Letter to the Editor – Alister Jack MP

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Dear Sir

In these turbulent Brexit times, surely Dumfries and Galloway, and indeed Scotland, deserves and needs an MP who will speak up loudly and strongly for this constituency and country, will articulate his or her own voice and will never be afraid to speak their mind to those in power.

Unfortunately that MP does not seem to be Conservative Alister Jack. Alister has not spoken at all in the House of Commons since February 14th 2019. Not once. Not for a question, not for a point of order, not to answer as a Minister questions from fellow MPs.

Not one question on why Northern Ireland farmers are getting tariff free access to EU markets and a “cracking deal”, yet D&G farmers do not deserve the same. Not one concern on the ending of free movement which is so necessary for our NHS and tourism businesses in the region. Not one concern about the devastating welfare cuts that his government have forced on his constituency. Not one.

Mr Jack claims that as a Government whip, he is not allowed to speak in Parliament. But he was only a whip for 3 months earlier this year – he is now Secretary of State for Scotland. Funnily enough the whips of other parties do not hold the same view. Since February the SNP’s Chief Whip, Patrick Grady, has spoken 53 times, the Lib Dem’s Chief Whip, Alistair Carmichael, has spoken 11 times and the DUP’s chief whip, Jeffrey Donaldson, has spoken at least 28 times. Other MPs, such as the SNP’s Pete Wishart, have spoken over 60 times since February and the SNP’s Joanna Cherry 27 times. In the 4 years that he was Secretary of State for Scotland even David Mundell spoke at least 50 times, an average of 12 times per year.

Is there a Scottish MP who has spoken less in Westminster?

Why does he want to be an MP if he will not speak up and defend and represent his constituency and Scotland in the House of Commons? Mr Jack seems to be an MP who tries to avoid his constituents. Sir Hector Munro, Russell Brown and Richard Arkless were all known for their affability and availability to the public. It is perhaps worth pointing out that as a Cabinet Minister, Mr Jack earns a salary of £149,605 per year.

Mr Jack is lucky enough to have a very large private income, as reported in the Scotsman, he has been paid £300,000 in dividends by his self-storage company alone over the past three years. Perhaps it is time to let Mr Jack spend more time running his business and elect an MP who will care about the constituency and ‘get on with the day job’ – care about how farmers, the NHS, our fellow European friends living in Scotland are going to be affected by Brexit. A person who will fight for those on low income or in hardship and inform Boris directly that Scotland is now grown up enough to make its own decisions. And above all, someone who will make this constituency’s voice heard loud and clear in Westminster. If you are the sort of person who casts their vote on the basis of an MP’s hard work and availability to constituents then the choice is clear – it has to be Arkless.

Yours sincerely

John Schofield
Dumfries

 

 

References:

https://hansard.parliament.uk/search/MemberContributions?memberId=4619&startDate=11%2F10%2F2014%2000%3A00%3A00&endDate=11%2F10%2F2019%2000%3A00%3A00&type=Spoken

https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/revealed-out-of-touch-scottish-office-in-line-to-earn-huge-private-incomes-1-4976441

Comments (10)

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  1. Janet Fenton says:

    What a brilliant, pithy, intellegent, well-researched and considered letter! Not only has Mr Schofield identified an important consideration for Alister Jack’s constituents, he has restored at least some of my view that political discourse can be entertaining and not insulting, as well as being informative. without being opinionated. You have brightened my day!

    1. John Schofield says:

      Thankyou. Very kind. Glad you enjoyed it! Best wishes john

  2. Robert Roddick says:

    Jack’s constituents voted to Remain in Europe. Is his remit not to carry out the wishes of his constituents rather than take the exact opposite view? This rich man is out for what he can get which appears never to be enough.

  3. Richard Easson says:

    Jack, Boot, Kick.

  4. James Wilson says:

    Thank you to John Schofield for this well researched letter, which confirms my personal intention to vote on 12/12 for a candidate who will work harder to represent my interests and those of my fellow citizens. We very clearly signalled in 2014 and again in 2016 a wish to remain in the EU. The electorate does expect our chosen member to reflect and champion our views in Westminster. If they do not, then they should give way to somebody who will do better and work harder for the constituency. We do not vote for a party, we vote for a candidate based upon meritocracy.

  5. Charles L. Gallagher says:

    Jack is a waste of rations and precious oxygen.

  6. Alasdair Macdonald says:

    A good letter – congratulations to the writer.

    Last week, Good Morning Scotland visited Stranraer as part of its election series. The presenter made a point of emphasising that the Remain vote in 2016, at 53% was one of the lowest in Scotland, “perhaps, due to its closeness to England”, we were told. There seemed to be a tacit implication that since the constituency had nearly voted Leave, then Mr Jack was representing the views of nearly a majority of his constituency by supporting the Johnson deal.

    This is in keeping with the stock reply by BBC Scotland interviewers when someone points out that 62% of Scots who voted voted Remain that ” a million people in Scotland voted to Leave”. The fac t that 15.5million people across the UK voted to Remain, is seldom, if ever, put to Brexiteers.

    1. Jack collatin says:

      I rather suspect that it came as a bit of a shock to the huntin’ and shootin’ millionaire gentleman farmer that he actually won in 2017.
      I’d imagine that he’ll be mightily relieved when the electorate give him the Big E in a few weeks time.
      He has all the warmth of an STD clinic waiting room and the charisma of an undertaker.

      Gone are the days when local rich landowners are automatically shooed into the MP job, which in the Good Old Days when the rustic peasants knew their place, involved nothing more than turning up in London occasionally, obeying the Whip’s Office and obediently vote with the Party if and when required.

      Gove had to be despatched North yesterday to a farm in Dumfries to repair the damage done by ‘Union’ Jack on BBC Radio Scotland Factcheck.
      Jack declared that only if the SNP won the 2021 SGE outright, would the Blue Tories would allow Indyref 2.
      Whit the fu..screamed WM.

      Gove the Destroyer summoned the obliging Scots Fourth Estate Fifth Column and put that democratic nonsense right.

      Gove, ProudscotNot, declared that the Blue Tories would never ‘grant’ Scotland the democratic right to Indyref 2; ever.
      It is no longer hyperbole to describe England’s suppression of Scotland and its people as imperial fascist colonialism.

      B-Lister Jack will resume his luxury life as a country squire in three weeks, with a sigh of relief.
      His 2 1/2 year ‘nightmare’ at an end.
      A superb letter, Mr Schofield.

  7. Robert Pirrie says:

    Well said John. Totally agree with you on this MP. Our party views may differ, but one thing for sure is this man has to go. I unfortunately will probably be voting SNP. I have to vote tactically to rid us of the Tories. R. Pirrie.

    1. Rab Haw says:

      Mr Pirrie, why apologise, I’m quite sure you will be in jolly good company.

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