Deidre Brock: You decide what this election's about

I keep hearing people telling everyone else what this election is about, and I think it's time they gave it a rest. I think they should stop trying to tell people what it's about and let the voters decide.

Your vote belongs to you and to no-one else so you get to decide what influences your choice. Picture: PA

If you want the election to be about the appalling way the Tories have treated disabled people then that’s what the election is about for you.

If you think that it’s about the incredible incompetence the Tories are showing as they try to manage Brexit then that’s what you vote on.

If you think it should be about how unfair it is that the current government will offer you a tax break on your third million if you’re rich but no tax credit on your third child if you’re poor then that’s what it’s about. Your vote belongs to you and to no-one else so you get to decide what influences your choice.

SNP Westminster candidate Deidre Brock

You’re also free to decide to tell all of us politicians to naff off – you can refuse to vote if you want to. Having the right to vote includes the right not to bother. Of course, if you don’t vote it’ll be the people who do vote who decide what the election is about.

For me, this election is about addressing the atrocious record of the Tories – they have proven to be cruel, uncaring and incompetent in office and their policies have inflicted pain and damage on large sections of society. They don’t have an ideology that’s driving this; it’s just callous and it should end.

Their incompetence is showing in the mess they are making of the Brexit negotiations and is only equalled by the uselessness of the Labour opposition. Watching Jeremy Corbyn trying to take on Theresa May is almost painful.

I think Jeremy is a decent enough man but his party is fractured and the infighting must make things impossible for him. It epitomises that tired old joke that the opposition is in front of you while your enemies are on the benches behind.

SNP Westminster candidate Deidre Brock

For the last two years the SNP has been the only effective opposition to the Tory government in London and it’s been us holding them to account. It’s now more important than ever to have strong voices standing up for Scotland to protect us.

That’s what this election is about for me – protecting Scotland and making Scotland all that it can be. You can decide to make it about whatever you want for yourself and tell everyone else you have your own mind.

Deidre Brock is the SNP candidate in Edinburgh North and Leith