THIS long weekend has been a chance for many families to spend some time together as the weather improves.

In addition, there have been significant religious occasions happening simultaneously in Christianity, Islam and Judaism.

What should have been a time of celebration for so many has been marred for many constituents who have written to me, angry with the announcement of the cruel and cynical plan from the Conservative Government to send asylum seekers to Rwanda.

East Lothian has a long history of welcoming those who have come to our shores in desperate need of support, especially around the time of the Syrian Civil War in 2015 and, more recently, the Homes for Ukraine scheme.

I remember the fantastic work done in 2015 by the East Lothian Welcomes Refugees group, working with the Scottish Refugee Council, and many households across East Lothian are preparing now to welcome Ukrainian families.

This is why it was a major shock to see this issue become controversial locally after a petition, started by one of the Scottish Conservatives’ North Berwick candidates, Judy Lockhart-Hunter, resurfaced.

READ MORE: Council candidate receives death threats over petition she started opposing arrival of Syrian refugees

The petition was an incredibly cruel attempt to smear refugees as criminals and suggested that they should be sent back to other countries “where they would fit better”.

Mrs Lockhart-Hunter has since apologised for her language, but the silence from her East Lothian Conservative colleagues in Holyrood and East Lothian Council has been deafening.

Nothing from South of Scotland MSP Craig Hoy, nothing from North Berwick councillor Jeremy Findlay, and complete silence from East Lothian Conservative Party.

Do her fellow Conservatives agree with her? Their ongoing silence is telling. And do they agree with Boris Johnson that asylum seekers should be sent to Rwanda?

I am aware that the Courier has reported Mrs Lockhart-Hunter has received death threats in regard to this matter and I totally condemn these actions, having been a victim of similar in the past. She has since said that “refugees are welcome in Scotland” and I welcome this.

East Lothian has always welcomed refugees, and all the people of East Lothian have a right to know what their Conservative representatives really think.