Brian Cox calls for second Scottish independence referendum
Hollywood actor Brian Cox has called for a second referendum on Scottish independence.
The Dundee-born star, currently being lauded for his portrayal of an ageing media magnate in acclaimed TV drama Succession, said his native country has been “ignored” and “enough is enough”.
During last month’s general election, the SNP won 48 of Scotland’s 59 constituencies, leading ni cola sturgeon to call for a second referendum.
The 73-year-old Cox, a multi-award winning actor whose film roles include Manhunter, The Bourne Identity and Troy, has now backed those calls.
Speaking at the Bafta Tea Party event in Los Angeles, he said: “I would think we need to look at it, I think we need a referendum and see what we think. We’ve been sidelined for so long and treated really not very well. And not taken very seriously.”
Cox, who is nominated for a Golden Globe this weekend for his role in Succession, said the Labour party had “failed” in Scotland, after it registered just one MP following the last election.
The actor left Labour in 2015 to join the SNP.
Cox said Scotland’s proremain vote in the 2016 Brexit referendum, when the country voted 62 per cent in favour of staying in the EU, was part of the reason Scots are “organically” moving towards a decision to leave the UK.
“Eventually you can push people so far and they’re finally going to say ‘enough is enough,’ he added.
“Really, we need to take care of our own destiny, finally.”
Asked if he thought Scotland would vote to leave if an independence referendum were held tomorrow, he said: “It’s hard to say. The Scots are very canny and they keep a lot to their chest,.
“So they’re not necessarily going to give things away. I was very much concerned with the last referendum and I always thought that people slightly underestimated the older generation keeping things to their chest.
“Now a lot of that generation is gone and a lot of new young people are coming through, so we’ll see.”