Voters' views: Michelle Hunt

MEET THE PANEL Name: Michelle Hunt Age: 41 Lives: Sorn, East Ayrshire Works: Health promotion officer Current voting intention: SNP

I intend to vote for the SNP because they challenge the Labour Party "head on" in Scotland.

They don't seem frightened to speak out or ask difficult questions and I like their directness.

A number of their policies which are important to me include abolishing tuition fees, replacing student loans with a grant system, revising the council tax system, support for vocational education, opportunities for secondary school pupils and opposition to privatisation within the public sector.

I am disillusioned with the Labour Party - there have been far too many lies and unanswered questions, not just about the war in Iraq.

I think the important issues to ordinary people during the forthcoming election will be the things that affect their every day lives, for example taxation, particularly council tax, public services, law and order, education, pensions, but I do think the war in Iraq will be there in the back of voters' minds.

VOTERS' PANEL INTRODUCTIONS Jim Monaghan Michael Marley David Hamilton Stephen Edenborough Jennifer Mackay Bob Crozier Michelle Hunt Duncan King Olivia Drennan Keith Brockie George Whillans

I have to admit that I could be swayed to changing my allegiance.

I like some of what I have heard from the Conservative Party but I am frightened that their policies are all hot air and no substance and are all about winning and not about ordinary working people.

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Send us your comments on Michelle's views using the form on the right.

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The SNP are guilty of bandwagon politics, this often cheapens their policies, as they are too busy slating the opposition. It's time for the SNP to really focus on the future and not the chip on their shoulder.
Pete, Kinross

Just remember that the last time the Tories were in power they all but ruined Scotland. If you vote for SNP you are in fact voting for independence and then what? My view is again a ruined Scotland ..where will the money come from..certainly not from Whitehall. Think again, the other two parties will support Scotland much better
john c murray, Wales

The two comments so far are rich indeed. Bandwagon politics? Health, education, the economy. wise up! The opposition deserve to be slated for their half baked, ill conceived policies which have seen poverty rocket since 1997 and the health service descend into chaos. Time for Scots to stop being sycophants and have the courage to vote for change
david Logan, Dumbarton, Scotland

John asks "where will the money come from?". Where does any country get money from? Where does England get it's money from? People in Scotland are not just sitting about waiting for their living expenses to be sent north. Scotland will achieve a similar level of prosperity as those small countries around it, such as Norway and Ireland, as soon as we are able to govern our country in a suitable manner.
Andrew, Edinburgh

I'm just wondering exactly how much John knows about Scotland's potential, seeing as he does live in Wales. The Scottish economy has just as much potential as it's neighbours in Ireland and Norway. With the oil reserves holding oil for decades to come and the promotion of economic immigration then the SNP have a clear plan for how Scotland and her economy could profit from independence.
Calvin, Glagow

John Murray asks "where will the money come from"? Scotland's taxpayers, the same as it does today. Don't you think anyone in Scotland pays taxes? Do you believe Margaret Thatcher's lie that the "generous" English send wagon-loads of cash north for the Scots to squander? Scotland's economy is more than self-sufficient. It'll be good to keep our hard-earned cash in Scotland instead of sending it all south for Gordon Brown to decide how much of it we should have back as pocket money.
Neil Caple, Tarland, Scotland

Michelle has hit the nail on the head. The SNP are the only party concerned with the needs of the people of Scotland. The Tories have a history of ruining Scotland, raising unemployment and decimating our core industries. The so-called 'Scottish' Labour Party are a London-run rabble intent on little more than personal gain and worming their way into Westminster politics. The Liberal Democrats are no better (the political Judas of Scotland).
Neil MacLeod, Carnoustie, Scotland

I find myself incredibly sceptical about the SNP. The party's leaders appear to be sagacious, but when it boils down to it the policies are little more than a melee of (as was correctly stated earlier) bangwagon politics under the seductive mask of being the only party with the "courage" to stand up for Scotland. It is difficult to believe that more of their votes come from people who know their policies than those with Saltires in their eyes.
Edward, Edinburgh, Scotland

Well, it could be worth voting for the Tories if there was proportional representation - why anyone in Scotland would want to is another matter. The nonsense about Scotland only surviving on the charity of of others in the UK is really old hat. It is pretty much acknowledged that despite economic policy from Westminster having a negative impact, Scotland has maintained a historically quite healthy balance-of payments. All Scots should be proud of the fact that they have subsidised the Channel Tunnel, the London Underground, the London Docklands Railway expansion, the London Olympics (if it happens) etc etc with the surplus £27bn in revenue they have contributed to the exchequer. Who says the Scots are mean!!
Kevin, London

One of the reasons I left Scotland was in fact the high level of Poll Tax charged by the Tory Party in their Poll Tax high days. Looking at the future under the SNP I can see the same problem rising again...there is hardly (long term) any oil left so there is no point trying to build a future on that. Whilst obviously everyone in Scotland pays their individual way there will in my opinion be not enough in the kitty to keep the country afloat since at present Scotland is a net receiver of money from the British kitty. It may well be that in the short term money will still flow in that direction but all I can see long term is very large hikes in tax to fill the gap. Not a chance I'd like to take. You think tax is high now just wait till you are independent. The same of course would happen in Wales...not even oil here. We have already seen a large jump in council tax here to help fund the pathetic assembly we have ..my own contribution has jumped by 27.17% this year alone. In the end my view is get rid of even devolution and whatever it is we have in Wales so that all of us can get back to sensible tax levels. Get rid of the duplication of politicians and all their followers. john c murray
john c murray, Wales

I agree with John about one thing - let's end the duplication of politicians and cut our taxes. Cut the ties with the UK and stop sending useless lobby fodder to Westminster. And stop subsidising south east England into the bargain. Simple really.
Neil Caple, Tarland, Scotland

Now here's a strange thing, we have the SNP leader supporting the Scottish Regiments when if he has his way and Scotland becomes independent there will be no British Army, so by definition no Scottish Regiments in that army. There may well be a Scottish Army but it will be a good deal smaller than the Regiments that exist now.
John, Wales

I think Michelle hits the nail on the head. I used to vote Conservative but the SNP are going my way. They plan to cut taxes and implement trickle down economics in Scotland. Nicola Sturgeon is a wily woman and she will make a great iron chancellor. Cut benefits, cut the waste and lets stand for Scotland.
David Haig, Dundee, Scotland

How dare Alex Salmond suggest on Frost on Sunday that we need a phone call from a third rate actor who doesn't even live in Scotland to help us decide how to vote
C Smith, Aberdeen

If there's a bandwagon about, the SNP will be on it with bells on. The country deserves more than that cheeky chappie Alex and his endless soundbites.
Paul, Edinburgh

All the SNP seem to talk about is fish and oil, along with the all too familiar nationalist rhetoric. It's clear that most of their vote is in the North-East and they do nothing to woo new voters from the rest of Scotland. I'm proud to be Scottish but the SNP say nothing to me.
PG, Stirling

I see John from Wales is running the silly Labour argument that you can't campaign for the likes of the Black Watch and want independence from London. I bet he can't explain why Canada has a Black Watch regiment then. Kind of destroys that silly Labour argument.
J McKay, Glasgow, Scotland

How dare PG of Stirling attack fish and oil. I know I speak for a lot of people in the north east when I say it is our life up here. It's all very well in Stirling with your many knives and forks but up here we want to live like true Scots. True Scots like William Wallace, Robert the Bruce and Jackie Bird.
Peter Bell, Elgin, Scotland