Smith: 20% of Unionists ‘would bring back slavery’
ONE of the most prominent campaigners for Scottish independence yesterday delivered a vile insult to supporters of the Union – claiming they backed slavery.
Actress Elaine C Smith told a conference the best way to gain independence for Scotland would be to try to win over No voters by being pleasant and reasonable
Yet, apparently defying her own advice, she then claimed that a large proportion of those who backed the Union want to ‘bring back slavery’.
Speaking as convener of the Scottish Independence Convention (SIC), she told delegates: ‘The question of independence for some has not yet been answered and we need to find it in ourselves to listen to why that is. Calling people traitors or quislings isn’t the way forward.
‘Brow-beating other people is not the way to convince the 20-30 per cent of voters that may change their minds that independence is the way forward.
‘There will always be 20 per cent of people who are never convinced – they would bring back slavery if they could – but it’s about the other 30 per cent and making better arguments about why they should vote “Yes”.’
The Scottish Tories last night called for Ms Smith to withdraw her comments.
A party spokesman said: ‘This is an outrageously offensive comment to make, and she should apologise for it immediately.
‘To describe voters in these terms is crass, and does nothing to help the level of political discourse in Scotland.’
Meanwhile, former First Minister Alex Salmond told 1,600 delegates at the 2017 Scottish Independence Convention in Edinburgh yesterday that the Union was weaker than ever.
Apparently taking aim at his successor Nicola Sturgeon, he called for ‘leadership’ to take the bull by the horns and drive forward plans for a second referendum, saying: ‘The people will be ready… there is an army of people waiting to be led.’
A Tory spokesman responded: ‘Alex Salmond still can’t accept that his plans for independence are in tatters.
Scots clearly voted in favour of the union in 2014, and current polling doesn’t show any signs of opinion changing.
‘Instead of living in denial, Salmond needs to realise that the majority of Scots are tired of him constantly agitating for separation.’