For a country the size of Scotland (5million) it may surprise people to know just how many high profile climate sceptics there are: Lord Monckton, Andrew Montford of Bishop Hill and myself.
Why?
Scotland likes to portray itself as being a the country of Auld Lang Syne, bannocks and Haggis. But the reality is very different. The reality is a country full of sectarian strife, or intolerance of other views and where outlandish views such as global warming alarmism are so universally endorsed by the political elite that e.g. not a single one of our MSPs voted for the climate legislation let alone scrutinised it in any detail.
That is the kind of attitude that drives sane sensible scientifically pragmatic people like me Andrew Montford and Lord Monckton to have to make a stand.
But we live in a country, where e.g. my MSP refuses (Fiona McLeod) even to meet with me on constituency issues because I support the science on climate such as the fact it has not warmed and the climate modellers did not forecast it. That however, is beyond the pale in Scotland. We aren’t allowed to express such views.
And to prevent us expressing those views, government ministers and civil servants break their own rules to exclude us. So, when I ran SCEF I repeatedly asked for meetings with a minister. The official rule book says that ministers would ordinarily assent to such requests. However the reality is that any emails were dealt with by curt unhelpful replies with no prospect of meeting anyone let alone a minister.
The Darker side is now coming out for everyone to see
But now Scotland is showing an even darker side to its intolerance. According to the Scotsman Jack McConnell (the former Labour first minister) has criticised Police Scotland for their “shocking” lack of effort at preventing intimidation tactics during the referendum campaign. He said incidents of violence, vandalism and intimidation could have been prevented had the force made itself more visible.
Lord McConnell insisted he was not pointing the finger at any one group, but Better Together supporters have complained about stone-throwing, being called traitors and facing threats that their houses will be torched. And some No voters are said to be too scared to show open support for fear of reprisals.
Lord McConnell said yesterday: “The level of shouting-down at public meetings, people’s cars and houses being threatened and aggression in town centres and public places was preventable.
“I’m shocked that there hasn’t been more of a conscious effort by Police Scotland.
“More presence at the weekends, at public meets and one or two symbolic arrests of people would have set the right tone early on.
“I’m not picking sides, the evidence of these incidents is too strong and more should have been done to stop it.
“I think they have been surprisingly absent and I think they need to tell us why.”
Lord McConnell also criticised the force on Twitter, writing: “There is something very strange about the absence of Police Scotland intervention to stop referendum related vandalism and intimidation.”
Still Game actor Greg Hemphill backed his claims, adding: “Most of it has been surreptitious, hasn’t it? The wrecking of a sign under cover of night.”
To which Lord McConnell responded: “Posters least important. Cars vandalised, windows broken, people attacked in shopping centres.”
He then claimed if England or Wales were to be experiencing a referendum that Police would be facing a public hearing over a failure to do their job.
“If this was England & Wales Keith_Vaz MP would be calling policescotland in for a public hearing. Over to you Christine Grahame MSP,” added McConnell.
Lord McConnell’s accusations come as tensions between campaigners reaches boiling point.
Labour leader Ed Miliband was forced to abandon a visit to an Edinburgh shopping centre after he was surrounded by Yes supporters who jostled him and branded him a ‘****ing liar’.
His minders were forced to step in to escort him to safety.
Hundreds of campaign boards and banners have been smashed up, covered with offensive graffiti or destroyed.
Cars with Yes or No stickers in their windows have been targeted by vandals, along with shops sprayed with referendum graffitti.
Colin McClean from East Kilbride said: “ I’m scared to put a NO sticker on the car incase it gets vandalised. Realistic chance of it.”
Whereas student James Todd said: “And I don’t put a yes on mine for same reason. Stop pretending its one sided.”
Homes with ‘No Thanks’ posters have been pelted with eggs and one householder in Edinburgh had ‘coward’ etched into his front door.
Farmers have received anonymous phone calls saying their livestock will be set loose unless they take down campaign boards.
Last week, a ‘Yes’ campaign shop in the Capital was vandalised with swastikas and slogans reading ‘no thanks’ and ‘Nazis’.
Yes signs in a garden in Kirriemuir, Angus were smashed and the incident was reported to police.
Meanwhile, signs backing the ‘No Thanks’ campaign appeared to have been targeted by vandals by the A92 between Dundee and Arbroath.
Police Scotland Assistant Chief Constable Bernard Higgins said: “The referendum is a significant event which is expected to attract a higher than normal turnout.
“Policing arrangements for the referendum are well in hand and will be appropriate and proportionate. Police Scotland’s priority is to ensure public safety and security.
“We will respond appropriately to any issues which arise. We will not offer comment on the numbers of officers or their specific operational deployment.”
Now threats of violence after the polls
Unfortunately, the threats of violence will not stop with the voting.
Cops are warning the night could potentially spark one of the biggest outbreak of violence in the country’s history.
One officer said: “Bars are going to be open all the way through to Friday morning.
“It’s absolute madness. Tempers are already running high. This is a bad, bad idea.”
The biggest risk is likely to be in highly populated areas like Edinburgh and Glasgow. Mirror
Whatever way the vote goes tomorrow, having tried for years to work with the Scottish political system, I know that there is little chance of achieving anything from within Scotland. And whilst a No vote may see recriminations against No voters, I think a yes vote will be far worse, because the brownshirts will see themselves as having been vindicated and given the green light to carry on their campaign of intimidation.
And remembering this is all driven by Nationalism, there really is a strong hint of Nazi Germany in Scotland right now.
Addendum
To ensure scrupulous fairness. I am now aware of two instances involving Yes campaigners.
- Dog dirt was smeared on the door handle of a yes campaign office
- three people are believed to have been injured following a bust-up over the referendum debate outside Hearts football club
I condemn these instances and of course any no campaigner who was involved should be reported to police and hopefully at least one side will be free of this kind of behaviour.
