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Rupert Murdoch: Alex Salmond Is 'Brilliant' And Scotland Should Be Independent

Huffington Post UK  |  By Posted: 21/02/12 11:07  |  Updated: 21/02/12 16:46

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Rupert Murdoch Twitter
Murdoch has tweeted his support for Alex Salmond

It's the endorsement every politician dreads... Rupert Murdoch has appeared to give his backing to Alex Salmond's drive for Scottish independence.

Murdoch, who is in London to oversee the launch of the Sun on Sunday, made his views known to his almost 185,000 followers on Twitter on Sunday.

The SNP has said it intends to hold a referendum on independence in 2014, the 700th anniversary of the Battle of Bannockburn.

Murdoch began with a glowing description of the Scottish first minister, labelling him "the most brilliant politician in the UK"

Murdoch's News Corporation is the parent company of News International, which runs The Sun and The Times newspapers. The Scottish Sun is the most read newspaper in Scotland and came out in support of the SNP in the run up to last May's elections.


Rupert Murdoch
Alex Salmond clearly most brilliant politician in U.K. Gave Cameron back of his hand this week. Loved by Scots.

Murdoch's endorsement of Salmond was then followed by a hint towards support for an independent Scotland.

He tweeted on Monday. "Let Scotland go and compete. Everyone would win."

Having learned of the comments, Salmond said: "It was a very interesting eight words – a textbook example of how to deploy a tweet and cause a great stir."

"We are in a debate in Scotland and internationally about Scotland’s future and I welcome all contributions to that debate, including Mr Murdoch," he added.


Rupert Murdoch
Let Scotland go and compete. Everyone would win.

A spokesperson for the first minister said Salmond spoke to Murdoch on Tuesday morning to discuss the soon to be launched Sunday Sun in Scotland but did not speak about the editorial stances of News International. "They also talked about the tweet," the spokesman confirmed.

Murdoch was also somewhat disparaging about the place of Britain in the world. Tweeting that it was comical that the Royal Navy had nuclear submarines and should let its "dreams of empire" die.


Rupert Murdoch
What's this nonsense about British nuclear subs? Who are they going to nuke? Argentina, come off it. Dreams of empire should die.

However many appear to resent Murdoch's intervention on the thorny issue of Scottish independence. Lib Dem MSP Willie Rennie said the tabloid owner's support could be more damaging than helpful:

"After Rupert Murdoch's crisis at News Corporation, it's the endorsement that every politician dreads," he said.

"We need more than eight words from a troubled media tycoon to convince us that we should separate from the UK family."

He wasn't alone in shunning the support:


Stuart Lyle
Rupert Murdoch has backed independence for Scotland. That'll be the end of that then...

Veteran broadcaster Andrew Neil has waded into the debate, describing Murdoch as "anti-British" and "anti-establishment" for his recent tweets.

The BBC presenter suggested the media mogul was simply trying to get revenge on those who had targeted his company following the phone hacking scandal.

At least Murdoch appeared to be enjoying the weather.


Rupert Murdoch
Miracles do happen! Sun shining in London.

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It's the endorsement every politician dreads... Rupert Murdoch has appeared to give his backing to Alex Salmond's drive for Scottish independence. Murdoch, who is in London to oversee the launch of...
It's the endorsement every politician dreads... Rupert Murdoch has appeared to give his backing to Alex Salmond's drive for Scottish independence. Murdoch, who is in London to oversee the launch of...
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grizzly6604
4 Fans
08:53 on 04/03/2012
SOAR ALBA, Independance is the right of every Scot, we will be the people who will make it work, no one else, i say bring it on.
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wred
2 Fans
23:38 on 21/02/2012
Whatever your views on these men and their motives and ideas ,at least Murdoch has one thing right, Alec Salmond is the only 'real' politician in Britain today.
Should think he is rather perplexed over the endorsement.
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Jocklander
6 Fans
23:01 on 21/02/2012
first trump now murdock two people Scotland dont need support from
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west lothian questioner
187 Fans
23:26 on 21/02/2012
Well... The Donald turned against the Scottish Government only a few days ago. Murdoch has supported the SNP then turned against them, then supported them again. It quite likely won't be very long before he changes his mind again. At the moment his favourite Newspaper supports the SNP in Scotland and is anti-indy in its English edition. The man has no scruples and is unlikely to persuade anyone with a working critical faculty for very long.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Allyb999
50 Fans
15:27 on 22/02/2012
Most people who have power and money, will change their support to which ever cause is best for increasing thier own power and wealth.
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vectradt1
37 Fans
22:58 on 21/02/2012
Is mr M trying to use reverse psychology on the British public?

For many it's a case of "If Murdocks for it, I will have to be against it".............

Or is that too clever for him?

