EIGHT SNP MSPs have backed an Alba motion lodged in the Scottish Parliament condemning Keir Starmer’s praise of Margaret Thatcher.
In a column published in The Sunday Telegraph, the Labour Party leader applauded Thatcher for bringing “meaningful change” to Britain and for setting “loose our natural entrepreneurialism”.
Starmer has faced widespread criticism for the comments, including from the First Minister Humza Yousaf who said they were an “insult” to Scotland.
On Monday, the Alba Party launched a motion which noted the devastating impact Thatcher’s policies had on Scottish industry and the communities reliant upon it.
READ MORE: Top Scottish business expert blasts Tory migration plan
It states that throughout the period of Thatcher’s rule "the Conservative Government allowed the failure of British Steel’s mill at Gartcosh, the Invergordon aluminium smelter and the Corpach pulp mill which would further lead to the closure of Ravenscraig that signalled the end of large-scale steel making in Scotland, resulting in a direct loss of 770 jobs, and another 10,000 jobs linked to these.”
Now, eight SNP MSPs have issued their support of the motion.
They are: Colin Beattie, Bob Doris, Christine Grahame, Bill Kidd, Fulton MacGregor, John Mason, Ivan McKee, Michelle Thomson.
READ MORE: Anas Sarwar defends Keir Starmer but slams Margaret Thatcher’s legacy
It comes after Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar finally spoke out about Starmer’s praise of the former Tory prime minister.
However, while he said Thatcher was a “destructive force” in Scotland, he simultaneously defended Starmer and urged people to “actually read the article”.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel