Holyrood Magazine on Andy Wightman's resignation from Scottish Greens

[Libra]

Very good article by Mandy Rhodes about Andy Wightman's resignation www.holyrood.com/inside-politics/view,finding-the-words-interview-with-andy-wightman

Not being Scottish, I don't know this MP, although I'd heard about the resignation.

But reading that, I like the cut of his jib. Who'd vote for a party someone like that would be forced to resign from?

That's the type of politician we need - thoughtful, nuanced, empathic and facts based. And someone adult enough to acknowledge when they've made an error and prepared to stand up to bullies.
Such a shame that he appears to be in the minority

It is very rare to have such an explicit description of the pressure put on politicians around the issues of sex/gender in Scotland.

He was nearly thrown out two years ago for attending an academic panel at Edinburgh University on women's rights. Rosa Freedman, Louise Moody, Sarah Pedersen, Julie Bindel and Lucy Hunter Blackman spoke - Julie was attacked as she left. There was a motion in the Scottish Parliament condemning the violence and the intimidation of all the speakers - the Greens refused to sign.

I hope he stands as an Independent and I hope he is successful

Hunter Blackburn! Bloody predictive text.

a good article, he makes a lot of good points and comes across as intelligent and thoughtful. Let's hope he continues as a politician for a different party (which?!)

He is too radical for the SNP and too pro-indy for Labour. He is better known than any of the pop-up list parties, perhaps he will stand on the list as Margo McDonald did.

comes across as intelligent and thoughtful

What times are we living in where this seems unusual for an elected representative, eh?

(Seems to be increasingly true in other fields too - Kathleen Stock's philosophical opponents do not impress.)

Really good article & interview. I felt for him, and he did the right thing in the end. Really good that he got all.of this out there.

My concern is every time he had to vote, he went against what he thought and then wrung his hands. No bloody use then, is it. There is a huge difference between doing something you know is wrong and not doing because you know it is wrong

Also int Times today:

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/ebdbf4fc-5a90-11eb-8f46-f2b616b9e00a?shareToken=58ff80f4cd4137d676778861c06910aa

Thanks for the sharetoken.

I can certainly sympathise with AW, but find it a bit strange that he is being referred to as an honourable man of principles. He didn't know when he cast his vote what the outcome would be, he could well have had the deciding vote, and yet he still went against what he thought was right.

And I really wonder if there would have been a resignation if the vote had been the other way round..