junk food crackdown. Perhaps it’s time to consider a Solero surcharge?
STILL, with all this talk of global warming, it’s good to cool down. Following the SNP declaring a "climate emergency" last month, it fell to Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham to update MSPs on Scotland's response. She immediately marked the gravity of the occasion by spilling a glass of water over herself and causing the Scottish Parliament to temporarily suspend proceedings and cut off its video feed. What’s that they say about rising water levels?
SHE later fended off a question from Scottish Green MSP Mark Ruskell. He said he was pleased ministers were listening to the Greens – but warned his party wouldn’t support the minority SNP administration’s next Budget unless climate change is at its heart. “Mark Ruskell is celebrating a birthday today, and he’s celebrating by asking me about a Green New Deal in terms of the Budget,” Ms Cunningham replied. “So I’m not certain his life is entirely rock ‘n’ roll.”
Rebecca McQuillan: Britain needs a trustworthy leader. We might get Boris Johnson instead
FINALLY, the Tory victory in last week's East Lothian council by-election came as a shock to some over-confident Labour staffers – and they weren't the only ones. "Last week the Tories lost over 1300 council seats, today they will only lose one," boasted the local SNP branch on Twitter as polls opened. The next day they gave an update on this storming victory: "Sure you all know by now, that we didn't win."
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