Nicola Sturgeon’s bid for Scottish independence will fail if she seeks to use “hatred and division” in her campaign, a UK Government minister has suggested.
Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt aimed the thinly-veiled dig at those seeking Scottish independence after Scotland’s First Minister had taken a swipe at the Conservatives.
Ms Sturgeon previously told the BBC she would prefer a Labour government in Westminster to the Conservatives, noting: “I detest the Tories and everything they stand for.”
In my experience political movements based on hatred and division always fail
Penny Mordaunt
Conservative MP John Lamont claimed Ms Sturgeon had “made it clear that she detests Conservative voters who make up one-in-four of people across Scotland”, which prompted heckling from SNP MPs.
Mr Lamont added: “Does the Leader of the House agree with me that it’d be worthwhile to hold a debate on the use of this kind of divisive and dangerous language in politics?”
Ms Mordaunt replied: “I have always thought that the people of the United Kingdom are kind, positive, tolerant, we stand up to bullies, we have lively political debates and different views and that makes us stronger as a nation.
“I can tell him that happily in my experience political movements based on hatred and division always fail as a consequence because the British people are better than that.
“But such organisations that do promote such hatred and dissent should be scrutinised.”
Earlier at business questions, the SNP called on ministers to ensure that Scots will not be “misled” in the event of a second independence referendum.
Highlighting the Supreme Court case on a second referendum, SNP Commons leader Deidre Brock said: “I note that back in June 2014 before the last independence referendum the Scotland Office issued a research and analysis sheet on Scots’ personal finances which said ‘as part of the UK our savings are protected by UK-wide institutions and the costs of the essentials you spend money on like energy and mortgage bills are kept lower and more stable than they would otherwise be’.
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“Just how far removed that is from where we find ourselves today would be funny if it wasn’t so frightening for our constituents.
“Can we have debate finally, examining the promises, the vows if you like, made to the Scottish people at the time of the last referendum that have so badly let them down to ensure they won’t be misled again before the next one?”
Ms Mordaunt backed the call for the debate, telling MPs it could include discussion of the “enormous package on energy pricing” the Government had brought forward.
She added: “We could also discuss the SNP’s record on drugs, on health, on education, even perhaps bin collection, and, finally, the SNP’s total lack of self-awareness about their own tragic record.”
