Catholic lawyer warns Catholics could suffer under Scottish independence

[lizardley]

One of Scotland’s most high-profile lawyers has warned that sectarianism could “blossom” in an independent Scotland without outside influences from the rest of the UK.

Paul McBride, QC, said independence could lead to “very serious consequences” for Catholics in Scotland and that the Catholic community could have “legitimate concerns” about the SNP’s flagship policy.

His comments, made during an interview with former MP George Galloway, were dismissed by a Labour MP as a “cack-handed” attempt to persuade Catholic voters to reject independence in the forthcoming referendum promised by the SNP.

To read more visit: thescotsman.scotsman.com/news/Catholic-QC-warns-of-bigotry.6828205.jp

 

[Hastrman]

One of Scotland’s most high-profile lawyers has warned that sectarianism could “blossom” in an independent Scotland without outside influences from the rest of the UK.

Paul McBride, QC, said independence could lead to “very serious consequences” for Catholics in Scotland and that the Catholic community could have “legitimate concerns” about the SNP’s flagship policy.

I don’t know if sectarianism is the problem, but for a lot of Britain, the only sign they were ever Protestant is knee-jerk anti-Catholicism. So either way the Catholics may well be in the same predicament.

 

[ChadS]

I’m sure this lawyer is a unionist with a Union Jack key fob.

ChadS

 

[Hastrman]

I’m sure this lawyer is a unionist with a Union Jack key fob.

Yeah, that’s my thought, pretty much—because Lord knows these guys just get all in a dither about the plight of Catholics, right?

 

[Skeptic92]

I don’t know if sectarianism is the problem, but for a lot of Britain, the only sign they were ever Protestant is knee-jerk anti-Catholicism. So either way the Catholics may well be in the same predicament.

Actually in parts of Scotland there is Sectarian sentiment, at least running in the back ground, there was a HUGEEEEEE Irish Catholic immigration into areas of (predominately) Protestant Scotland, especially areas like Glasgow, which may parents can remember being named Belfast lite for sectarian issues. The Anti-Catholicism is as much a knee-jerk reaction to the influx of Irish immigrant, which can still be seen in Glasgow when it flares up a bit (the threatening of the Celtic football club, and the sending of a live round to Cardinal O’Brien) it’s not quite anti-Catholicism, as it is Anti-Irish, and all things in the Irish culture, which just so happened to include Catholicism.

 

[Petergee]

There’s actually more anti-Catholicism in England than in Scotland.

Sounds like this lawyer is getting worried about the fact that the SNP has been getting more and more popular among Scotland’s large Catholic minority obver the last few years.

Catholic Scots have nothing to fear from Scottish independence. Bring it back!

An added bonus would be that once Scotland becomes independent, it would surely be not long before Ireland is reunited. A rump “United Kingdom” consisting of England, Wales and the six counties of north-eastern Ireland (from which Scotland is visible on a clear day) would be untenable.

 

[starsmurf]

What utter and total rubbish, this lawyer is either playing politics or is delusional.

 

[Petergee]

What utter and total rubbish, this lawyer is either playing politics or is delusional.

You’ll see if you get to the end of the article that he’s playing politics. He’s a rival politician of the Conservative/Unionist party.

 

[starsmurf]

You’ll see if you get to the end of the article that he’s playing politics. He’s a rival politician of the Conservative/Unionist party.

I couldn’t get the link to work so I wasn’t able to read the article. Thought it was a political thing, next the Tories will be telling us that if Scotland becomes independant, that it will bring on the Apocalypse…

 

[ChadS]

I couldn’t get the link to work so I wasn’t able to read the article. Thought it was a political thing, next the Tories will be telling us that if Scotland becomes independant, that it will bring on the Apocalypse…

As far as the English are concerned … yes it would.

ChadS

 

[Pat_the_elder]

Ach McBride is just a wee tory nyaff. Skeptic is right on the button on the sectarian issue. Up here Catholic = Irish as far as the sectarian divide goes. Its in some ways not religious, although it has religious overtones - more to do with what football (soccer) team you affiliate yourself with

 

[Petergee]

Ach McBride is just a wee tory nyaff. Skeptic is right on the button on the sectarian issue. Up here Catholic = Irish as far as the sectarian divide goes. Its in some ways not religious, although it has religious overtones - more to do with what football (soccer) team you affiliate yourself with

Yes, they forget that protestantism in Scotland was largely a phenomenon of the Lallans (lowlands) which came heavily under English influence. The Highlands and the Islands (which at the time comprised a large proportion of Scotland’s population and was regarded as the real heart of Scotland, generally remained loyal to the Catholic Church, and despite centuries of persecution, land seizures and forced emigration, there remain there many indigenous Scottish Catholics to this day. The parents of Australia’s newly canonised St Mary of the Cross MacKillop came from the Scottish Highlands.

