Glasgow MSPs and Cancel Culture
More details to follow.
No Debate, Cancel Culture and Glasgow MSPs (August 21, 2023)
I've written to Glasgow MSPs about the behaviour of Patrick Harvie - a fellow parliamentarian and minister in the SNP led Scottish government
To my mind Patrick Harvie's conduct is quite outrageous and my purpose in writing to other MSPs is to see who, if anyone, supports his 'no debate/cancel culture' approach to democracy.
Here's a copy of my letter to the other 6 Glasgow regional list MSPs and my local constituency MSP, Kaukab Stewart.
Dear Kaukab/Pauline/Anas/Paul/Pam/Sandesh/Annie
No Debate, Gender Ideology and Self-ID
I enclose an exchange of letters with Patrick Harvie, the Glasgow list MSP and Minister for Zero Carbon in the Scottish government.
Patrick Harvie has refused to meet with me (as a Glasgow constituent) to discuss gender recognition and self-identification because I attended a rally at Holyrood in support of women’s rights back in October 2022.
To my mind Patrick Harvie's behaviour is small-minded and highly intolerant because, like all politicians, he has been elected to represent all of his constituents - not just those who voted for him.
I don’t expect to agree with my locally politicians on everything, but I do expect MSPs, MPs and councillors to be willing to meet and discuss issues respectfully with the constituents they claim to represent because cancelling and blacklisting people is not acceptable.
My previous Glasgow constituency MSP (John Mason) believes in creationism, for example. I disagree with John profoundly on this issue, along with others, but nonetheless I met with John Mason on various occasions over the years without any difficulty.
Both John Mason and Patrick Harvie are obviously free to believe what they like, (for all I care they can believe the earth is round and the moon is made of green cheese), but what they cannot do is compel me or anyone else to share their views, nor should they cancel or blacklist people just for disagreeing with them.
In my view Patrick Harvie’s ‘no debate’ stance has to be challenged because it is unreasonable, undemocratic and discriminatory.
So I am contacting Glasgow list MSPs as well as my local constituency MSP to ask if you are prepared, in principle, to discuss the issues surrounding the controversial policies of self-ID and gender recognition which are currently blocked by UK ministers?
Both issues are strongly opposed by the vast majority of Glaswegians, of course, despite last year’s vote in the Scottish Parliament.
I am not looking for a firm date at this stage, only confirmation of whether you agree that Glasgow politicians should be willing to discuss such important issues with their constituents.
I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Kind regards
Mark Irvine
Watch this space.
Kaukab Stewart
