Homecoming for Bruce 'SNP brainwashing'

Published on Sunday 13 September 2009 22:09

PROPOSALS to hold a second Homecoming year in 2014 to mark the 700th anniversary of Bannockburn have been described as "Nationalist brainwashing".

It has emerged First Minister Alex Salmond wants to have a year of events to mark the anniversary of Robert the Bruce's famous victory over the English in 1314 which cemented Scotland's identity as an independent nation.

The proposal would mirror the Homecoming Year this year which was set up to mark the 250th anniversary of the birth of Robert Burns.

But Labour MSP Lord George Foulkes argued that the Bannockburn anniversary fits the Nationalist agenda.

"This is all part of the SNP's agenda to brainwash people into supporting independence," he said.

"We can see this too with their plans to hold the referendum on St Andrew's Day."