Bedroom tax: an open letter to Sir Robert Smith

Barry Black is the Scottish Labour candidate in West Aberdeenshire & Kincardine in 2015. He has written an open letter to the sitting Lib Dem MP, challenging him to vote for the immediate abolition of the Bedroom Tax today.

Over the past few weeks Scottish Labour supporters in West Aberdeenshire & Kincardine, including elected councillors, have received two letters from Sir Robert Smith – the sitting Lib Dem MP. The letters have pleaded with Labour folk to vote tactically for him to avoid ‘the more extreme Tory policies’.

I find this beyond parody as his voting record this parliament shows the opposite – he voted for the bedroom tax, for a rise in VAT and against a bankers bonus tax.

He also mentions that ‘more and more’ Labour voters are telling him they will vote Liberal to keep the Tories out. Now, while it’s a cliché to mention what we hear on the doorsteps in debate, were it 2005 or 2010 I would have agreed with Sir Robert that this would have been the case. This time around people feel betrayed and angry that their vote to keep the Tories out has in fact let Tory polices in. Labour supporters in West Aberdeenshire & Kincardine will vote Labour in 2015.

I took this opportunity to write to Sir Robert, welcoming his U-turn on his voting record this parliament and reminding him that he can practice what he preaches in these letters by voting for the Labour motion “The Immediate Abolition of the Bedroom Tax” during tonight’s opposition day debate.

See my letter below.

Dear Sir Robert Smith MP,

I have read with interest the two letters you have sent to Labour supporters in West Aberdeenshire & Kincardine in recent weeks asking them to vote tactically for you.

I note that you explain a vote for you is a vote to stop ‘extreme Tory policies’. I am delighted you have chosen to U-turn from your voting record of this parliament.

I am writing to you today to remind you that today (Wednesday 17th December) you will have the perfect opportunity to stop ‘extreme Tory policy’ in the form of the bedroom tax, which of course you have voted for on more than one occasion.

As part of our opposition day debates, a motion entitled “The Immediate Abolition of the Bedroom Tax” will be voted upon. I look forward to seeing you voting with the Labour Party on this.

Best wishes,
Barry Black.

 

At time of writing I have had no response.