DR PHILIPPA Whitford expertly shut down Tory claims that the 2014 independence referendum was a “once-in-a-generation” vote last night.
Yesterday the Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross repeated his claims that the SNP guaranteed the indyref was a once-in-a-generation opportunity through the Edinburgh Agreement, despite the fact he had already been warned there is no such statement in the document.
In fact the Smith Commission, which was signed after the September 2014 referendum, states that there is no reason Scotland cannot seek independence in the future.
READ MORE: 'Stop lying': Douglas Ross warned over 'once-in-a-generation' indyref claim
Whitford, the SNP’s health spokesperson at Westminster, shut down Jamie Greene last night as the Tory MSP repeated the “once-in-a-generation” mantra.
Asked about new suggestions that a deal could be signed before a second independence referendum to avoid a Brexit scenario, Greene refused to accept there could even be a new vote.
“Well let me say we had a referendum in 2014,” the MSP told the BBC programme. “Scotland voted and I respect that. It was a once-in-a-generation vote. We have much more important things to be getting on in this country.
“There’s not going to be another referendum because frankly Scotland needs to move forward in a positive direction, let’s not go back to the divisions of the past that Philippa wants to take us back to. Let’s move forward. Let’s bring Scotland in to the next year in a positive way that brings us out of the current crisis that we’re in and focuses on the real priorities of the people of Scotland.”
“I don’t think anyone can say our first minister hasn't been doing her day job for the last seven months.”
— BBC Newsnight (@BBCNewsnight) September 3, 2020
The SNP’s @Dr_PhilippaW says as next year’s Holyrood elections approach, it “has to be very clear” the SNP “are going for independence”, despite the pandemic
#Newsnight pic.twitter.com/8EqKAUT8Ka
Whitford ripped apart Greene’s claims swiftly. “Well all of the parties including Jamie’s signed up to the Smith Commission,” the MP pointed out.
“And what it said in the Smith Commission is it is agreed that nothing in this report prevents Scotland from becoming an independent country in the future, should the people of Scotland so choose. That was after the 2014 referendum and it was signed by all five parties.”
The MP also shut down the Tory myth that Nicola Sturgeon is the sole person in Scotland pushing for a new referendum.
“It’s not just Nicola Sturgeon asking for independence.
“The people of Scotland have voted as a majority for the SNP for the last six elections. If it happens again next May it’s seven. And it just simply is not tenable to go on like a bad marriage.”
Great work Dr Whitford. (The clip described begins at about 3 minutes and five seconds)
We can’t allow Tories to continue repeating the “once-in-a-generation” lie completely unchecked.
Scotland has every right to seek its own independence and throw-away comments made by the former first minister should not provide any reason to deny the country that.
If they did, there should never be another UK General Election since Boris Johnson described the 2019 vote as a “critical once in a generation election”.
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