VOTERS sometimes say ‘we only see politicians at election time’, yet voters are central to democracy.

Residents across the county will have ward-based opportunities for old-style one-to-one political discussions as East Lothian SNP councillors reach out to hear constituents’ opinions in face-to-face ‘listening events’.

For exporters, farmers, health workers, academics, small businesses and the hospitality sector in our county, Labour’s indefensible denial of Brexit’s long-term economic damage is the ‘elephant in the room’. Chancellor Rachel Reeves is “not satisfied” with economic growth since Labour came to power – but only Labour is to blame for a Budget failing everyone from pensioners to million-pound exporters.

Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey knows that Brexit has undermined the economy. Pointing out the consequences of leaving the EU and the customs checks impacting on trade, Mr Bailey said the UK must rebuild its relations with the EU “while respecting the decision of the British people”.

I’m calling Bailey out on that because – to put it bluntly about Brexit – ‘it wisnae us’. Voters picked sides in a democratic referendum and it wasn’t ‘Britain’ voting to leave, but England and Wales; by a two-thirds majority, Scotland voted to remain. Northern Ireland voted remain more narrowly, only to be betrayed by Boris Johnson’s cavalier, mendacious promises.

Keir Starmer wants deeper co-operation with the EU but the Tory hard Brexit he’s implementing allows only modest adjustments. Because Labour refuses to take the fastest route to mitigate Brexit by rejoining the customs union and the single market, Starmer’s timid tinkering won’t be enough.

Former Bank of England governor Mark Carney warned in 2016 that Brexit would damage the economy, later reminding the public: “We said this was going to happen... the economy's capacity would go down because of Brexit and that would add to inflationary pressure.” UK inflation followed at higher rates than across the EU.

Brexiteers wanted Carney fired, with Tory MP Jacob Rees-Mogg calling Carney the “enemy of Brexit... consistently wrong” about post-EU referendum economics. I’m not a university-trained economist but, in a choice between Rees-Mogg and Carney, I’d back Mr Carney.

According to Believe in Scotland’s recent poll, so would 68 per cent of voters who think an independent Scotland should rejoin the EU. Another 2024 poll anticipated a clear win for yes if it were certain that Scotland would rejoin the EU. As flag-waving Brexiteers dragged us out of the EU nearly five years ago, the SNP’s Alyn Smith MEP memorably asked the European Parliament: “Leave a light on, so Scotland can find its way home.”