SCOTLAND has faced decades of dire predictions about the problems it will face if it becomes independent – which have ended up happening under Westminster control, an SNP MSP has warned.
Jim Fairlie said the “same old scare stories” have emerged every time the country moves towards self-government.
But he highlighted numerous examples of where they have come true anyway, including warnings about the impact on key industries which have subsequently disappeared, failed pledges on shipbuilding “bonanzas” and broken promises on keeping Scotland in the EU.
His comments come after a week in which “Project Fear” headlines appear to be emerging once again with the prospect of second referendum on the horizon.
READ MORE: Scottish Tory MSP reveals Unionist strategy for council elections
There has been a row over the funding of pensions in the event of Scotland leaving the UK and claims Babcock could relocate its shipyard at Rosyth to England within a few years of independence.
Fairlie, who has also told the Sunday National that farmers are starting to move towards independence in an interview published today, said: “Every time Scotland moves towards self-government the same old, same old scare stories emerge.
“And every time Project Fear thwarts Scotland’s ambitions, these scare stories then come true under Westminster control. We’ve seen it happen for decades.”
Examples highlighted by the SNP date back to the 1979 March referendum on creating a devolved assembly for Scotland. While 51.6% voted in favour, it failed because of a stipulation that at least 40% of the overall eligible electorate had to vote yes.
In the weeks ahead of the vote, a Daily Express article stated: “How much of Scotland’s economy will be left intact if a Scottish Assembly gets the go-ahead on March 1?
“Will our coal mines go gaily on? Will Ravenscraig or Linwood thrive? Will Bathgate flourish?”
However, it took only just more than a decade before the Linwood car and Bathgate lorry plants were closed, as well as the Ravenscraig steelworks. Scotland’s coal industry rapidly vanished too, and the last deep mine closed in 2002.
During the referendum campaign of 2014, the future of Clydeside’s naval shipyards and an order for frigates became a key battleground.
The Better Together campaign regularly spelled out that a Scotland in the Union would be getting 13 Type 26 frigates.
Workers on the Clyde were repeatedly warned that “separation shuts shipyards” by the No campaign and that jobs would be at risk.
However, the UK Government then announced the initial Type 26 Frigate order had been cut back from 13 to eight.
While Babcock at Rosyth subsequently won the contract for five Type 31 frigates, which were ordered to make up the shortfall, the bidding for this was opened up to yards across the UK.
Fairlie said other examples of the “misleading commentary” around the 2014 campaign included director of the No campaign, Blair McDougall, dismissing what he called an “argument from nationalists” that Boris Johnson would become leader of the Conservatives.
In a TV debate, McDougall said: “The only way that’ll happen is if David Cameron loses the next election.
“Yes need to work out which scare story is it – is it going to be a Conservative victory at the General Election or is it going to be Boris Johnson as leader of the Conservative party?”
Other examples around the time of the 2014 campaign include a pledge that Peterhead would be the location for the UK’s first carbon capture and storage facility.
Then energy secretary Ed Davey said an independent Scotland would find it “more difficult to proceed” with the project.
But last year there was widespread anger after it was announced Scotland had missed out on UK Government backing to develop the facility, and the first development will instead be on the Humber and around Liverpool.
IN 2014, Labour argued that Scots get a better deal as part of the UK with a “higher proportion of HMRC jobs based in Scotland than in the rest of the UK”.
A year later, HMRC announced plans to consolidate its network of offices in the Scotland, putting around 2000 jobs at risk.
Jobs in the tax office have since been cut disproportionately in Scotland, the SNP said, pointing to civil service statistics which show a fall of around 13% compared to 8.5% in the rest of the UK.
READ MORE: Here’s a virtue that we ought to embrace, both now and after indy
It was also claimed mobile phone calls between Scotland and England would cost more after independence. Instead, roaming charges which were scrapped by the EU are now being reintroduced in the wake of Brexit.
Fairlie said: “Given their litany of broken promises, it’s staggering the pro-Westminster camp is seldom –if ever – challenged with searching questions about their prospectus for keeping Scotland under Westminster control.”
He added that Brexit was the “biggest broken promise” – with the claims Scotland would only be out of the EU if there was a Yes vote in 2014 and that all the main Westminster parties supported EU membership.
He said: “There are so many examples down the years. The next time those who wish to maintain Westminster control and its veto over Scotland tell you something bad will happen with independence, you should put your money on it happening – because Westminster will do it to us.”
