(c) sky.com
Ignoring his whip, Douglas Ross, MP for Moray, voted with the SNP to defeat the Government in a debate on the case put forward by the WASPI group, on the pension entitlements, or lack of, of women born in the 1950s, thinking they could retire at 60 and then being told more recently they would have to work years beyond that. The decision is, however, not binding and the Government can simply ignore it.
Ross said, after listening to the motion from the SNP leader:
‘I agree with a lot of what my Hon. Friend says, both now and in previous debates on this issue. More can be done. There is a lot we can discuss and debate, and I have put myself forward to be a member of the all-party parliamentary group on state pension inequality for women.’
http://www.insidemoray.com/douglas-ross-votes-with-the-snp-in-westminster-debate-on-waspi/
Ross does, of course, need to improve his public image after being caught missing a parliamentary committee to referee a Champions League football match in Portugal.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-38078341
There have been other, sometimes serial, Tory rebels before, but they typically come from the extreme and often eccentric, right-wing fringe of the party who feel that it is being too compassionate on something. Peter Bone (56 rebellions) was perhaps the best example. Described in the Guardian as:
‘An MP since 2005, Essex-born Bone (59) is best-known for quoting the breakfast-table remarks of his wife (“Mrs Bone”) to David Cameron at PMQs, as representing the solid good sense of Middle Britain. A company accountant who once paid a teenager 87p an hour, he also said the NHS would “not be out of place in Stalin’s Russia” – but supports homeopathy and an abortion limit of 12 weeks. He was seen as one of the “mostly cantankerous old farts” on the backbench 1922 committee, but he lost his seat in this month’s elections.’
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2012/may/28/top-six-rebel-mps
Talking-up Scotland 
The Tories are falling apart in Moray with one Tory councillor resigning from the party and one “Independent” councillor withdrawing his support from the Tories leaving the Tory “Independent” coalition short of a majority. The ref possibly feels not too secure in one of his jobs.
LikeLike
Interesting. So he should hang on to his whistle?
LikeLiked by 1 person
good tory ? ? ? oh dear …. nae such thing as a good tory ..
LikeLiked by 1 person
It was just an idea. Stupid i know
LikeLiked by 2 people
Hi all – talking of Tories brings me to an observation about how a few Tories seem to have been talking today. See the 2 comments below culled from beeb Wales and beeb Jockland sites reporting on the talks held by Damian Green in Wales and Scotland today (Cairns and Fluffy as supporting acts) :
Allun Cairns (Tory Wales Secy) “We have said from day one that we expect it (the brexit Bill) to be adapted and modified as we try to take people’s views, and people’s innovations as well, from those who are enthusiastic about leaving the EU to those who are less so.”
Fluffy Mundell: But he insisted that it would be in “listening mode” when amendments to the bill are debated in the Commons next week, and that “we have never said we wouldn’t change the bill to make it better.”
NOTE how Fluffy and Allun Cairns seem to be speaking from the exact same prepared script. There seems to be some co-ordinated move underway from Tories to prepare ground for some shifts in position when the amendments are voted on early next week.
We’ll watch with interest.
Although Fluffy and cairns are speaking from the same script I can’t imagine Fluffy’s Depute (The Baron Duncan) copying his Welsh opposite no. The Baron Bourne who showed a wee bit of gumption tweeting against Trump’s State Visuit today (see below from beeb Wales site):
Wales Office minister ‘unable to welcome’ Trump visit
Lord Bourne tweeted: “Millions of fellow Britons of all races and religions and none appalled by conduct of @realDonaldTrump – understandable that they feel unable to welcome him here under these circumstances nor could I.”
I’m afraid The Baron and Fluffy are far too busy brown-nosing to dare put that kind of criticism out into the public domain – so credit where it’s due – well done the Welsh fella.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for these interesting additions.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I may need to get new reading glasses, but do I discern a SPECSAVERS logo affixed to that nasty wee eejit’s sleeve as he glowers his God knows where?
Perhaps, he suddenly heard the toot of the Brit flutes and echoes of the Lambeg wallops and was distracted from his primary gig?
LikeLike