Thread by @DeanMThomson

Following the spectacle of a Glasgow mob overturning the rule of law, and given the highly politicised virtue signalling going on; its time to do a thread on the SNP, Scotland and the immigration debate. And doing so dispassionately, sticking to facts.
(1/19)

1️⃣ Claims that Scotland’s view of immigration is divergent from the rest of the UK is false.

It is categorically untrue that Scots think about the immigration debate differently from English of Welsh people.
(2/19)

But don’t take my word of it, let’s look at the ScotCen researchers analysis of the Scottish and British Social Attitudes Surveys (2017).

➡️ Scotland has relatively positive view on benefits of immigration
➡️ This is the exact same picture as in England or Wales
(3/19)

➡️ According to the researchers themselves: "Far more people in Scotland think that immigration is good for Britain's economy (46%) than think it is bad (17%), but the figures are almost identical in England and Wales.
(4/19)

"Equally voters in Scotland are much more likely to feel that immigration enriches Britain's culture (43%) than to believe it undermines that culture (20%), but again in this they are little different from their counterparts in England and Wales."
(5/19)

➡️ Indeed the SNP are so sure that most Scots think just like rUK their 2014 White Paper on scexit pledged a points based immigration system remarkably similar to the UK one they seem to spend much airtime decrying.
(6/19)

Pg 270: “The government will take forward points-based approach targeted at particular Scottish requirements”

Or put it another way, the SNP were proposing to keep UK styled points based system but just alter the criteria for entry. The narcissism of small differences?
(7/19)

2️⃣ The SNP themselves called for forcible removal of migrants who fail asylum claim in 2014 white paper.

Despite FM & Humza Yousaf’s rhetoric about moral outrage at the attempted‘forced removal’ of two illegal migrants, they themselves supported precisely the same policy
(8/19)

➡️ Page 271 of ‘Scotland’s Future’ (SNP’s 2014 prospectus on scexit) reads: “if a failed asylum seeker is a risk to the public, secure accommodation will be sought whilst steps are taken to remove them.”

Or forced removal in other words. SNP policy circa 2014 white paper
(9/19)

So the SNP in 2021 are condemning Priti Patel for doing precisely what they proposed to do in an independent Scotland.

But naturally the SNP would point out their opposition to ‘unannounced’ raids to remove people forcibly. But this just exposes their naivety.
(10/19)

3️⃣ Ending ‘unannounced’ raids isn’t a realistic proposition

While forcible removal is seen by some as inflammatory, SNP are publicly opposing what they call ‘dawn raids’. But the SNP themselves concede a need for forcible removal of illegal migrants with no asylum claim
(11/19)

In their White Paper they wrote about placing those to be forcibly removed in “secure accommodation”. No indication on how this would be achieved.

Presumably the SNP think they can just make appointments with those they’re planning to forcibly remove?
(12/19)

4️⃣ And what of Scottish Labour’s bizarre entry into this debate?

I’ll keep this short as this thread is already long enough, but it would be wrong to point out SNP double standards but ignore Scottish Labour’s.
(13/19)

The point on ‘refugees are welcome here’ is fascinating, given the two men in question are Sikhs from the worlds biggest functioning democracy on earth namely India. But let’s not get bogged down in facts - Paul Sweeney thinks he can virtue signal in a polarising debate.
(14/19)

But putting that aside, this is the same Labour Party that had Home Sec John Reid (back when Lab won elections) call for an end to a ‘free for all’ open door immigration policy in 2006 claiming it wasn’t ‘fair or sensible’ & imposed extra burdens on schools & hospitals.
(15/19)

Labour, just like the SNP seem to be forgetting their own past policies and rhetoric on the immigration debate. They might have forgotten, but I haven’t.
(16/19)

I know vapid virtue signalling in politics when I see it. But Anas Sarwar presumably thinks this will advance his popularity.
(17/19)

I’m extremely disappointed in him and Scottish Labour over all of this. The immigration & asylum debate doesn’t need any more morality flagging grand standing.

It needs a calm and measured debate. Something nobody seems able to provide the voters right now.
(18/19)

Sources:

▪️’Do Scots think differently about immigration?’
bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotla…

▪️’Sturgeon & Sarwar's immigration nonsense is worse than virtue signalling: it's arrant hypocrisy’
telegraph.co.uk/opinion/2021/0…

▪️‘Scotland’s Future: Your Guide To An Independent Scotland’
(19/19)