NOT content with an Ofcom complaint against them from the SNP, the Jeremy Vine Show has treated us to yet more guff debate surrounding Scottish independence.
With usual host Vine elsewhere, it was stand-in Anne Diamond who this time facilitated the uninformed, shoot-from-hip discussion found on the show. She asked guests Susie Boniface and Carole Malone – both journalists – whether they think Boris Johnson becoming PM increases the case for independence.
What sort of robust argumentation did they use to show that Scotland doesn’t really want independence? Boniface compared Scotland’s situation to that of Tunbridge Wells which voted Remain by a small margin of 54.9%.
READ MORE: WATCH: SNP MP's brilliant reply to Scotland jibe on Jeremy Vine
Yes, you heard that right, Scotland – a nation of upwards of five million – has been compared to a small English town. “Professor Richard Curtice [sic]” was then referenced.
Brexiteer Malone said: “I don’t think there is a clamour for Scottish independence. I know Professor Richard Curtice [sic] who is the fountain of all knowledge on these says the last four polls have shown it’s still not Yes to leaving the Union. It’s still a No, but the margin has narrowed.
“Since 2014 there have been 100 polls on independence and 11 of them have come out of them and said yes, people want to leave but 81 of them have said no, they don’t want to leave, so people of Scotland do not want to leave.”
Its’ true, John (not Richard) Curtice said there had been “little evidence that the Brexit debate has moved the dial significantly on attitudes towards independence” – until recently. The Strathclyde University professor has since said a majority of Scots who backed Remain in the EU referendum now back independence – which displays increasing support.
Malone continued: “Nicola Sturgeon is using Brexit and the fear around Brexit to try to whip up fear. Her figure for the loss of jobs is 100,000. This has been done with her analysts in Government. Actually, I would like to see that analysis because I just don’t believe it. I don’t believe a lot of what Nicola Sturgeon says.”
If you continue like this Ms Malone, we are going to have stop believing a word you say. Nicola Sturgeon has not claimed Brexit would cost up to 100,000 jobs, she pointed to Scottish Government analysis which looked at the possible impacts of a No Deal. But let’s not let facts get in the way of your argument. Meanwhile, just the day before Vauxhall announced it could leave the UK after a No Deal Brexit – they are by no means the only firm to do so – and the Fraser of Allander Institute has predicted a loss of more than one £1 in every £20 of output from Scotland’s economy under such a scenario.
Learning from their previous disaster – not enough, it seems – the Jeremy Vine Show was then joined by an SNP MP. But Malone’s nonsense did not stop there.
When Diamond asked the Perthshire MP if it would be as hard for Scotland to leave the Union as it is for the UK to leave the EU, he mentioned how about 24 countries have become independent in the past 25 years and how the UK is the first country to leave the EU.
He was interrupted by Malone who asked why if he wanted to leave the Union he would be so willing to trade with the EU.
Looking baffled, Wishart responded: “I don’t know where this myth emerges that we’re going to stop trading with the United Kingdom. We’re probably going to be looked on quite favourably [compared] to the rest of the UK.”
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