AN audience member made a passionate call in support of Scottish independence on last night’s BBC Debate Night in response to notions that talking about independence is “irresponsible”.
His comments were in response to panellist Labour MSP Carol Mochan who said: “We need to move forward. We need to stop talking about this independence referendum. Nicola Sturgeon said there’ll be one by 2023. We are still recovering from a pandemic, it is irresponsible to be talking about these things.”
In response, the audience member said: “I think that the Union is over. Every week we look at PMQs and we see how they treat each other over the floor. How they disrespect one another.
“I agree with Carol that change is needed but I don’t think it’s possible in the current system. I think the only way to change it is through an independent Scotland where we have the opportunity to create something from the ground up, that actually works for the people of Scotland.”
“Change is needed, but I don’t think it’s possible in the current system. The only way to do so is through an independent Scotland” This #bbcdn audience member believes that change is needed from “the ground up”. pic.twitter.com/2yQ26dZA2H
— BBC Debate Night (@bbcdebatenight) April 27, 2022
This was followed by applause from fellow audience members.
Elsewhere, host Stephen Jardine claimed that there has not been a “huge movement” around independence “that you would expect”.
In response, panellist Ben Macpherson SNP MSP stated that the Union is not a “political arrangement of respect and equals”. He said: “If you think of the Brexit position, a lot of people have changed their mind since 2014 because of the fact we’ve been taken out of the EU against our will.
“We have put the position to the people several times including in last years election that we should have a referendum. The people must have a referendum - it’s about democracy. They do want it because they voted for it in the Scottish Parliament election last year.”
Wednesday night’s BBC Question Time was held in Peebles, and will return on May 11 with a studio audience from Glasgow and Perth.
