"Dislike of England" the SNP's motivating force? Professor Vernon Bogdanor asks in The Times.

I came across an interesting letter from Professor Vernon Bogdanor in the January 9 edition of The Week.  He implies that dislike of England is the SNP’s motivating force – surely not!

The letter was first published in The Times. I reproduce it below as it appeared in The Week.

St. Andrew’s cross

To The Times

In a Commons debate last week, Ian Blackford, parliamentary leader of the SNP, declared that “Scotland is at heart a European nation”, and indeed that she had been well before the Acts of Union in 1707.  The SNP seems to have acquired this insight somewhat recently.  In the 1975 referendum it was the only major party in Scotland to recommend leaving the European Community. 

Voters are entitled to an explanation of why the SNP changed its mind.  Dare one suggest that dislike of England rather than love for Europe has been its motivating force?

Vernon Bogdanor, professor of government, King’s College, London.