Man Vs Sheep; Low wit SNP Westminster Leader Ian Blackford launches a bitter attack to claim Boris Johnson is 'racist' and 'not fit for office', Blackford tries to push his way into Conservative leadership contest fight only to have Speaker John Bercow slap him down, sit down Blackford, when we need someone in a clown’s outfit, you’ll get the call

Dear All

There are some fights in life that it is better to stand out the way and just observe, if you think back to ‘The Quiet Man’ picture starring John Wayne, there is a classic line that applies:

“Gentleman, this is a private fight if you please, now will you kindly remain in neutral”.

And that is what the Conservative Party leadership contest is, a private fight, but the SNP like ‘attention whores’ can’t keep out of the way and let the battle commence but seek to try and push their way in.

The SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford shows what utter contempt he has for the House of Commons by saying Conservative Tory leadership contender Boris Johnson was "not fit for office" and then claimed he was "racist".

Speaking under the protection of parliament, Blackford asked:

"Does the Prime Minister realise not only is the member racist, he is stoking division in communities and has a record of dishonesty?"

In the House of Commons, the rule of thumb is not to act in such a manner, but the reality is that the SNP don’t care. The outburst by Blackford is ‘protected’ so he cannot be sued, unlike Alyn Smith MEP who ran his mouth off about the Brexit Party and then had to eat humble pie and retract his words.

https://news.sky.com/story/snp-mep-alyn-smith-apologises-to-brexit-party-for-money-laundering-allegation-11743507

SNP MEP Alyn Smith clearly went too far when he accused the Brexit Party of being “a shell company that’s a money-laundering front”, especially when there is no evidence at all of money laundering by anyone in the Brexit Party. When things started to turn legal, he buckled under the pressure and had to say sorry.

That smear didn’t work, wasn’t welcome and also not protected.

Ian Blackford's diatribe however is safe, unless he repeats his nonsense outside, but his comments did prompt Speaker John Bercow to intervene and urge him to "weigh his words" as Conservative MPs shouted "withdraw".

Mr Bercow added:

“I think it would be much better if for now he would withdraw any allegation of racism against any particular member. I don’t think that this is the forum and I don’t think it’s the right way to behave.”

The SNP have been a continual embarrassment to Scotland but bolstered by numbers since 2015 and then the 2017 elections, they feel they can be a little bit more brave in a bigger gang.

Blackford replied:

“The member has called Muslim women ‘letterboxes’, described African people as having ‘watermelon smiles’ and another disgusting slur that I would never dignify by repeating. If that’s not racist Mr Speaker I don’t know what is. Does the minister honestly believe that this man is fit for the office of prime minister?”

In a dig at Nicola Sturgeon, Theresa May replied:

“I can say to (him) that I believe any Conservative prime minister in the future will be better for Scotland than the SNP.”

You can also hear the Nationalist ragebuilding as they work out the dig is all for Nicola Sturgeon.

If today tells us anything is that when the SNP have a go, they are unable to be subtle and crafted with wit, this Blackford intervention left him looking the fool again.  And sometimes, you have to realise that private fights should be private, but if you have to jump in, then mockery and humiliation makes much better weapons than grievance.

And at least everyone can get a laugh.

Yours sincerely

George Laird

The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University