‘Let Scotland go and compete’ says Murdoch

Published on Wednesday 22 February 2012 00:00

NEWS international boss Rupert Murdoch has strongly hinted that he will support the pro-independence campaign in a message posted on Twitter.

The tweet from the media tycoon – “Let Scotland go and compete. Everyone would win” – was welcomed by the First Minister, who was backed by Mr Murdoch’s main Scottish title The Sun in last year’s Holyrood elections.

Mr Salmond, who phoned the News International owner yesterday after the message, said that Mr Murdoch’s comments were a “textbook example of how to deploy a tweet and cause a great stir”. However, leading political commentator Professor John Curtice of Strathclyde University said that Mr Murdoch’s possible backing for independence would have a “minimal impact” on the referendum result.

Mr Murdoch’s latest intervention in Scottish politics follows a tweet just days ago in which he said: “Alex Salmond clearly most brilliant politician in U.K. Gave Cameron back of his hand this week. Loved by Scots.”

A spokesman for the First Minister said that Mr Salmond phoned Mr Murdoch to discuss the new News International newspaper, the Sun on Sunday in Scotland, and that “they also talked about the tweet”.

Mr Salmond said: “It was a very interesting eight words – a textbook example of how to deploy a tweet and cause a great stir.

“We are in a debate in Scotland and internationally about Scotland’s future and I welcome all contributions to that debate, including Mr Murdoch’s.”

However, Prof Curtice said: “The impact of The Sun on the independence referendum is likely to be minimal, as only about one in eight people in Scotland read it, with half the population not reading any newspaper. In 1992 at the General Election it was said that The Sun won it for the Conservatives. But the Tories had their best increase in the share of the vote in Scotland, where the newspaper actually supported the SNP.”

Andrew Whitaker

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35

allymax

Thursday, February 23, 2012 at 04:22 AM

#31 Daniel, are you scared to name them, or are you telling lies; again?

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34

easyzone

Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 08:37 PM

32 Yep! Figure is overstated . Probably wishful thinking ! ...................................................................................................Hows this......Professor Curtice might have a point . In the last Scottish parliamentary election , the SNP got 902,915 votes. The pro union's parties combined with the SNP made a total of 1989,222 votes. The Sun was in production then .

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33

DANCES WITH HAGGIS

Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 06:26 PM

@ 25 vote no================================== You really should try to keep up withe the debate outside the pages of the Hootsmon, so here is answers to yer passposrts worry that really has been answered weeks ago . "The anti-independence parties want us to believe there would be an electrified fence, a moat and magic towers with long-haired princesses guarded by a dragons all along the border. Sadly for those of us for whom being strip-searched by big burly men sounds like ideal Saturday night entertainment, this is untrue. There are no passport controls between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. Neither are there passport controls between the UK and the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, which are not only outside the UK, they're not even a part of the EU. The anti-independence parties claim that Scotland would be forced to join the Schengen free travel area after independence, meaning we'd be able to visit Paris and Lisbon without passports, but we'd need a passport to go to the Metro Centre in Newcastle for a Saturday shopping trip. Membership of the Schengen area is not a precondition of EU membership. Romania and Bulgaria are EU members, but are not members of Schengen. Since Scotland's only land frontier with the EU is our border with England, part of the British Isles Common Travel Area, we'd continue to remain a part of the existing Common Travel Area. But if you do fancy being strip-searched by big burly men, well there are nightclubs for that sort of thing."

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32

Shawfield Urchin

Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 05:06 PM

Comment removed by moderator

31

Danielrober2

Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 05:03 PM

# 30allymax ...................... Why would a memebr of the SDA want to know who I have met in the SNP?

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30

allymax

Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 03:07 PM

#27, Danielrober2; "Most SNP members and voters I have met are very nice and are equally angry with this online behaviour, where debate is replaced by texting noise." ......................I notice you miss two very important aspects of politics; in comment #26 you completely misunderstand, or, are ignorant of, the psychological warfare being meted out by Westminster; I don't suppose you'll ever understand it so I won't bother trying to explain it to you. ..............Then you state you talk for SNP members; name them, so I know who to contact and let them know they are deluded fools, and cringing jocks. ...........If you are talking about New-snot Scotland, then they don't qualify; they are self-indulging silo-ing happy-clappy backslappers, that only talk to themselves; no 'debate' goes on there bucko! ...... ..Like I say, name these SNP members who you are talking for; I want to know who they are. allymax.

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29

allymax

Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 02:55 PM

#22 stupid bluudy comment at #16 !

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28

allymax

Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 02:51 PM

#13 Colonialtof, " why do you think that even the asylum seekers see England as more attractive to live in than Scotland? Even they refused to relocate up there. It is because you are an introverted nationalistic country that stills guffs on about Bannockburn and pretends to be enslaved. You moan endlessly and are backward thinking referring to days gone by all the time. " ..................................... ...........................................Ha! I luv it when they get all angry n' flustered. They end up saying stupid stuff like Colonialtof did here. ............................The petted-lip unionists; Ha!

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27

Danielrober2

Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 02:05 PM

Most SNP members and voters I have met are very nice and are equally angry with this online behaviour, where debate is replaced by texting noise.

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26

Danielrober2

Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 02:03 PM

# Colonialtoff ................... These fake arguments between the SNP, SDA, EDL and other nationalists are driven by your only united aspect, a hatred of democratic Britain. These fake argument s damage your causes as you often lose any point your were trying to make by name calling, Many you guys look backwards and then forwards to an almost alternative version of history, justifying no doubt your own failures in life. I take it from your recent contributions, as an indication that Alec.S is requiring more and more help from English Nationalists and that something must not be working at the SNP High Command.

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25

Vote 'NO'

Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 12:14 PM

Not sure if it boosts support for Separation as the issue is far more complex than the silly comments of some Middle England Tory. What it does is annoy the Hell out of the average Scot, but I'll give them more respect than suggest they are so shallow as to be affected that they'd vote for El Presidente and his yet to be defined costs of what Scotland leaving Britain would actually mean. I mean, note how he has no real information to impart when faced with questions on the passport control\Schengen issue.

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24

Vote 'NO'

Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 12:14 PM

Not sure if it boosts support for Separation as the issue is far more complex than the silly comments of some Middle England Tory. What it does is annoy the Hell out of the average Scot, but I'll give them more respect than suggest they are so shallow as to be affected that they'd vote for El Presidente and his yet to be defined costs of what Scotland leaving Britain would actually mean. I mean, note how he has no real information to impart when faced with questions on the passport control\Schengen issue.

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23

Cynicus

Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 12:12 PM

8 Pomona Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 07:49 AM ===================================================== What is REMOTELY biased in anything Prof Curtice says above? ==================================================================================================== What is ever NOT remotely biased in EVERYTHING curtice ever says ??????? ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ So there is NOTHING biased in what he is quoted as saying. Your failure to deliver examples confirms the fact. Not being an uncritical member of the Jowly Eck Fan Club is not the same as bias.

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22

Rorybone100

Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 12:10 PM

16. Stupid bloody forum. Those 13s are meant to read one third, but the forward slashes have been removed.

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21

Vote 'NO'

Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 12:08 PM

15 The Scottish people shall decide, and will Vote 'NO', irrespective of the inane witterings of the narrow-minded and parochial snivelling from Scots Separatists and their fellow travellers South of the Border.

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