This article just seems to be a person complaining that some people think independence may have negatives. They essentially dismiss any negatives as “Project Fear” despite not actually saying why they should be dismissed or why independence would be a good thing. What a ridiculous article.
Project Fear has been Project Here in the UK for the last 11 years, increasingly so since 2016.
Can’t wait to vote Yes in Indyref 2. And honestly anyone in rUK who is fed up and wants to escape *MOVE UP and campaign for Yes with us*.
I’m not even being obtuse here. So many people have said that they want to leave this shitty place and this is your chance. You’d be made more than welcome as long as you don’t bring a blue vote with you.
Mmm time for Brexit repeats. Russian money, project fear, nationalism and egos before facts.
Scotland will be radically changed and face many challenges alone and independent. They could do it but life would not be how they have it now. Short term will hurt, mid term may be uncomfortable, long term it could improve as long as they have a solid plan and leaders who commit to it. If it becomes a disaster well that’s Scotland’s problem and they can suffer it.
I’m not going to bother trying to convince them to stay but I do want them to answer who will pay for the inevitable border problems. If Scotland manages to join the EU then they’ll have to scrap whatever deal is made for Independence border movement. Unlike the N.I. situation there’s no real need for delicate handling of a land border.
Pro indy movement shamelessly ripping off Vote Leave material again
Can’t answer the concerns of real people without lying and making stuff up so they’d rather dismiss it all as project fear instead like Farage, bunch of con artists
When I lived in England there was a certain tolerance threshold for sympathy which was wholly taken up over the years. Scotland got devolution so can look after their own interests first. Then the Scoxit question was finally and permanently answered. The people spoke yet now we have agitators and malcontents looking to subvert the will of the people. Patience has run out in England.
It really is turning into a rerun of the vote leave campaign.
I think the major floor in the indyref2 plan is proclaiming the support for it.
I’m pretty sure the chances of a successful independence referendum are inversely proportional to the probability of being allowed to hold it.
Jesus Christ, really feeling the love for Scots in this thread.
Scotlands people should decide it’s future.
That said, if they’re convinced by the case for independence they’re even bigger fools than brexiteers. Before you vote it’s project fear, after it’s project reality.
I would like to see Project Off You Fuck Then, an English campaign for Scottish “independence”.
Is Scotland going to be full of English people banging on about how great England is?
12 comments
SCOTLAND has faced decades of dire predictions about the problems it will face if it becomes independent – which have ended up happening under Westminster control, an SNP MSP has warned.
Jim Fairlie said the “same old scare stories” have emerged every time the country moves towards self-government.
But he highlighted numerous examples of where they have come true anyway, including warnings about the impact on key industries which have subsequently disappeared, failed pledges on shipbuilding “bonanzas” and broken promises on keeping Scotland in the EU.
His comments come after a week in which “Project Fear” headlines appear to be emerging once again with the prospect of second referendum on the horizon.
READ MORE: Scottish Tory MSP reveals Unionist strategy for council elections
There has been a row over the funding of pensions in the event of Scotland leaving the UK and claims Babcock could relocate its shipyard at Rosyth to England within a few years of independence.
Fairlie, who has also told the Sunday National that farmers are starting to move towards independence in an interview published today, said: “Every time Scotland moves towards self-government the same old, same old scare stories emerge.
“And every time Project Fear thwarts Scotland’s ambitions, these scare stories then come true under Westminster control. We’ve seen it happen for decades.”
Examples highlighted by the SNP date back to the 1979 March referendum on creating a devolved assembly for Scotland. While 51.6% voted in favour, it failed because of a stipulation that at least 40% of the overall eligible electorate had to vote yes.
In the weeks ahead of the vote, a Daily Express article stated: “How much of Scotland’s economy will be left intact if a Scottish Assembly gets the go-ahead on March 1?
“Will our coal mines go gaily on? Will Ravenscraig or Linwood thrive? Will Bathgate flourish?”
However, it took only just more than a decade before the Linwood car and Bathgate lorry plants were closed, as well as the Ravenscraig steelworks. Scotland’s coal industry rapidly vanished too, and the last deep mine closed in 2002.
During the referendum campaign of 2014, the future of Clydeside’s naval shipyards and an order for frigates became a key battleground.
The Better Together campaign regularly spelled out that a Scotland in the Union would be getting 13 Type 26 frigates.
Workers on the Clyde were repeatedly warned that “separation shuts shipyards” by the No campaign and that jobs would be at risk.
However, the UK Government then announced the initial Type 26 Frigate order had been cut back from 13 to eight.
