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Old November 8th, 2020 #1
Lutador Branco
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Default Sean Connery, the Scottish nationalist

(Article from 2014)


Sean Connery: Why he supports Scottish independence

Sean Connery, a long-time Scottish nationalist, advocates breaking the 307-year tie with England. Unlike Sean Connery, English singer David Bowie, who lives in New York, has urged Scots not to break away,.




AP/File
Sean Connery as James Bond in 'Never Say Never Again.' The film 'Never Say Never Again,' a 1983 remake of 'Thunderball,' has its ironic title, because it brought Connery back as Bond after a 12-year hiatus.

March 24, 2014

By Belinda Goldsmith Reuters
LONDON

Celebrities plunging into the debate on Scottish independence risk attracting public wrath from opposing sides in the run-up to the Sept. 18 referendum. Some, like tennis star Andy Murray, have opted to keep quiet.

James Bond actor Sir Sean Connery, a long-time Scottish nationalist, advocates breaking the 307-year tie with England, supporting separatists' arguments that oil-rich Scotland can be a prosperous, independent nation.

English singer David Bowie, who lives in New York, has urged Scots not to break away, endorsing Prime Minister David Cameron's view that the United Kingdom is strongest together.

But Murray has kept out of the increasingly heated debate, saying at the weekend that he had been previously roasted for a comments seen as representing a political view.

Murray, who became the first Briton in 77 years to win the men's singles title at Wimbledon last year, drew criticism before the 2006 World Cup when he said he'd support anyone but England, a remark he has said many times since was not serious.

"I wouldn't personally choose to make my feelings on something like that public either, because not a whole lot of good comes from it," said Murray, adding his view was irrelevant as one of 1.15 million expatriate Scots not eligible to vote.

"I've made that mistake in the past and it's caused me a headache for ... eight years of my life and a lot of abuse."

Scottish comedian Billy Connolly, 71, has said he won't vote, calling the debate "a morass that I care not to dip my toe into".

Opinion polls show about half Scottish voters opposing separation and the nationalists gaining ground with about one third support. About 16 percent are undecided.

ONLINE ABUSE

Connery, 83, a Bahamas resident who cannot vote, says he might return to his native land if it broke away.

"As a Scot and as someone with a lifelong love for both Scotland and the arts, I believe the opportunity of independence is too good to miss," he wrote in a New Statesman article.

Eurythmics singer Annie Lennox, a Scot who lives in London, was once an ardent supporter of independence but, frequently targeted in online attacks, has moderated her views, saying the decision should not be swayed by "heady patriotic emotion".

Bowie faced a flood of online abuse from nationalist "cybernats" last month when he said "Scotland, stay with us" at an awards show. Left-wing English singer and activist Billy Bragg, who supports independence, welcomed Bowie's comment, saying it encouraged discussion.

Singer Susan Boyle, who won fame on TV talent show "Britain's Got Talent", says she's proud to be a Scot, but is no nationalist. Scottish actress Emma Thompson also opposes independence, questioning how a new border helps anyone.

Six-time cycling gold medallist Chris Hoy said last year that future Olympians could find it harder to reach the top if Scotland became independent, but refused to say how he would vote, saying he was "a cyclist, not a politician".

His comments also prompted a barrage of internet abuse, much of which criticised his relatively comfortable upbringing in Scotland including his private school education.

Former Manchester United football club manager Alex Ferguson has not made his views public, but it has been widely reported that he has donated to the pro-UK Better Together campaign.

The Scottish government, headed by the Scottish National Party, has condemned online abuse of celebrities by so-called cybernats or others. "We welcome all contributions to the debate wherever they come from," a spokesman said.

The decision to allow only Scottish residents to vote has come under attack in a campaign led by London-based lawyer James Wallace, who sought legal opinion from barrister Aidan O'Neill.

O'Neill, who specialises in EU law, concluded the exclusion of non-resident Scots could be illegal as it violated Scots' right to freedom of movement under European Union law.

Wallace said he had sent the advice to Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond and Cameron, calling for the franchise to be expanded. If ignored, he plans to lodge a petition signed by 3,200 Scots demanding a judicial review in the Supreme Court.

A Scottish government spokesman said the Edinburgh agreement that set the terms of the vote confirmed the franchise was for the Scottish parliament to determine.

(Reporting by Belinda Goldsmith; Editing by Alistair Lyon)


https://www.csmonitor.com/World/Late...h-independence
 
Old December 27th, 2020 #2
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Scottish independence ‘will come in time’ - Sean Connery

SIR Sean Connery has insisted that it’s ‘only a matter of time’ before Scotland is an independent country.
By The Newsroom
Tuesday, 15th September 2015, 9:52 pm




Sir Sean Connery has revealed he believes independence is inevitable. Picture: Jane Barlow



Sir Sean, who has lent his voice to an audiobook version of Alex Salmond’s referendum diary The Dream Shall Never Die, is one of the SNP and independence movement’s most high-profile supporters.

And the James Bond actor believes that Scotland has boosted its global reputation - partly as a result of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games - and said: “The main thing is that Scotland is now rated worldwide.”


Speaking to The Sun from his home in the Bahamas, Connery added: “[2014] was a big year. The Glasgow Games were a huge success and the referendum... well, it will come right, in time.




Alex Salmond, left, with Sir Sean in 2004. Picture: TSPL



“It’s been an astonishing journey with first Alex [Salmond] and now Nicola [Sturgeon].”

The 85-year-old, who has battled health problems in the last 18 months, was due to appear at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games but was forced to pull out as he underwent surgery on his eye.

Sir Sean’s comments come just days after SNP leader and First Minister Nicola Sturgeon indicated that the timescale for a second referendum would be presented in the party’s manifesto for the Holyrood election in 2016.

Ms Sturgeon said that it would cover ‘appropriate’ circumstances for a new vote, but warned that another ballot could only be decided by the Scottish people.


And Sir Sean, who called on Scots to vote Yes in March 2014, has been firm friends with former SNP leader and current Gordon MP since 1991.

The actor has donated large sums of money to the SNP and undertook voiceover duties for party political broadcasts in the early 90s.

As part of the audiobook adaptation of Mr Salmond’s referendum diary, Sir Sean reads the lines: “The people of Scotland - the real guardians of Scotland - spoke in the referendum.

“They spoke again by majority in the election.


“They will not be prevented from speaking again. Scotland’s future is in Scotland’s hands.”


https://www.scotsman.com/news/politi...connery-882196
 
Old December 28th, 2020 #3
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Scotland belongs lock, stock and barrel to the EU Regime. As does England.
 
Old December 28th, 2020 #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dawn Cannon View Post
Scotland belongs lock, stock and barrel to the EU Regime. As does England.

Certainly, Comrade Dawn Cannon.

From where we can conclude that Scotland and England need to be freed from the left-wing domination of the European Union.
 
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