IF there was one time when Theresa May showed just how much she misunderstood Scotland and the Scots, it was in late November when she was carrying out her mad dash around the UK to try to convince the provincials, as she no doubt saw them, about her rotten withdrawal agreement.
When she visited a carefully selected premises – a leather factory in Bridge of Weir – The National was banned from attending. The only daily and Sunday newspaper that supports independence was excluded, apparently because of limited capacity – utter tosh, there was plenty room – so we reacted.
We printed our famous front page with a silhouette of the PM above “HEADLINE IN HERE” and a heading: “This is where we would have reported on Theresa May’s visit to Scotland. We were not allowed in to her press event with the other newspapers. We have refused to cover it.”
READ MORE: Theresa May visits Scotland... here's our coverage
READ MORE: Few tears shed in Scotland as Theresa May quits as Prime Minister
READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon renews indyref2 call as Theresa May quits
READ MORE: Is Theresa May the worst PM in history? Yes she is... this is why
Inside we left blank space and explained: “Theresa May visits Scotland. We have refused to cover the PM’s trip” with the byline “not by Andrew Learmonth”.
It may well have been her press aides who made a mess of this, but we thank them for ensuring that The National got vastly more coverage than we would have got had we attended the factory where the staff were frankly dragooned into attending her meeting.
Like numerous other Tory PMs we could name, and certainly Margaret Thatcher was one, Theresa May has had a difficult relationship with Scotland and the Scots.
Declaring herself an out-and-out Unionist, May tweeted on St Andrew’s Day, 2017: “Scotland has a special place at the heart of our precious Union of nations.”
“Aye, right”, came the loud replies across this country.
Remember March 2017, long after the Scottish Government – backed by a majority of MSPs – asked about an Section 30 approval for a second Scottish independence referendum?
There she was on the BBC doing her best Iron Lady impression: “Our precious Union of nations is the most successful that the world has ever seen. We have been joined together as one country for over 300 years. We’ve worked together, we’ve prospered together, we fought wars together, blah, blah, blah... ”
Then came her killer line: “Now is not the time for an independence referendum.”
She also talked about working together to get the best Brexit deal – but just ask the Fist Minister or Constitutional Secretary Michael Russell what May’s definition of “working together” meant. In her introduction to the Scottish Conservatives’ General Election manifesto in 2017, May wrote: “The next five years are the most challenging that Britain has faced in my lifetime.
“Brexit will define us: our place in the world, our economic security and our future prosperity.
“So now more than ever, Britain needs a strong and stable government to get the best Brexit deal for our country and its people. Now more than ever, Britain needs strong and stable leadership to make the most of the opportunities Brexit brings for hardworking families.
“Now more than ever, Britain needs a clear plan.”
Except there was no plan, no leadership and no intention of listening to the Scottish Government over Brexit. She denied there was a power grab and then her Tory government, backed by Labour, did it anyway.
Her attitude to the SNP MPs in the House of Commons was frankly disgusting. Time and again she would absent herself from the Commons when SNP members rose to speak.
One exchange with SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford contained her remarkable rewriting of history: “Can I just say to the right honourable gentleman that I think it is a little difficult for many of us in this House to hear him week after week stand up and say that the UK should stay within the EU when Scottish independence would have meant taking Scotland out of the European Union.”
That will be Theresa May who backed David Cameron telling Scotland that the only way to stay in the EU was to vote No in 2014. In any case she always had her tame Scottish poodle to do her bidding, and David Mundell fulfilled that role always.
Like her heroine Margaret Thatcher she never understood us, and just like the original Iron Lady, May has turned out to have feet of clay.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel