A remarkable statistic from the Shetland Scottish Parliament by-election
The Shetland by-election was won by Beatrice Wishart in the face of a full-on campaign by the SNP. They were, of course, within their rights to throw everything at the contest. What was remarkable, though, was how that compared with the European referendum.
Here’s what Alistair Carmichael has to say:
Orkney and Shetland MP Alistair Carmichael has reacted with concern to reports that the SNP spent more on the recent Shetland by-election than in the entire EU referendum campaign. The party spent £99,000 on the Shetland by-election (of a spending limit of £100,000), compared to just over £90,000 in the 2016 referendum (13% of the limit).
Commenting, Mr. Carmichael said:
“The fact that the SNP spent more on the by-election in Shetland than in the entire EU referendum campaign speaks volumes. It is disappointing but hardly surprising, considering how much lucre they flashed around in the Northern Isles over the summer.
“Apparently one more vote for independence in Holyrood was worth more to the nationalists than their European values. It’s a shame they don’t put their money where their mouth is.”
“It shows the cynicism of the SNP leadership’s position on the EU. They tell their supporters one story on Europe, but their actions tell another. They back the EU with words, but the truth is that they see Brexit as a golden opportunity to push independence at the price of our country’s well-being.”
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The problem is that the SNP have their own agenda and the Tories have played right into their hands. In lots of ways the SNP are the same as the Tories in England, playing to strident nationalism
SNP is just a front for Independence Party Scotland because this obsession NS has will not go away I hope Mr Johnstone tells her that Independence is not on .
Point is that it never mattered how many Scots voted in the EU referendum either way as we would never have has any impact on the result bar some basis points
SNP throwing money away again