Nicola Sturgeon is not racist, but the SNP’s English bashing must not go unchecked

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As the chair scolded, Alison Johnstones pounding Tess White was positively savage. Novice Tory MSP had been told that if she did not apologize for what was considered a racist insult against Nicola Sturgeon, she would be suspended. After apparently accepting that she had made a big mistake, she stood up in Holyrood’s room and apologized.

However, this was not considered sufficient. She was forced to listen to the president of Holyrood deliver what was as fierce a smear I have ever heard, and stand up once more and confirm that she would not do it again, which she said. duly done.

This was all in response to a statement by the Prime Minister during Question Time on Thursday that his personal view was that anyone who chooses to live in Scotland, that they and their family have been here for decades. generations or whether she came to Scotland very recently, this is my home. This is their home

That’s when Ms White, elected as the MSP list for North East Scotland only in May, stepped in to shout Unless you’re English … or words to that effect.

All hell breaks loose …

At that, all hell broke loose. The Prime Minister said she was deeply offended and deeply offended by Ms White’s unacceptable language and said she would file a formal complaint with the sitting chairman.

Ms White then had what must have been a decidedly unpleasant lunch hour when her friends and foes told her she was for the high jump if she didn’t apologize, which she did.

I think Ms. Sturgeon was entitled to have the offensive language removed and a full apology because Ms. Whites’ interjection was aimed directly at her. For what it’s worth, I don’t think the Prime Minister is personally racist.

However, she leads a party with a large proportion of supporters for whom English swear words slip too easily into their tongues, and it is not uncommon for Scots who oppose independence to be dubbed traitors, Quislings or the of them. Accordingly, in my opinion, there would have been no complaint if the conservative MSP had addressed its comment to such people within the SNP.

Moreover, at least one high-ranking nationalist believes Ms. Sturgeon is responsible for such behavior. Jim Sillars, a former SNP deputy chief, told the Sunday Times: I don’t think we should exaggerate the anti-English tone that exists in Scotland. But he’s there, and the SNP leadership’s tactics of grudge and grievance are playing it out and keeping him alive.

Feeling on the independence referendum

As a result, what must not happen is that the both latent and obvious racism that exists within the SNP base or even, as Mr Sillars argues, within its leadership is somehow safe from criticism. And with the independence referendum debate certainly set to intensify in the coming months, we can expect more English denigration disguised as attacks on, say, Westminster and the UK government.

While most English people living and working in Scotland could say that they have not suffered from fanatic abuse, too many would testify that it is too prevalent.

Mrs Johnstone insisted, moving from the Scottish Green benches to the President’s Presidency, that she intended to be completely impartial and that she expected the conduct of her accusations to be worthy of that of a Member of Parliament Scottish.

I don’t know what it amounts to, but with the SNP-Greens coalition now having an overall majority in Holyrood, its main task should be to ensure that the opposition parties have every chance to give a hard time to the party. their ministers. I wish him good luck in this task.

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