Andrew Hilland, Labour’s candidate for Lanark and Hamilton East, has blasted SNP MP Angela Crawley for giving up her chance to speak up for the constituency at Prime Minsters questions last week.
In response to dissatisfaction with the amount of time devoted to debating the devolution aspects of the Brexit legislation currently passing through Westminster, SNP politicians chose to storm out of the House of Commons chamber during Thursday’s PMQs in what Andrew Hilland derided as a “crass political stunt” in a letter to The Carluke & Lanark Gazette.
Andrew Hilland criticised his SNP opponent for a “crass political stunt”.
Unfortunately, the walk-out also meant SNP politicians, including Angela Crawley who was timetabled to ask a question that day, lost their opportunity to speak up for their constituencies or hold the government to account by directing a question to beleaguered PM Theresa May. In fact, as Andrew Hilland pointed out, this was Angela Crawley’s first chance to ask a question since 2015 but she chose to give up the chance, preferring instead to participate in the SNP publicity stunt.
Angela Crawley was absent from PMQs
if our SNP MP doesn’t want to sit in the House of Commons and fight for the people of Lanark and Hamilton East, I suggest she should call a by-election
Questioning Angela Crawley’s commitment to Lanark and Hamilton East, Andrew Hilland suggested that “if our SNP MP doesn’t want to sit in the House of Commons and fight for the people of Lanark and Hamilton East, I suggest she should call a by-election” adding that he is “ready and willing to do the job”.
According to website TheyWorkForYou, which tracks MPs appearances in parliament, the Lanark and Hamilton East MP has only voted in 58.82% votes this Parliament, which is “well below average amongst MPs”, and spoken in 27 debates in the last year. In contrast, Ged Killen, Labour MP in the neighbouring constituency of Rutherglen and Hamilton West, has taken part in 82.35% of votes this Parliament and spoken in 43 debates.
However, speaking in Parliament isn’t the only way to gauge whether an MP is holding the government to account as they can also submit written questions to Ministers. Unfortunately, Angela Crawley’s performance in this area is also less than spectacular having only received answers to 38 written questions compared to Ged Killen’s 137.
Table – Angela Crawley and Ged Killen compared
When she was elected in 2015 Angela Crawley boasted: “I ran my campaign with the intention to be the hardest-working MP this area has ever seen, and a belief the people of Lanark and Hamilton East deserve better. Not only have I made my voice heard in Parliament, I’ve made my constituents’ views known too.” Unfortunately, for the people of Lanark and Hamilton East it would seem that Angela Crawley’s voice is rarely heard in Parliament these days.
Perhaps this article will spur her to improve her dismal parlaimentary record and concentrate on representing her constituents rather than participating in publicity stunts.
Andrew Hilland’s letter is reproduced below:
Dear Editor
Last week, the SNP Member of Parliament for Lanark and Hamilton East was selected to ask a question at Prime Minister’s Questions for the first time since 2015. Many people in this constituency would have rightly been dismayed, therefore, to see Angela Crawley MP pass up on this opportunity in favour of participating in a crass political stunt, as she joined her SNP colleagues in storming out of the House of Commons Chamber.
MPs are elected to represent their constituents. That includes speaking up for our interests in Parliament. People across Lanark and Hamilton East are concerned about the impact of Universal Credit; the rise of insecure and low paid work; the misselling of home improvements by rogue traders operating under the Green Deal; and the cruel and inhumane Personal Independence Payment assessments that many people with an illness or disability are being subjected to. Our MP should have jumped at the chance to interrogate Theresa May on one of these issues, but instead sought to stoke up constitutional grievance.
If our SNP MP doesn’t want to sit in the House of Commons and fight for the people of Lanark and Hamilton East, I suggest she should call a by-election. I’m ready and willing to do the job.
Yours sincerely,
Andrew Hilland
Labour Candidate for Lanark and Hamilton East
For updates on Andrew’s campaign please follow him on Facebook and Twitter
A clear case of putting Party before people.