THE SNP’s Stop Brexit battle bus has been making waves in Spain, where yesterday the yellow vehicle featured in an 1100-word General Election analysis in a Spanish daily newspaper.
Cristina Galindo, a special envoy for El Pais, penned the piece from Stirling, a key marginal seat where Brexit has revived support for independence.
She said that in the town, “a place of celebrated victories against the English in the 13th century”, they are not especially independence supporters, judging by the results of the 2014 vote when 59% voted to remain in the UK – above the Scottish average of 55%.
After that result, the debate seemed closed, but five years on “Brexit has revived the independence movement” and the possibility of a second indyref.
Galindo quotes a voter named Dawn, who in the past has supported Labour, the Greens and even the Tories, but is now backing the SNP, and would not think twice over indyref2.
READ MORE: SNP in warning to BBC amid fresh signs of General Election bias
Deidre Brock, an SNP candidate in Edinburgh North and Leith, told Galindo that voters who did not support independence had changed because of Brexit.
“Many see the chaos that Westminster has become and are now thinking that they might support ending the Union,” said Brock. “Our goal is to stop Brexit, so that Boris Johnson cannot form a government and another vote is called on the exit of the EU in which the possibility of reversing completely is contemplated.”
Boris Johnson’s talk of going ahead with Brexit – deal or no deal – had increased the support in Scotland for Remain, according to historian Tom Devine.
“The prime minister is the best recruiting sergeant that the SNP could have to gain support for independence,” he said.
“Nationalism has spread among the Scots because the feeling that they have to leave the EU against their will grows.”
Devine said Johnson’s flirtation with the most radical English nationalism to woo Brexit Party voters had further alienated many Scots from London, but on indyref2, he added: “It would be a very tight victory that would divide the nation.”
Galindo said Brexit had even led some Scottish unionists to reconsider their position, including Chris Deerin, director of the Reform Scotland think tank. He voted against independence in 2014, but said: “I would certainly be more open to vote Yes. Nicola Sturgeon has said she would support Jeremy Corbyn as prime minister if he agrees to hold a new referendum, and it is possible that, if the circumstances arise, there will be a vote in 2021 or 2022.”
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