Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Alex Salmond condemns ‘intolerance of Theresa May’s Little England’

The former First Minister warned the PM wanted ‘a closed, intolerant, backward-looking society’

Jon Stone
Glasgow
Friday 14 October 2016 14:34 EDT
Comments
‘There is a better way for Scotland,’ Mr Salmond said at an SNP conference
‘There is a better way for Scotland,’ Mr Salmond said at an SNP conference (SNP)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Scotland will remain attached to “Theresa May’s little England” unless it becomes independent, Alex Salmond has said.

The former First Minister said recent anti-foreigner policies and rhetoric emanating from Westminster were turning Britain into a “closed, intolerant, backward-looking society”.

At the Conservative party conference earlier this month the Government was accused of pushing anti-foreigner policies including drawing up lists of foreign workers, a crackdown on foreign students, and the use of EU nationals as “bargaining chips” in negotiations.

“It’s a tale of two countries, and indeed two countries. They say that people who choose to live and work in our country are a problem and need to be kicked out. We say they’re an asset and must stay with us,” Mr Salmond told the SNP’s conference in Glasgow.

His comments come after the annual gathering heard on Friday that the Conservatives were “flirting with fascism”. Ms Salmond said Scotland’s greatest national heroes William Wallace and Robert de Brus had been immigrants and that it should be “free to choose our own way forward”.

“We should be grateful for the Tory party. In their Birmingham conference they lifted the lid on the true intent and the emptiness of their programme. If we stick to London rule then we know exactly what lies in store for us,” he said.

“Boiled down to its essence: a closed, intolerant, backward-looking society. Theresa May’s little England, has there ever been a more miserable, depressing, backward looking notion ever offered to the people of this nation?

“There is a better way for Scotland. No society can be offered a greater compliment by those who choose to live with us. After all, our greatest national heroes were William Wallace the Welshman, Robert de Brus, the Norman – as part of our thousand-year history as a European nation.

“Let us proclaim our vision of a new Scotland, open, tolerant, prosperous, growing, and above all free to choose our own way forward.”

On Thursday Mr Salmond’s successor Nicola Sturgeon announced that the Scottish Government would this week unveil a consultation on a possible second Scottish independence referendum.

The First Minister took to the stage on Friday to greet the Brain family, an Australian family who had been threatened with deportation by the British Government.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in