SCOTTISH actor James McAvoy has said Scottish independence could be a “fantastic thing”.
The Hollywood star told the Guardian that independence needs to be done for “the right reasons”.
The X-Men actor, who was raised in Drumchapel, said Scotland shouldn’t define itself against its relationship with England.
He suggested independence should win on its own merits – not just because a certain prime minister or government is bad.
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He said: “The fact that Boris and his company of people who enjoyed a drink while they were telling everybody not to isn’t necessarily something that will make me go, ‘Oh yes, Scottish independence’ – even though he is iconic of an educational and elitist class system that plays into Scottish independence massively.
"Independence could be a fantastic thing but it needs to be done for the right reasons. Don’t choose it because we don’t like Boris.
"Choose it because we want it. We can’t just define ourselves by our relationship with England. I’m sick of that.”
McAvoy’s comments come as Boris Johnson comes over increased pressure to resign over potentially law-breaking parties held in Downing Street throughout the Covid pandemic.
The Split actor said partygate isn’t hugely surprising to him considering the current state of politics in the UK.
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“I’ve been disappointed in our political system for decades,” he said. “So the fact that it’s letting us down isn’t a massive shocker.”
McAvoy deplored the type of politician the current UK system produces.
He said: “I think the system relentlessly produces people that disappoint.”
On partygate, he said: “We’re not even asking that they be held to a higher standard – and they can’t even fucking do that.”
McAvoy has previously been more on the fence on independence.
In a statement ahead of the 2014 vote he said "I don't trust politicians at all, and I don't really think that actors, i.e. professional liars, are the best people to be commenting and to be backing up other professional liars, i.e. politicians.
"I'll go with my country no matter what way they vote, I just hope that my country follows its heart and its gut rather than listening to redundant political debate.
"If you vote one way or another because you believe in some political promise, five or 10 years from now it's going to be a new guy in that chair with a different political agenda -- and you have voted to change your country forever because of a semi-permanent promise made by some guy who may or may not deliver."
McAvoy said unification or separation will "last forever",
He continued: "So I feel like it's actually got to be an emotional decision, not a political one.
"I know that's kind of strange, and I'm not an anti-political person, but I feel that this decision should be a gut-led choice."
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