Ideology over national interest.

So Jackson Carlaw has faced criticism for speculating on the impact the coronavirus pandemic will have on next year's Holyrood election.   The Scottish Conservatives leader said it would now "look ridiculous" if the SNP pushes for independence at next year's poll.  Bad boy.   

And it was well reported on the BBC web site with the SNP calling out the remarks as inappropriate with a party spokesman saying "the last thing any Scottish politician on any side of the constitutional debate should be doing is trying to use the appalling crisis we all currently face as an argument for or against independence".  How neat, they still manage to get independance in to their response.  Although one actually suspects Ms Sturgeon is glad it won’t be this year as she in all probability would have lost.     

But hold on, one of Keir Starmer’s new shadow cabinet has just done the same thing in relation to connecting the virus with a political stance.  Perhaps hardly surprising given it is packed with hard-core EU Remainers.   

The BBC headline. “Brexit: Labour warns against 'chaotic' no deal outcome” finds the new shadow chancellor Anneliese Dodds feeling confident enough to urge ministers not to put "ideology over national interest" because of the Corona virus.   

Of course she was just trotting out what MEPs had been demanding. Or as the BBC headline put it “Delay Brexit deadline amid coronavirus, say MEPs”.  

I always find ideology over national interest an amusing phrase.  What they really mean is don’t put your ideology ahead of mine.  Ms Dodds ideology is Brexit is a very bad thing.   

But there are three things she seems to have forgotten.  Brexit has already happened; we legally have left the EU.  Secondly, there is no such thing as no deal.  The EU and the UK both know that unless an agreement is reached the deal will be WTO.  Everyone knows that.  That is the legal position passed by parliament. One does hope the shadow chancellor does too and she was not just having a forgetfulness moment.   And thirdly, how come when Jackson Carlow gets a rollicking for commenting on something that is constitutional while Sir Keir and his team don’t get a similar going over in the media?