Scottish independence: Unionist attacks like these are just ludicrous nonsense – Helen Martin

At some point in future, we assume the SNP is going to launch a serious campaign for independence and explain some aspects of how our country would be much better by not being a part of the UK.
Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross's attacks on the SNP are failing to hit home, says Helen Martin (Picture: John Devlin)Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross's attacks on the SNP are failing to hit home, says Helen Martin (Picture: John Devlin)
Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross's attacks on the SNP are failing to hit home, says Helen Martin (Picture: John Devlin)

Right now, Covid is still the priority for the Scottish government, but for unionist campaigners and opposition politicians rejecting indy, attacking Scotland, lying accusations, ludicrous complaints and even exposing their ignorance of a country other than England appear never-ending.

Scottish Tories and berserk unionists have accused Nicola Sturgeon of somehow failing with her vaccine target, simply because less than 100 per cent of the 40-49 age group took up their appointments for their second vaccine.

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What on Earth was the justification for that accusation when it’s not compulsory for people to obey and turn up? I know people who have refused to undergo any of the vaccines. Yet now my 32-year-old son has successfully had his second dose.

Failing to attend appointments isn’t an official crime so how can any blame be placed on Nicola Sturgeon and the government? Only idiots can declare that.

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Another unionist declaration is that Scotland is “too wee” for independence. Many insist that and Gillian Bowditch, a Scottish columnist in the Sunday Times, supported that too writing that “there is simply no way a country the size of Scotland can go it alone in such times”.

Going it “alone” is not the plan anyway as re-joining the EU as soon as possible is the plan. SNP MP and shadow Chancellor Alison Thewliss, responding to Rishi Sunak boasting about the strength of the UK, said: “The reality is that the UK is the poorest country per head amongst its neighbours in north-west Europe, with countries similar in size, or smaller than Scotland, being the fairest and most prosperous.”

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I actually laughed my head off when former Tory MP Edwina Currie declared on radio that Scots who were dependent on benefits (and presumably unemployed) should move to England which is desperately short of people to man the hospitality industry. Thus, they wouldn’t need Universal Credit and would have a good future career.

The ignorant woman didn’t understand that Scotland suffers exactly the same desperate shortage of hospitality staff… because their former staff, partly because of Covid and certainly because of Brexit, headed back to their homes in the EU!

Even Ian Murray, our only Labour MP, has accused some in the SNP of not supporting GB teams in the Olympics while he feels the Olympics is bringing Great Britain together with the public in every corner of the UK cheering the teams.

I have no interest in sport (except equestrian teams) so I don’t watch it or care about it, but I’m pretty sure SNP members and politicians are interested in Olympics, though will be potentially even more so if we eventually have our own teams.

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It’s fascinating that these persistent unionist criticisms of Scotland’s government (dozens from Douglas Ross) are just ludicrous nonsense so they don’t boost the Union or reduce independence support.

The only genuine criticisms of a government are pouring out from the EU – and they are about the UK’s finances, social support, trade and political collapse.

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