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Pope enters Scottish independence debate with warning against division Pope enters Scottish independence debate with warning against division
(about 4 hours later)
The pope has entered the debate on Scottish independence with a guarded warning about the consequences of national division. A papal warning about the consequences of national division has been interpreted as a guarded intervention in the debate on Scottish independence. Speaking about Spain's conflict with Catalonia in an interview with Barcelona-based La Vanguardia newspaper, Pope Francis said: "All division worries me."
Speaking about Spain's conflict with Catalonia in an interview with Barcelona-based La Vanguardia newspaper, Pope Francis said: "All division worries me." Referring to independence movements in the Americas and the former Yugoslavia, and making a careful distinction between independence for emancipation and independence for secession, he went on: "You have to study each case individually. Scotland, La Padania [northern Italy], Catalonia. There will be cases that are just and others that are unjust, but the secession of a nation without a history of forced unity has to be handled with tweezers and analysed case by case."
Referring to independence movements in the Americas and the former Yugoslavia, he went on: "You have to study each case individually. Scotland, La Padania, Catalonia. The pope's cautious intervention will be seen to have huge significance for Roman Catholics in Scotland, where they make up 17% of the population, compared with 11% in England and Wales. Recent data from the Scottish Social Attitudes survey suggested that Catholic voters were both the most supportive of independence and the least fearful of the prospect of a yes vote out of all religious groups.
"There will be cases that are just and others that are unjust, but the succession of a nation without a history of forced unity has to be handled with tweezers and analysed case by case." Professor Tom Devine, Scotland's pre-eminent historian and leading Catholic cultural figure, said that he could not see any case for suggesting that Pope Francis was condemning the movement for Scottish independence outright."He recognises the viciousness of some types of ethnic nationalism," said Devine, "but goes on to say that every case must be judged on its merits."
Last month, Scotland's leading historian Prof Tom Devine said that Scots of an Irish-Catholic background were the most likely religious grouping to vote in favour of independence in September's referendum. "For reasons of controversy, some will try to extract a different meaning from his words but, as a historian used to trying to understand nuances, I don't think his comments stand up as being in any way opposed to Scottish independence."
Speaking for the pro-UK Better Together campaign, the Stirling Labour MP Anne McGuire described the pope's intervention as "interesting and welcome". He added that, had Pope Francis spoken out against independence, he would have been speaking against many in his flock in Scotland. A study last month, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, found 38% of Roman Catholics would vote yes, compared with 31% for members of the Protestant Church of Scotland.
"We live in a large interdependent world, and the best way to secure our future is to work together as part of something bigger. Coming on the back of the interventions by President Obama, Hillary Clinton and JK Rowling, the comments from Pope Francis highlight just how important the decision we have to make in September is." Dave Thompson MSP, Convener of Christians for Independence, said he welcomed the Pope's call for voters to analyse the case for independence closely.
Dave Thompson MSP, convener of Christians for Independence, said he welcomed the pope's call for voters to analyse the case for independence closely. "Pope Francis continues in a long line of Roman Pontiffs who have steadfastly supported Scotland's historic right to self-determination including, most notably, Pope John XXII who signed the Declaration of Arbroath in 1320." He added that the Vatican is one of the few international organisations where Scotland has always had independent representation.
"We are also confident that when most people, including Christians, do study the case for a yes vote they will conclude that independence is the surest route to a more socially just Scotland. A spokesman for the pro-independence Yes Scotland campaign said: "As His Holiness says, these matters should be looked at on a case-by-case basis."He added: "Scotland's national status has always been recognised by the Catholic church – indeed, Scotland has been a filia specialis, or favourite daughter, of the papacy.
"Pope Francis continues in a long line of Roman pontiffs who have steadfastly supported Scotland's historic right to self-determination including, most notably, Pope John XXII who signed the Declaration of Arbroath in 1320." Speaking for the pro-UK Better Together campaign, Stirling Labour MP Anne McGuire welcomed the pope's remarks. "Coming on the back of the interventions by President Obama, Hillary Clinton and JK Rowling, the comments from Pope Francis highlight just how important the decision we have to make in September is."
He added that the Vatican was one of the few international organisations where Scotland had always had independent representation. The pope's comments come a day after the former US secretary of state Hillary Clinton offered a far more direct opinion on the referendum campaign, saying that a yes vote would be "a loss for both sides". Clinton, who is expected to run for president in 2016, told BBC2's Newsnight: "I would hate to have you lose Scotland. I hope that it doesn't happen but I don't have a vote in Scotland. But I would hope it doesn't happen."
The pope's comments come a day after the former US secretary of state Hillary Clinton offered a far more direct opinion, saying that a yes vote would be "a loss for both sides". But, as with Barack Obama's unexpected intervention last week, when he told a press conference in Brussels that the US had a deep interest in ensuring the UK remained "strong, robust and united", campaigners from both sides of the referendum debate are cautious about the impact of such remarks on Scottish voters.
Clinton, who is expected to run for president in 2016, told BBC2's Newsnight: "I would hate to have you lose Scotland. I hope that it doesn't happen but I don't have a vote in Scotland. But I would hope it doesn't happen." Asked about the significance of Clinton's comments, Scotland's first minister, Alex Salmond, said on Friday: "I don't know if Hillary or the president of the United States are familiar with the Scottish word 'thrawn'. It doesn't mean stubborn, it basically means Scots don't like being told what to do."
But, as with Barack Obama's unexpected intervention last week, when he told a press conference in Brussels that the United States had a deep interest in ensuring the UK remained "strong, robust and united", campaigners from both sides of the referendum debate are remaining cautious about the impact of such remarks on Scottish voters. He added: "Hillary Clinton is of course entitled to her views and, as she rightly points out, the referendum is a matter for the people of Scotland. Mrs Clinton's observations are quite interesting in that she infers Britain will 'lose Scotland' after a yes vote. This reflects reports that David Cameron has said he doesn't want to 'lose' Scotland, likening it to George III losing the United States. In any case, Scotland is not a property to be lost but a nation about to take a precious and consensual and democratic decision.
Asked about the significance of Clinton's comments, Scotland's first minister, Alex Salmond, said earlier on Friday: "I don't know if Hillary or the president of the United States are familiar with the Scottish word thrawn. It doesn't mean stubborn, it basically means Scots don't like being told what to do." "An independent Scotland will be a friend and ally to our neighbours in the rest of the UK as well as to our friends in the United States of America.
He added: "Being told what to do tends to instigate a position in Scotland where we will say we will choose our own way forward. So insofar as influential at all, I think Scottish thrawn-ness means it will be a boost for the yes side, not the no side." "The eyes of the world are on Scotland as we look forward to one of the most exciting days in our history – but that huge international focus, and all the economic and other opportunities it will bring, will only stay on Scotland with a yes vote."