Ann McLaughlin as SNP Shadow Women & Equalities

[teawamutu]

Been googling and checking her Twitter but can't see much, what's she like?

I'm in a neighbouring constituency, and my impression of her is ... well, no impression.

I know her name and recognise her by sight and have heard her speak a few times, mostly local Glasgow stuff. But to me she's been yer generic SNP MP. She was in the HoC from 2015 to 2017 and didn't distinguish herself positively or negatively. She lost to Labour's Paul Sweeney in 2017, and now she's back - so credit to her for that win, as I think Sweeney was pretty well regarded and as a staunch defender of Scottish devolution would have been attractive to traditional Glasgow Labour voters.

IMO/IME, McLaughlin seems decent, mild, focused on local issues, SNP party line, main interest in Scottish independence. I've never seen her say anything that implies she's a genderist/TRA supporter (she's a fifty-something Glaswegian woman from a working class background, so I'd be surprised if she is - but then again Mhairi Hunter exists). But I've also never seen McLaughlin criticise genderism/TRA excesses.

I suspect - without evidence, and I'd love to be proven wrong - that McLaughlin follows the same philosophy as my SNP MP, Patrick Grady, appears to do: never say anything on the record about genderism or trans-anything. I may be being unfair - she may genuinely not have thought about this stuff, especially being out of the front line of electoral politics for the past 2+ years. But she will be (rightly) pressured to think and speak about it now.

Joanna Cherry tweeted congratulations, which I would normally take as an endorsement - but reading the tweet again, I'm not sure if it's really congratulatory or if it has a "watching you" vibe. But Stuart Paterson - a Scottish poet who's recently been ditched by his publishers for standing up for women - replied with a firm thumbs-up for McLaughlin. I can't tweet, but I wish someone would publically ask McLaughlin about her views on the SNP Women's Pledge - if she hasn't signed it, why (specifically) not?

Never heard of her. Will be watching with interest.

I feel uncomfortable about pushing MPs and MSPs into declaring their position when they are trying to avoid doing so, because so often, when pressured into stating their position, they take the path of least resistance and fuck over women .

Yes, fair point, Sonic, thanks. I'm inclined to be annoyed about MPs (and even more about MSPs) who know TRA dogma is damaging and won't say so on the record - but I also know they face a lot of shite if they speak out. May make more sense to let McLaughlin get her bearings, and for us to contact her privately with concerns/suggestions, and pay attention and ask questions if we have specific issues with what she is doing/saying.

Saw Mhari Black on the front bench yeaterday sat next to Blackford.

"Saw Mhari (sic) Black on the front bench yeaterday (sic) sat next to Blackford."

OK, and that sheds light on McLaughlin's background and views how?