Don’t Menshn The Scottish U-Turn

The latest opinion polls on this week’s Scottish independence referendum all show the No campaign in the lead, albeit only by around four points, which is within the margin of error. Crucially, Rupert Murdoch, who always wants to be seen backing the winner, has cooled on his previous support for Alex Salmond. And where Rupe goes, his obedient pundits will surely follow.

(c) Doc Hackenbush 2014

You think I jest? Only one exhibit needs to be viewed here, and that exhibit is the stream of pronouncements emanating from former Tory MP Louise Mensch, obsessively keen to respond to Her Master’s Voice. Last week she was unequivocally in the Yes camp, but Rupe is distancing himself, and she is still a good and obedient Tory supporter, and so has performed a U-Turn.

Then, it was “Hooray! I really support Scots independence and it would be fantastic for England and the Conservatives were it to happen”, but now she is not keen on many Yes supporters’ tactics: “Yes thugs [!] attacking [Ed Miliband] will swing thousands of undecideds to [the No campaign]. She even managed to deploy the #bettertogether hashtag.

Last week, she was telling everyone “You’d have two center [sic] right Governments and Labour would be totally shut out”, but now she’s attacking Salmond with a passion: “Salmond is utterly lying when he says to Scots they can keep the [pound]; also lying when he says it will take 18 months to join [the] EU”. Ms Mensch knows all about telling porkies – ask Piers Morgan.

From that point, the reasoning became utterly bizarre, displaying a lack of logic, or indeed, how organisations like the EU work. “Spain also confirms iScotland would lose all opt-outs of rUK including Schengen and VAT – higher prices, more immigration”. Spain does not drive the European Commission, and free movement of labour is not varied whether a country has joined the Schengen area.

And where last week she was musing “I am a Conservative, started out a unionist but always a bit iffy and the debate has made me not a Unionist anymore. Union with Wales, NI”, now she was rubbishing the whole idea of Scottish independence: “The Loch Ness monster is more credible than Salmond’s ‘Keep the £’ (No), ‘Stay in the EU’ (No)”.

Then the U-Turn was completed, as readers were told firmly that “Scottish autonomy must be recognised and simultaneously unfairnesses to England corrected. We’re better together”. Yes means no, independence goes from good to bad in ten days, whatever Creepy Uncle Rupe says, and please give me a show on Fox News Channel (fair and balanced my arse).

She was allowed to become an MP. Political class? Competence? Er, no.