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By a Newsnet reporter

Conservative Home Secretary Theresa May has come under criticism for her “scaremongering” speech to the Scottish Conservative conference in Troon on Saturday.  The Home Secretary claimed in her speech that Scottish independence would open the country to uncontrolled “mass immigration” and leave Scotland at risk from terrorist threats.

Describing Scottish independence as “the threat of separation”, the Home Secretary said that it showed that Scotland “needs the Conservatives more than ever before”.

The Home Secretary again repeated the claim, denied by the Scottish Government, that an independent Scotland would be forced to join the Schengen Agreement and border controls would have to be erected along the border.  

Ms May claimed border controls would be necessary because Scotland would not retain the existing opt-outs negotiated between the UK and the EU, however EU lawyers have already suggested that the rump-UK would find itself in exactly the same position as an independent Scotland with regard to EU opt-outs.

Ms May admitted she had “no doubt” Scotland could survive as an independent nation, but claimed that an independent Scotland would be less effective in dealing with security threats than the UK, saying: “Together we are stronger. Stronger on the world stage, stronger in protecting our sovereignty in Europe.  We are stronger in our communities.”

The United Kingdom had a “shared intent” and benefited from “working together to protect our borders” and “working together protecting our country from those who would seek to do us harm”.

Ms May said that the terror attack on Glasgow Airport in 2007 was dealt with because the “full resources of the UK state” had reacted.  During the trial of the surviving bomber, Bilal Abdullah, the defence claimed that Abdullah, English born but of Iraqi descent, had carried out the bombing attack in revenge for the UK’s role in the American led invasion of Iraq.

Ms May said nothing to counter the arguments of those who claim that the terrorist threat to Scotland is magnified by UK foreign policy.  Instead she told the conference: “Working together we are fighting the scourge of international terrorism.”

Responding to the Home Secretary’s speech, a spokesperson for the SNP said:

“Given that Theresa May can’t even get the SNP’s name right, it’s hardly surprising that she is totally wrong on the issue as well. Apart from the fact that there is already free movement for all citizens across the EU, including the UK, an independent Scotland and the rest of the UK will both be successor states – and will therefore inherit exactly the same status within the EU, including not being in the Schengen area.

“An independent Scotland will also inherit the Common Travel Area which exists across the UK and Ireland, and provides for no border controls for the citizens of these islands.

“An independent Scotland will have responsibility for our own migration policy. Scotland faces different issues from the other parts of the UK, and migration policy could be tailored to address the economic challenges of demographic change. Immigration could also help address skills shortages in Scotland’s labour market.

“It is in the interests of the UK Government to stop scaremongering on these issues, because their silly claims are rebounding back on them. The lesson for UK politicians is to be careful what they say about Scotland, because the same attacks apply to them – the anti-independence parties should adopt a more positive and constructive approach.”


Comments  

 
#
J Wil
2012-03-25 00:12

One cannot help from concluding that all these so called, problems, associated with Scotland’s independence referendum are just fabrications designed to interfere with the democratic process.

You don’t need to wait ages for one as they arrive in twos and threes.

Theresa May will have more to concentrate on now with the arrival of the Sunday Times report alleging corruption at the highest level of the Tory Government.
 
 
#
Vincent McDee
2012-03-25 02:28

I agree.

What I can’t understand is why is she threatening us with “needs the Conservatives more than ever before”.

And the plague too, for good measure.
 

 
#
Angus
2012-03-25 00:32

Wow, lets get this straight, she, or rather her scapegoats, have continued the mess of border control so overwhelming England with immigrants, and so we need to support this?
 
 
#
Macart
2012-03-25 00:45

Well done NNS on picking this one up. As I posted earlier this is way, waaaay over the mark in terms of scaremongering.
 
 
#
rhymer
2012-03-25 13:33

Quoting Macart:

Well done NNS on picking this one up. As I posted earlier this is way, waaaay over the mark in terms of scaremongering.



So true.

Terrorism in Scotland because of UK/USA invasion if Iraq ?
So… If we were not part of the UK then no terrorist threat ?
Another good reason for independence.