While Babcock at Rosyth subsequently won the contract for five Type 31 frigates, which were ordered to make up the shortfall, the bidding for this was opened up to yards across the UK.
Fairlie said other examples of the “misleading commentary” around the 2014 campaign included director of the No campaign, Blair McDougall, dismissing what he called an “argument from nationalists” that Boris Johnson would become leader of the Conservatives.
In a TV debate, McDougall said: “The only way that’ll happen is if David Cameron loses the next election.
“Yes need to work out which scare story is it – is it going to be a Conservative victory at the General Election or is it going to be Boris Johnson as leader of the Conservative party?”
Other examples around the time of the 2014 campaign include a pledge that Peterhead would be the location for the UK’s first carbon capture and storage facility.
Then energy secretary Ed Davey said an independent Scotland would find it “more difficult to proceed” with the project.
But last year there was widespread anger after it was announced Scotland had missed out on UK Government backing to develop the facility, and the first development will instead be on the Humber and around Liverpool.
IN 2014, Labour argued that Scots get a better deal as part of the UK with a “higher proportion of HMRC jobs based in Scotland than in the rest of the UK”.
A year later, HMRC announced plans to consolidate its network of offices in the Scotland, putting around 2000 jobs at risk.
Jobs in the tax office have since been cut disproportionately in Scotland, the SNP said, pointing to civil service statistics which show a fall of around 13% compared to 8.5% in the rest of the UK.
READ MORE: Here’s a virtue that we ought to embrace, both now and after indy
It was also claimed mobile phone calls between Scotland and England would cost more after independence. Instead, roaming charges which were scrapped by the EU are now being reintroduced in the wake of Brexit.
Fairlie said: “Given their litany of broken promises, it’s staggering the pro-Westminster camp is seldom –if ever – challenged with searching questions about their prospectus for keeping Scotland under Westminster control.”
He added that Brexit was the “biggest broken promise” – with the claims Scotland would only be out of the EU if there was a Yes vote in 2014 and that all the main Westminster parties supported EU membership.
He said: “There are so many examples down the years. The next time those who wish to maintain Westminster control and its veto over Scotland tell you something bad will happen with independence, you should put your money on it happening – because Westminster will do it to us.”
This article just seems to be a person complaining that some people think independence may have negatives. They essentially dismiss any negatives as “Project Fear” despite not actually saying why they should be dismissed or why independence would be a good thing. What a ridiculous article.
Project Fear has been Project Here in the UK for the last 11 years, increasingly so since 2016.
Can’t wait to vote Yes in Indyref 2. And honestly anyone in rUK who is fed up and wants to escape *MOVE UP and campaign for Yes with us*.
I’m not even being obtuse here. So many people have said that they want to leave this shitty place and this is your chance. You’d be made more than welcome as long as you don’t bring a blue vote with you.
Mmm time for Brexit repeats. Russian money, project fear, nationalism and egos before facts.
Scotland will be radically changed and face many challenges alone and independent. They could do it but life would not be how they have it now. Short term will hurt, mid term may be uncomfortable, long term it could improve as long as they have a solid plan and leaders who commit to it. If it becomes a disaster well that’s Scotland’s problem and they can suffer it.
I’m not going to bother trying to convince them to stay but I do want them to answer who will pay for the inevitable border problems. If Scotland manages to join the EU then they’ll have to scrap whatever deal is made for Independence border movement. Unlike the N.I. situation there’s no real need for delicate handling of a land border.
Pro indy movement shamelessly ripping off Vote Leave material again
Can’t answer the concerns of real people without lying and making stuff up so they’d rather dismiss it all as project fear instead like Farage, bunch of con artists
When I lived in England there was a certain tolerance threshold for sympathy which was wholly taken up over the years. Scotland got devolution so can look after their own interests first. Then the Scoxit question was finally and permanently answered. The people spoke yet now we have agitators and malcontents looking to subvert the will of the people. Patience has run out in England.
It really is turning into a rerun of the vote leave campaign.
I think the major floor in the indyref2 plan is proclaiming the support for it.
I’m pretty sure the chances of a successful independence referendum are inversely proportional to the probability of being allowed to hold it.
Jesus Christ, really feeling the love for Scots in this thread.
Scotlands people should decide it’s future.
That said, if they’re convinced by the case for independence they’re even bigger fools than brexiteers. Before you vote it’s project fear, after it’s project reality.
I would like to see Project Off You Fuck Then, an English campaign for Scottish “independence”.
Is Scotland going to be full of English people banging on about how great England is?