GRAHAM LEADBITTER: Seismic change in political landscape after Donald Trump’s election victory
“A week is a long time in politics” is a great understatement, and one that leaves me wondering how to aptly describe a month.
Each month brings with it new legislation, events, and stories on the international, national, and local level we MPs need to adapt to and focus on.
In my short time as an MP this past one may take the biscuit on being the most frantic yet. Internationally we witnessed the election of Donald Trump - an event that took place far away and yet could have difficult consequences for us locally.
It forces us to reconsider our European defence strategy - impacting our bases in the constituency like RAF Lossiemouth and the army bases at Fort George and Kinloss.
It could level even more damage on the Whisky industry if tariffs are imposed and sales drop, impacting fantastic local distilleries and the good folk who work in them.
Nationally we have legislation like the assisted dying bill, dividing parliament and prompting a national debate that will, no doubt, go on for many years to come regardless of the outcome.
It is important, however, to make clear that the Westminster legislation will only apply in England and Wales, with the Scottish Parliament debating the issue separately for people in Scotland.
We have the impact of the budget revealing itself and threatening family farms, and we also have widespread general distrust and anger towards the Labour government for failing to deliver on their promises and manifesto offering ‘change’.
And it’s that last point that, pardon the pun, ‘trumps’ all other events and stories for people locally. In my inbox, on the street, in conversations with neighbours and constituents all across Moray West, Nairn and Strathspey, people tell me of their anger and anxiety over Labour’s decisions and follies and there is always one in particular that comes up - energy.
With snow falling across much of the area and temperatures at extreme lows for days on end it would’ve been welcomed by myself and local people had Labour managed to live up to their election commitment of reducing energy bills, but they didn’t.
Instead, when folk opened their curtains in the morning to see snow and frost, they then opened their phones and switched on their TVs to the news that energy bills are set to rise for a second time under Keir Starmer. A double hit.
And what’s worse, tens of thousands of local pensioners have been left making difficult decisions over whether to heat or eat after the Labour party cruelly voted to remove the Winter Fuel Payment from them.
Things are unnecessarily difficult for local people thanks to the actions of the government, who in their decisions have revealed themselves to be far removed from the reality of life for people in this area.
Instead of change we have more of the same, and in some fields worse.
My SNP colleagues and I have opposed Labour’s damaging decisions where that has been necessary but I wish we didn’t need to.
There’s another option for Scotland in all of this that removes us from the mercy of Westminster governments with little regard for us.
Scotland deserves another path and that is why I stood on a platform of Independence.
Graham Leadbitter (SNP) is MP for Moray West, Nairn & Strathspey
