The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Actor slated for blaming Brexit on ‘stupid English’
BACKLASH: Cumming’s comments provoke outry from across political divide
Scottish actor Alan Cumming has been rounded on for incendiary comments in which he blamed “stupid English people” for the Brexit vote.
The Perthshire-born film star faced a backlash yesterday for stoking up anti-English sentiment in an interview with the Sunday Herald.
Referring to last month’s EU referendum, he said: “I was appalled when I heard the result and I have three words to sum it up. Stupid. English. People.”
Mr Cumming, who grew up in Carnoustie and now lives in the US, made the comments as he spoke out against Remain-supporting Scotland being taken out of the EU on the strength of votes from England.
In Scotland, 1.66 million Remain voters trumped the 1.02 million who voted Leave.
England had 15.19 million voters backing Brexit, compared with 13.26 million who voted to stay.
MSPs from across the political spectrum spoke out against the award-winning actor’s comments.
Neil Findlay, the Labour MSP, said the language used was “very depressing”.
He told The Courier: “If we substituted the word ‘English’ for any minority group or other nationality there would rightly be an outcry.
“Lectures from afar from the privileged, who live a million miles away from the day-to-day pressures working people are experiencing, are insulting and very stupid.”
He added: “I wonder if Mr Cumming’s remarks include the millions of Scots, Welsh and Northern Irish citizens who voted Leave or is it just ‘the English’.”
“At time when our society is increasingly divided we should be trying to heal division not actively encouraging further division based on ignorance.”
Murdo Fraser, the Mid Fife and Scotland MSP for the Scottish Conservatives, also condemned Mr Cumming’s rhetoric.
“Language like this is deeply unhelpful and only serves to stir up tensions,” he said.
“We can only imagine the reaction if someone used this language in relation to Muslim or Jewish people.
“I hope that Alan Cumming will reflect on his choice of words and regret them.”
Political comedian Matt Forde tweeted: “Alan Cumming ignoring the English voters who agreed with him and the Scottish voters who didn’t. Lovely nationalism.”
Mr Cumming, who has appeared in the James Bond film Goldeneye, X2: X-Men United and the TV series The Good Wife, was one of the Yes campaign’s biggest celebrity supporters in 2014.
Asked to react to Mr Cumming’s comments, an SNP spokesman said: “Although Scotland voted to remain, 17 million people across the UK voted to leave the EU. The duty of politicians is to seek to understand and respond to their concerns.”
Language like this is deeply unhelpful and only serves to stir up tensions.
MURDO FRASER MSP