In two minutes, it is very difficult to make a substantive contribution on such an important topic. I just want to focus on one particular aspect. We are all, as someone stated, messengers of the people. We all need to listen to everybody. There is a real problem with the way in which those in opposition, particularly in this Parliament, have behaved in that they listened to the people who shouted loudest in respect of this matter. That is not the entire population of our country. There is a whole section of our world and our society - ordinary people, particularly older people and senior citizens - who last week could not get medical appointments. I met one woman at the weekend who was absolutely distraught about the fact that having spent five hours to get to her appointment, the consultant and doctors she was due to see could not get to the hospital. As a result, the appointment could not happen. She said to me that she does not know how to post on Instagram or go on Twitter and that, as a result, no one will hear her side of the story. I fully recognise that people have a right to protest. I fully recognise that people feel real pain over the costs they are experiencing. However, they do not have the right to destroy someone else's life. There has to be a balance. We, as parliamentarians, do not have the right to clearly decide to pick one side because it shouts loudest and people think they can get a political stunt out of it. That is not what democracy should be about. That is not representing all the people. That is choosing, very selectively, who to represent. Unfortunately for us, this is the worst of representation. It states that if people have access to social media and if they can shout the loudest, then certain parties will weigh in behind them but will not listen to what is happening to other ordinary people.

Sentiment score: -0.11