 
 
#
Macart
2012-03-25 14:11

Aye rhymer, shortform again ‘if you’re independent we won’t hold your hand in the big bad world, you’ll all be in deadly danger without our protection’.
 

 
#
Gwendog
2012-03-25 00:51

As someone who spent many years negotiating border controls in and beyond Europe, there are few things I want more than being stopped at Gretna. Finally, I would be coming home.
 
 
#
Kinghob
2012-03-25 00:58

I am quite sure that not too many Scots payed attention to this Tory person unless I have missed a meeting where people in Scotland actually bothered listening to the Tories in the last 30 years or so.

WE don’t actually pay much attention to them (the Tories) to be honest and vote accordingly-no offence intended but isn’t that really really true?
 
 
#
pmcrek
2012-03-25 02:56

yawn
 
 
#
Roll_On_2011
2012-03-25 06:06

Theresa May and mass immigration:

independent.co.uk/…/…

Checks, including Warnings Index checks on 500,000 people travelling into the UK on Eurostar services, were often suspended without ministerial approval, the report by John Vine, the independent chief inspector of the UKBA, found.

Much of the report was devoted to highlighting the failings of the UKBA but ministers also came under fire for a “lack of clarity” in their dealings with staff at the agency and for using language that included references to “summer pressures” and “further measures” that were open to interpretation.
 
 
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Thistle_2014
2012-03-25 07:54

You couldn’t make it up…

So her positive case for the union is that when a terrorist attack took place in Scotland that the UK state ‘dealt with it’. This was perpetrated only because of the UK taking part in an illegal war in Iraq.

Also I seem to recall it was the bystanders, airport security and emergency services in Scotland that dealt with the incident.
 
 
#
clootie
2012-03-25 07:55

I wonder what kind of stories we will have by the time we reach 2014. I wonder just how far they will go?
 
 
#
Chateaulait 57
2012-03-25 11:11

Quoting clootie:

I wonder what kind of stories we will have by the time we reach 2014. I wonder just how far they will go?



Immigrant zombie’s no doubt.

 

 
#
ElDee
2012-03-25 09:17

This belicose outburst is paranoia at its best, along with that clown Lord Carmylie. Ok, she may make a point, but it is a sure way to get backs up and votes against the tories in Scotland.

Where do the get the idea that Scotland will be a haven for terrorists or foreign airforces using Glasgow and Edinburgh airports. If rUK are serious about this ‘paranoia’ then they would have a phased hand over of assets, responsibilitie  s and training, whch is good practice anyway – but I do not hear of any plans.

Anyway, the tories must have huge thigh muscles by jumping to so many conclusions, contrary to what their own and agreed international policies tell them.
 
 
#
Dances With Haggis 1320
2012-03-25 15:25

Soon to be Lord Peter Fraser of Carstairs. who incedently was in charge of the Lockerbie prosecution and to see how that is working out for him i refer you all tae the Sunday Herald.

” The Sunday Herald today publishes the full 800-page report detailing why the man convicted of the Lockerbie bombing could have walked free” heraldscotland.com/…/…
 

 
#
IamLiamto
2012-03-25 09:30

The Westminster apparatchiks of the union are genetically incapable of not spreading scare stories, they do this in the mistaken belief that what worked for them in the past will continue to scare the wee Scots in to giving up there bawbees to the greater good for ever and a day. After Culloden it was easy to scare people, and they have had centuries of success.

However this is an era of communication, the internet is the CB radio of the 21st century, where information flows like a great river, and we are right in there using every current and flood to our advantage. Information that would never have seen the light of day 25 years ago is now in the public domain and the Scottish independence movement is informed in a way it never was allowed to be in the past.

What we are witnessing from Westminster’s apparatchiks is their sheer indignation and disbelief that Scotland has the front to desire independence, as Westminster has always regarded Scotland as being in the possession of England. How dare we therefore have the cheek and the disrespect for our colonial masters and demand our freedom.

