INTERESTING piece from the Tory candidate for Ward 7 in Cowdenbeath. You state that you are just like everybody else from the Cowdenbeath area and that if elected you will ensure that the residents and their needs will transcend the 'pathetic bickering and political grandstanding they have sadly been used to'. 'Politically grandstand about the Tory Party welfare reform bill'.

I notice that you do not defend the bill which I can fully understand, we certainly do not support the Tories' austerity programme. You do point out that a great deal of the Labour MP’s in Westminster did support that bill and therefore the austerity programme that goes along with it.

However, justifying the Tories support for punishing the most deprived in our communities by highlighting that the Labour Party also supported your bill merely highlights why Scotland will never have the fair and just society that it deserves until Scotland decides to be an Independent Country.

On the question to the SNP candidates for the Ward 7 Cowdenbeath you ask “how is it possible to set up an entire Independent country within 18 months yet the system required to administer benefits would take three years to set up?"

You may have noticed that there is an 18 month time period for the UK Government to negotiate with 27 other EU countries, a deal which will allow the UK to leave the European Union in what the UK Government hopes will be a favourable deal. 18 months is the time period agreed by 28 countries including the UK for these negotiations, so why on earth would it take Scotland and the rest of the UK any longer.

The reason that the SNP Government are allowing three years is for the Benefits System to be fully passed over is partially due to the shambles of the 11 benefit systems which are being devolved, some of which I believe are still on paper based systems.

Due to this the Scottish Government are having to deal with a UK Government that is putting every barrier that it can in place to slow down the process.

Or if you want to put it another way, when asked what is devolution the reply came that it is like evolution, but it just takes longer.

ANN and ALISTAIR BAIN,

Candidates for Ward 7 Cowdenbeath.