 

[Pat_the_elder]

Hi Petergee,
St Margaret’s Roybridge (www.rcroybridge.co.uk) is the church that the parents of St Mary MacKillop attended. Although I stay in Glasgow, my late father in law came from the next village and my wife and I often go there. Try googling it, the parish website is very informative. For anyone interested in Scottish Catholic history, email the PP there, Father Tom. He has written a facinating book about a Cathoilc priest there at the time of the Jacobite rebellion (1745). All proceeds from the book go to Mary’s meals,(www.marysmeals.org) a Scottish charity. Google this as well - it’s equally fascinating

 

[Theophorus]

I must say as a Practising Catholic living in the Highlands who happens to be an Irishman I have never had sectarian problems. The story maybe different down south(in the central belt) but I’ve had no problems

 

[Bryan_J]

…

 

[Young_Thinker]

You’ll see if you get to the end of the article that he’s playing politics. He’s a rival politician of the Conservative/Unionist party.

Hey, you do what you can. I know that I do not want the U.K. to be split up, and I am an American!

 

[Skeptic92]

I must say as a Practising Catholic living in the Highlands who happens to be an Irishman I have never had sectarian problems. The story maybe different down south(in the central belt) but I’ve had no problems

It’s mainly in areas of Glasgow, where the Irish Immigration was HUGEEEE, and it was deeply protestant, the Highlands never suffered truly from sectarian issues, maybe just a dislike of their neighbours to the south (The English), but never truly a sectarian issues. Although, nowadays the Sectarianism in areas like Glasgow is very much in the background, and doesn’t cause to many troubles, every now and then it flares up slightly, but not to bad (unless it really flares up, then it can be slightly ugly).

This Lawyer doesn’t truly know what he’s talking about, I doubt sectarianism would flourish under an independent Scotland, but it would mean a very hard future for the rest of the UK, Scotland has most of our remaining Natural Resources!

 

[OrdinaryMelkite]

It’s mainly in areas of Glasgow, where the Irish Immigration was HUGEEEE, and it was deeply protestant, the Highlands never suffered truly from sectarian issues, maybe just a dislike of their neighbours to the south (The English), but never truly a sectarian issues. Although, nowadays the Sectarianism in areas like Glasgow is very much in the background, and doesn’t cause to many troubles, every now and then it flares up slightly, but not to bad (unless it really flares up, then it can be slightly ugly).

This Lawyer doesn’t truly know what he’s talking about, I doubt sectarianism would flourish under an independent Scotland, but it would mean a very hard future for the rest of the UK, Scotland has most of our remaining Natural Resources!

Slightly OT, but from my POv sort of relevant to this discussion------
I wonder what Susan Boyle’s opinion of this issue is? If anyone knows…

She’s one of those supossedly “destested” Irish Catholic people around Glasgow (at least, descended from—her parents were immigrants from Ireland).

She’s one of the most famous “Scots” around now—and a Catholic, to boot.

Not to be misunderstood----I personally could care less whether Scotland achieves independence or not. I’m American-----personally, I’m for the union----however, if independence is achieved, that is fine too.
Just curious as to what one of Scotland’s more “visible” citizens----who happens to be Catholic and Irish, has to say about this.

Just curious.

 

[Petergee]

Hi Petergee,
St Margaret’s Roybridge (www.rcroybridge.co.uk) is the church that the parents of St Mary MacKillop attended. Although I stay in Glasgow, my late father in law came from the next village and my wife and I often go there. Try googling it, the parish website is very informative. For anyone interested in Scottish Catholic history, email the PP there, Father Tom. He has written a facinating book about a Cathoilc priest there at the time of the Jacobite rebellion (1745). All proceeds from the book go to Mary’s meals,(www.marysmeals.org) a Scottish charity. Google this as well - it’s equally fascinating

Thanks, Pat! I’ll do that.

 

[Petergee]

Hey, you do what you can. I know that I do not want the U.K. to be split up, and I am an American!

Any reason why? Scotland is already a separate country in most senses of the word. The only reason Scotland became joined to England is that James king of Scotland “inherited” England when Bloody Bess queen of England died, being her nearest surviving relative (2nd cousin).

Also puzzling how someone who describes himself as an “old fashioned Catholic” subscribes to Cartesian philosophy and has as one of his “heroes” one of history’s most vicious and murderous wholesale persecutors of Catholics, who ransacked Rome and stole everything he could get his hands on, overrun and “abolished” the Papal States and made his brother “King of Rome”, kidnapped and imprisoned two popes one of whom died in prison, etc.etc.