Tory members back Brexit over Union
● Poll finds that Brexit is Conservative members’ priority
A majority of Tory party members would risk Scotland’s place in the United Kingdom as long as Brexit was delivered, a major poll has suggested.
The survey of more than 900 members by Yougov found that Brexit is by far the most pressing constitutional matter for the Conservative rankand-file, with most claiming they would accept Scotland and Northern Ireland departing the Union if that was the price of the UK’S exit from the European Union.
When asked what scenarios they would be prepared to accept as a consequence of Brexit, 63 per cent of respondents agreed with Scottish independence and 59 per cent said Northern Ireland leaving the UK.
“So dedicated to accomplishing Brexit are Tory members that a majority would be willing to countenance the destruction of their own party if necessary,” Matthew Smith of Yougov said.
“Only a third put the party’s preservation above steering Britain out of the EU.”
But one thing that Conservative members fear more than the prospect of Brexit failing is the prospect of Jeremy Corbyn as prime minister.
Half would rather call the whole thing off rather than allow the Labour leader inside Downing Street.
The Brexit issue has reignited the independence debate since the 2016 referendum that saw a majority of voters in England and Wales back leaving the EU, while most voters in Scotland backed Remain.
Nicola Sturgeon has since declared her intention to hold another plebiscite on Scottish independence if, as expected, the UK leaves the EU.
SNP depute leader Keith Brown MSP said: “The Tory party has clearly gone off the deep end – with their Brexit obsession pushing the party further towards the extremes.
“And far from prioritising the union, it’s clear Scotland means so little to the members of the Conservative and Unionist Party that two thirds are happy for Scotland to become independent if it secures Brexit.”
Shadow Scottish secretary Lesley Laird said the Yougov survey proved “the biggest threat to the Union is the Tory party”.
She added: “Their members would happily trade tearing our country apart in return for a chaotic no-deal Brexit.
“Nationalism in all its forms is preventing us from dealing with the issues that we face as a country.”