Edinburgh Craigentinny & Duddingston by-election: 'Scum of the Earth' is no way to address a fellow democrat – John McLellan

There is no point in me writing an article extolling the virtues of our candidate Eleanor Price as we’re doing that through our campaign literature, but although canvasing is not permitted the conversations with voters we come across as we deliver leaflets have been as illuminating as ever.

There have been lots of positive chats, but inevitably all activists get a bit of stick too. But it does strike me as odd in a democratic society that apparently respectable people can dash out of their tidy Portobello bungalow to rasp “scum of the Earth” for having a different outlook to theirs.

Or an SNP activist in Restalrig who asked if I was having a laugh for having the temerity to promote an alternative to an SNP-Labour council coalition that even nationalists like my fellow columnist Helen Martin think is, to use her words, “foolish and tyrannical”.

Must have been the weekend for it, because I also had an Irish chap in Northfield who “just wanted to see my face” and another lady in the Lady Nairne area who said our leaflet would “defile” her house.

As the old activist joke goes, I’ll put them down as maybes, but at least they’ve all had a wee mention in the Evening News.

John McLellan is a Scottish Conservative councillor for the Craigentinny and Duddingston ward

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