Liberal Democrat Secretary of State for Scotland Alistair Carmichael has written for the Daily Record about the need to conduct the independence referendum in a more respectful tone, citing examples of attacks from independence supporters on those who want to stay in the UK:
Cybernats – or internet trolls, to give them their proper name – wish Eddie Izzard serious harm simply because he has the cheek to disagree with them.
SNP MSPs are accused of “mob rule” after they dish out a verbal duffing up to industry boss Iain McMillan, the head of the Scottish CBI.
And – I kid you not – Rory Bremner says he’s worried about doing impersonations of Alex Salmond.
What next? A punishment beating for Kermit the Frog?
We’re going to have to live with each other after September 18th, he says:
But there is one thing that must be the same the day after the referendum – and it’s too important to jeopardise in the heat of political battle. We must all still be friends and family.
The folk next door will still be the folk next door whether they voted Yes or No.
What worries me is that the tone of some of the debate is in danger of putting that at risk – and I’m not just talking about the so-called cybernats. Politicians have to shoulder some of the blame too.
It doesn’t do anyone any favours. Our politics is supposed to be better than that.
But respectful questioning of the independence proposals is not being negative, he argues. It’s an essential part of the debate.
For me, there’s nothing negative about merely asking questions about such a gigantic decision, yet the increasingly angry SNP seem to want you to simply take a punt on the future of your country.
To take their word, it will all be all right on the night – why? Because they say so.
Don’t know about you but I wouldn’t buy a washing machine, let alone decide the fate of myself, my kids and my nation, on that basis.
He goes on to talk about some of the positive reasons to remain in the UK:
A UK economy which can withstand shocks like the banking crisis and ensure your mortgage, food and fuel bills are lower than they would be in an independent Scotland.
And a country with a strong, stable currency, world-class TV and a set of shared values which unite working men and women from Peterhead to Penzance.
You can read the whole article here.
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3 Comments
This is sensible stuff. It would be more credible if it was more even-handed. Both sides risk getting out of hand.
Tony Greaves
Agree Tony, its another example of why I get exasperated with Alistair sometimes.
He is well aware that the Deputy First Minister has received death threats, that a Labour Party website hosted absolutely appalling remarks about the Fist Minister’s father and that this week we have had an SNP MSP physically attacked by a No supporter.
Where was the condemnation of Better Together supporter and Labour Peer, Lord George Foulkes , when he compared SNP supporters who disagreed with him over the path to Devolution as “Holocaust deniers”. Indeed where has the condemnation been of the posting on the Official No campaign’s Facebook page talking about firing bullets into SNP leaders?
But it isn’t just the trolls hiding behind anonymity who need to be condemned:
Deputy Labour Leader Anas Sarwar has claimed the Scottish Government is a Dictatorship. Have I Got News for You thought it perfectly acceptable for Ray Winstone to refer to Scots as “tramps” and invite the studio audience to tell Scotland to “bugger off”. On Newsnight Jeremy Paxman openly compared the First Minister to Robert Mugabe.
The trolls are mad, bad and sad but they are taking a lead from others who should certainly know better.
So while I completely agree with Alistair’s call for restraint and a more respectful tone in the debate he has to stop playing silly partisan games and condemn both sides. As a Scottish Liberal Democrat who is voting Yes – I’m as sick of yes supporting trolls and fantasy claims as I am of No supporting trolls and ridiculous scare stories.
Well said Alex Dingwall.
Carmichael, just like George Robertson, is seriously undermining his cause as he is convincing no-one.
People know that Yes supporters, like No supporters, are their wives, brothers, friends and neighbours and next to none will agree with his biased analysis.