The other leg of that stool, (pardon the pun) is that a vast army of these self serving apparatchiks stand to loose their power, their privilege and their cash after Independence Day. You can see the trail of anti Scottish sneers hate, and bigotry they leave on The Scotsman The Mail, and The Telegraph forum day in day out.

Saor Alba.
 
 
#
alasdairmac
2012-03-25 10:06

Yes, we need to be on our guard against terrorism and I’d suggest that defending against attacks from that source is likely to be a very high priority for us. They represent a much greater danger to our security than a frontal attack by any conceivable enemy nation.

However, to suggest as TM does that our intelligence service would act in isloation is abject nonsense; the rUK, USA, and other friendly countries would need our input just as much as we’d need theirs.
 
 
#
mmarsattacks
2012-03-25 11:23

I would imagine that we’ll be less likely to be a target for terrorism when we no longer participate in imperial adventurism.
 
 
#
kendomacaroonbar
2012-03-25 11:56

Next weeks scare story..

” Scots will not be allowed to drive on the left if Salmond seizes independence “
 
 
#
Rabbie
2012-03-25 12:40

It’s comin yet for aw that.

“Gaun yersel Scotland!”
 
 
#
Mark
2012-03-25 13:24

“Theresa May warned that Scotland would be more at risk of terrorist attacks post-independence.”
I think we will be seen as the country that got its independence from the clutches of English imperialism. We will be congratulated for this and will not be at risk of any terrorist attacks unless we choose to take part in illegal wars.
 
 
#
Mark
2012-03-25 14:01

By the way, check out this article from las week which attempts to explain the rationalle behind such attitudes.

newsnetscotland.com/…/…
 

 
#
pmcrek
2012-03-25 14:33

Quote:

The Home Secretary claimed in her speech that Scottish independence would open the country to uncontrolled “mass immigration” …



Presumably that refers to English folks, fleeing Tory mismanagement and the corprotization of the state?

 
 
#
Fungus
2012-03-25 15:32

She’s right enough. I was out last night with a man who used to be a shop steward in the Daily Record, Labour to the core. He still refers to the SNP as Tartan Tories but he is going to vote yes in the referendum because he is sick fed up with Westminster telling us we are too wee, to poor and to stupid and can’t get on without them.

So keep it coming Theresa, give us more.
 
 
#
J Wil
2012-03-25 15:35

Theresa May’s justification for what she said at conference, in an interview with Isobel Fraser this morning, just demonstrated that it was the tactics of fear being exploited once again by a unionist. She was very hesitant with her answers to Isobel, which suggested she was hedging her bets on all aspects of what the border would look like after independence. Basically she didn’t know and was reluctant to say too much on top of what she had already said.

Why don’t such people just keep out of Scottish politics if they have nothing meaningful to contribute?
 
 
#
thomsor
2012-03-25 16:08

The reason J Will is to cause fear and confusion. There will be more of the same, much much more, and they will come from people a lot closer to home who see westminster as more important than Scotland.
 
 
#
RoBell
2012-03-25 19:16

Ms May said that the terror attack on Glasgow Airport in 2007 was dealt with because the “full resources of the UK state” had reacted.

John Smeaton will be delighted to know that he now forms part of the “resources of the UK state”. Click your pretty heels together Ms May and remember there is no place like home. You should be quick about it too. As it is outrageous that you should suggest that the situation in Glasgow was dealt with by the UK. It was “dealt with” by Scottish Police and by the scottish staff of a scottish airport, with no support from Westminster. Much in the same way Scottish Airports will have to deal with potential aeroplane terrorist problems, again with no support from Westminster. The Olympics benefitting Britain – sorry just benefitting London.
 
 
#
Ben Power
2012-03-25 19:23

Actually I would feel a heck of a lot safer travelling around the world on a Scottish passport. Terrorists would have no reason for argument with Scots, but plenty with those they regard as “British”.
Scots are generally held in very high esteem all around the world and usually thought of as separate from “British” meaning “the English”
It is a shame really that English have been tarnished by successive UK governments. I have many lovely English friends who deserve much better.
 

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