IN Scottish political discourse no word has been distorted beyond recognition more than "progressive". You might even go further and consider that many of those self-identifying as "progressive" exhibit tendencies which are in direct conflict with the values we normally attach to it.

They are mainly to be found in Scotland’s left-of-centre parties which have become dictatorial, authoritarian and bullying while promoting a wretched culture of "no-debate".

The most graphic examples of these attitudes have become apparent in the fury and hostility directed at feminists when they have dared to raise concerns about their sex-based rights.

They are often amplified by a cohort of middle-aged male, political savants. It’s as though, never having practised or achieved anything truly radical in their privileged lives, they now feel a desperate compulsion to fix that by choosing the path of least resistance.

By attacking mainly older or middle-aged women or turning up mob-handed at their events to harangue them, they know they’re hardly likely to encounter any retaliation.

Last year, in her final Holyrood speech as First Minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon said: “When women lift, girls rise.” Responding to this, the SNP MSP, Emma Roddick said that it was these words which had inspired her to become a politician. These sentiments though, must have rung hollow in the ears of Joanna Cherry, a proud lesbian and feminist who, for the previous several years, had endured a vindictive campaign of intimidation and harassment orchestrated from within her own party.

READ MORE BY KEVIN MCKENNA

This survey exposes the SNP's culture of hostility to Christians

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