Scottish nationalists should be nicer to English, says SNP MP

SCOTTISH independence supporters should be nice to English people, a senior figure in the Scottish National Party (SNP) has said.

Ian Blackford, the party’s Westminster leader, said he had “zero tolerance” for anti-english sentiment, adding: “There is absolutely no place for it.”

Last summer Jim Sillars, who was an SNP MP in the 1990s claimed the party had a “manufactured grudge and grievance” agenda against Westminster that fuels anti-englishness and antagonises unionist voters.

Mr Sillars said in a memoir: “I don’t think we should exaggerate the undertone of anti-englishness that exists in Scotland, but it is there and the grudge and grievance tactic of the SNP leadership does play to it and keeps it alive.”

However, in an interview with Chopper’s Politics podcast, Mr Blackford said: “I would never permit any … antienglish sentiment … whether it comes from anybody within the SNP or whether it comes from society in Scotland in a wider sense.

Asked if anti-englishness was “like racism”, Mr Blackford replied: “Yes.

“But one of the things I’ve tried to do over the course of the last few years of the Brexit [process] is to make the point that people are welcome in Scotland.

“And I want Scotland to be a success. We need people to come … and not just visit, come and come and live with us north of the border as well.”

Mr Blackford claimed that many English people had joined the SNP to back the independence movement. He said: “The SNP is a civic nationalist party. We have a thriving branch [on Skye, where] an extremely high percentage of … members were not born in Scotland.

“They might be from England, they might be from other places, but it’s about their future. They’ve chosen to live in Scotland. They’re part of Scotland’s story, part of Scotland’s future.”

Nicola Sturgeon, the First Minister, has said that she wants to hold a referendum on Scottish independence by the end of next year.

Mr Blackford said: “If we can get the legislation through the Scottish Parliament agreement on the referendum, there’s no reason that can’t take place in 2023.”

He also insisted an independent Scotland could use sterling. He said: “The guarantee that I can give … is the pound they have in their wallet will be the pound they will have the day after independence. That won’t change.”

‘I’ve tried, over the last few years of Brexit, to make the point that people are welcome in Scotland’