News / International
Scottish party likened to Zanu-PF
19 Jan 2017 at 08:45hrs | Views
A Tory MP has accused the SNP of showing the "iron discipline" of Robert Mugabe's political party over its Brexit views.
Kwasi Kwarteng compared the SNP to Zanu-PF in Zimbabwe for their staunch opposition to leaving the EU, despite 38 per cent of Scots who voted backing Leave in last summer's referendum.
His comments came as the SNP led a debate on the rural economy in the House of Commons, during which its Commons leader Pete Wishart said the UK voted Brexit "because the UK doesn't like immigrants".
Mr Kwarteng told MPs: "Nobody on the SNP side actually thought that leaving the EU would be a good thing.
"That seems very interesting, because one of the curiosities of first past the post is that 38% of Scotland actually voted to leave the EU.
"But because we have a first-past-the-post system, which I've defended, the SNP were entirely negative about the prospects of leaving the EU.
"They showed an iron discipline that Zanu-PF in Zimbabwe, I think, would be very proud of.
"They are simply not representing the full range of Scottish opinion."
Earlier, Mr Wishart said that Theresa May was pursuing "the hardest of hard Brexits" which would be remembered as "perhaps the biggest act of economic self-flagellation ever self-inflicted upon a nation".
Mr Wishart added: "It will practically crucify our rural economy.
"If we were indulging in this hard Brexit for some sort of lofty ideal about tackling global injustice, about trying to improve the conditions of some of the poorest in the world, I think I could just about stomach it.
"But no, we're indulging in this sadistic piece of national self-harm because the UK doesn't like immigrants."
Kwasi Kwarteng compared the SNP to Zanu-PF in Zimbabwe for their staunch opposition to leaving the EU, despite 38 per cent of Scots who voted backing Leave in last summer's referendum.
His comments came as the SNP led a debate on the rural economy in the House of Commons, during which its Commons leader Pete Wishart said the UK voted Brexit "because the UK doesn't like immigrants".
Mr Kwarteng told MPs: "Nobody on the SNP side actually thought that leaving the EU would be a good thing.
"That seems very interesting, because one of the curiosities of first past the post is that 38% of Scotland actually voted to leave the EU.
"But because we have a first-past-the-post system, which I've defended, the SNP were entirely negative about the prospects of leaving the EU.
"They are simply not representing the full range of Scottish opinion."
Earlier, Mr Wishart said that Theresa May was pursuing "the hardest of hard Brexits" which would be remembered as "perhaps the biggest act of economic self-flagellation ever self-inflicted upon a nation".
Mr Wishart added: "It will practically crucify our rural economy.
"If we were indulging in this hard Brexit for some sort of lofty ideal about tackling global injustice, about trying to improve the conditions of some of the poorest in the world, I think I could just about stomach it.
"But no, we're indulging in this sadistic piece of national self-harm because the UK doesn't like immigrants."
Source - scotsman.com
