Scotland’s oldest surviving member of the legendary Desert Rats soldiers has slammed as “offensive” and “ridiculous” comments by a Tory peer that independence would “dishonour” those who died in previous conflicts.
Jimmy Sinclair, from Kirkcaldy, hit out at Lord Lang after he made the remarks in a referendum debate at the House of Lords on Thursday.
The Courier revealed last year that the 102-year-old was backing a Yes vote after he visited Holyrood with Kirkcaldy MSP David Torrance to meet First Minister Alex Salmond and his deputy, Nicola Sturgeon.
Mr Sinclair said: “This is really offensive stuff from Lord Lang. I don’t remember seeing him on any battlefields. It is a ridiculous thing for him to say. Sacrifices made on the battlefield of the past wars are respected by everyone.
“I will be voting Yes in the referendum because I am a patriot and I believe in Scotland’s future. With a Yes vote we can stop people like Lord Lang and the undemocratic House of Lords interfering in Scotland’s affairs.”
Lord Lang had pointed out that Scots had fought alongside people from the rest of the UK “in the battles of the past three centuries and still serve together today”.
He added: “Must they now, both Scotland and England, disavow that shared history and wouldn’t that dishonour the sacrifices made in common cause of those who died for the UK?”
Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson distanced herself from the comments but later came under fire for doing so from another of her Lords.
Former Stirling MP Michael Forsyth, who was Scottish Secretary for almost two years, said in a TV interview that Ms Davidson “ought to have been more careful with her comments” and described her as “new and a little inexperienced”.
Both Ms Davidson, who has led her party for more than two years, and the Scottish Tory party declined to comment last night and, when asked if the leader had spoken to the peer about the comments, said any discussion was a private matter between the two.
SNP Mid Scotland and Fife MSP, Annabelle Ewing, said: “While Ruth Davidson’s attempts to distance herself from Lord Lang’s ill-judged and offensive remarks did not come quickly or go far enough, at least she acknowledged that the language used was not acceptable.”