AS all will know, our Prime Minister has decided to call a general election. Voting seems to be becoming an almost annual event.
In 2014 the Scottish people voted to remain in the United Kingdom. I was delighted with their decision. In 2015 the Conservatives won a general election. In 2016 the British people, overall, with a small majority, voted to leave the European Union. The Scottish people voted, with a more substantial majority, to remain in the EU. 
Naturally, this significantly changed the situation. Scotland wanted to remain in the UK and the EU, a desire made impossible. A request was made to Theresa May to hold a new referendum on Scottish independence, primarily to enable Scotland to stay in the EU. Theresa May’s response was to refuse it on the grounds that it “was not the time” only three years after the 2014 vote.
I suggest it is “not the time” for a general election, only two years after the last one. I appreciate there is a huge difference between referenda and general elections but the conceit this Prime Minister has displayed is frankly mind-boggling.
Let’s be clear on one thing. The EU referendum was never a party political issue. It was held because our politicians had failed. 
It’s like visiting the doctor with an ailment, being told that it is impossible to work out what is wrong, and then being told to go and ask the people in the waiting room what they think is the problem. 
There are plenty of Conservatives who wanted to remain in the EU (Theresa May being one of them) and many Labour supporters who wanted to leave the EU. 
So let us not be under any illusion that this forthcoming general election has anything to do with Brexit. Theresa May is banking on fooling the British people in thinking that it is, so that she can get a substantial majority to push increasingly right-wing policies that will cause further suffering to the less well-off in our society.
MR NICK BAXTER
Northway
Calne