DOUGLAS Ross got into a spat with an audience member over a democratic route to independence on Question Time.
A woman from the crowd told the Scottish Tory leader on Thursday she found it “hugely condescending” the “once-in-a-generation" argument kept being used by Unionists to fend off attempts to hold indyref2.
She pointed out Scotland’s circumstances had changed considerably since 2014 and insisted now was the right time to ask the question again.
After Ross dodged Fiona Bruce’s question on what the democratic route to independence was, he then got into an argument with the audience member.
He claimed he would never put a democratic route on the table because he is against independence.
“There will never be a perfect time for a referendum but come on, if this isn’t it, I really don’t know when is” @JohnSwinney & @Douglas4Moray react to a #bbcqt audience member’s point that she feels it’s condescending for the UK Government to oppose a referendum pic.twitter.com/5Q437zmDjN
— BBC Question Time (@bbcquestiontime) October 13, 2022
The audience member said: “I find it hugely condescending that this whole ‘once in a generation' thing still comes up.
“So much has changed and there will never be a perfect time for a referendum but come on, if this isn’t it, I really don’t know when is, and I find it incredible that we can constantly return an SNP government and yet Westminster turnaround and say there’s no mandate for it [a referendum].
“It’s just hugely condescending, it’s arrogant and you’re just turning your [Ross and the Tories] back on the Scottish people.”
Ross then attempted to deflect attention away from him and onto Deputy First Minister John Swinney by asking him about Scottish currency.
But it wasn’t long before the audience member came back in to make sure her point was addressed.
She went on: “I feel patronised and I find it condescending that Liz Truss can turn around and say ignore Nicola Sturgeon. How dare she, she’s an elected politician, this woman (Truss) hasn’t even been elected by anyone. We are a people, we are a nation, and how dare you just say no without even engaging in a conversation with us.”
Ross then replied: “We are engaging in this conversation. I don’t believe in independence. I will never support Scotland separating from the UK.
When Bruce asked for a second time whether there was a democratic route to independence for Scotland, Ross said: “On a democratic route, that’s put forward by nationalists. People who want to separate the country put that forward.
“You wouldn’t expect a Unionist to explain how we could divide from the rest of the UK.”
The audience member hit back to argue Scotland wants sovereignty, which is what Brexiteers argued for in 2016.
But Ross continued to dismiss her points and insisted Scotland should just be happy with the powers it has and use them.
“I don’t particularly think that the rhetoric of 2014 was as divisive as the 2016 Brexit referendum but if you want to follow that argument through, ultimately that’s what independence is,” said the audience member.
“So what you stood for as a Tory for Brexit is exactly what we want in Scotland. We want to be sovereign, and make our own mistakes and our own way forward.”
Ross added: “But we’ve had that debate.
“Let’s use the powers we’ve got to improve A&E waiting times and education.”