I wonder if he has had a phone call with Mr C yet?
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rbanks53350
0 Fans
22:56 on 21/02/2012
well i hope that gets rid of them my debts (uknationaldebt) will be lowered by the number of persons in scotland and england will never have a labour government thank god and the scots
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west lothian questioner
187 Fans
23:23 on 21/02/2012
You think Scotland becoming independent will reduce England's share of the UK national debt? Really? Surely you must realise that Scotland already pays its share and of course will be taking on its share when (or indeed if) it reclaims its independence. England (and thus your) share will remain exactly as it is now.
If you look at the election figures over the last few decades you will find that on far and away most cases the government of the UK is the same as the government chosen by English votes in the swing seats. Scots MPs rarely count in making a majority for either of the main two parties in England.
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yormerlin
23 Fans
04:36 on 22/02/2012
Scotland pays its share of UK national debt with British oil tax revenues,,,,Yes British oil tax revenues,,,you SNP people really believe you are a separate nation already,,,,North Sea oil tax revenues are Britain's now WLQ without taking British oil as Scottish oil how much do the English subsidise the Scot's by ?
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Auld Bob
15 Fans
00:06 on 22/02/2012
Wanna bet?
Where did you NOT learn maths? Do you think the Scots don't pay the same tax you do?
See it works like this - you count the total expenditure and you count the total revenue.
Then you take the lesser from the greater and it tells you how much you are in surplus or in deficit. Easy innit? Then you work out how many people in your country and that tells you how much per capita you gather in revenue and how many people you have to spend that revenue on.
You do know England has a great many more to support with her income don't you?
You do know that England does NOT have a treasury don't you?
What you may not know is that for 5 of the last 6 years Scotland has got out less than she paid in and the UK has racked up a debt of £3 Trillion. So explain for us all how a treasury that is £3trillion in debt can be subsidising a country that is in fiscal surplus?
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eastlondon
21 Fans
11:30 on 22/02/2012
Because your little columns have wonky lines there are a lot of variables for instance are you counting all the drunk Scotss hanging round Kings Cross or only the unemployed ones in Scotland?
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
stevesheff
58 Fans
22:53 on 21/02/2012
Doeshe really think this willboost the sales of the soon-to-be-launched Sun on Suday? It'll probably make no difference
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Paul Houston
British and a London resident
313 Fans
21:39 on 21/02/2012
Murdoch's father was one of the greats in journalism, at least when he embarrassed the British Government, it was in a good cause, namely the disaster at Gallipoli. Unlike Rupert.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Drg40
Representative Democracy is all we have.
40 Fans
20:50 on 21/02/2012
What? A senior Murdoch employee testified under oath to Leveson that Anne Diamond had been deliberately misleading or a perjurer and that he had never heard the faintest suggestion that Murdoch was ever motivated by revenge. How could Neill suggest something so crass! Oh woe, how can this be? Gove will go apoplectic with rage.

Why does the Huffpost offer so many column inches to Murdoch's "good works" when the overwhelming weight of the evidence is that both he and his beloved Tories, particularly dodgy Dave, are bent? I should concentrate on his bent ness rather than his pathetic diversionary tactics.
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rash8909
8 Fans
20:35 on 21/02/2012
Maybe he intends to move his business empire to an independent Scotland and nominate himself as candidate for first minister.....
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MolliBlum
1669 Fans
20:59 on 21/02/2012
Can't see many votes coming his way north of the border.
Especially after what the NoTW did to the Socialist party.
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Auld Bob
15 Fans
00:16 on 22/02/2012
What socialist party would that be?
You don't have one down south. What you have is the Red/Yellow/Blue Tory Rainbow Alliance. We have a socialist party in Scotland - it is called the Scottish National Party, (note: National NOT Nationalist). That is why we get free prescriptions, free home care for the elderly and sick, free Higher Education, no toll roads or bridges and so on. What's more we pay for it ourselves and subsidis the English with Scottish funds.
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rodger rabbit
7 Fans
20:07 on 21/02/2012
Scottish independance wont be decided by Rupert Murdoch, Cameron or his Libdem pal. It will be decided by the people of Scotland. The scare stories, The stupid statements like border checks. the oil will run out in a few years, etc etc will make no difference.
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vividrick
115 Fans
20:05 on 21/02/2012
Clearly fuming & embarrassed over the Leveson Inquiry, Murdoch will take every pot-shot he can! And he's only given credit to Salmond, coz the Scottish Sun were virtually the only medium the Scottish Independents had up there to voice! So naturally his sales in Scotland sky-rocketed!

But wasn't it 'The Sun' that went the "Gotcha" headline back during the Falklands War? So for Murdoch to have a pop at British activity in the region again is a huge contradiction! One again he has egg on his face, though as it's 'Pancake Tuesday'...add some bitter lemon!
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Auld Bob
15 Fans
21:32 on 21/02/2012
Just face the fact that in spite of the Biased, Broadcasting Clique of Pacific Quay and the biased Mainstream Scottish Media the Scottish people have seen through the bias and the Independence Movemant are now in front in the opinion polls that are not bent. I had to laugh last week at the poll giving a lead to the Deopendency Parties. They actually do not hold a random sample poll but have a list of pollsters they choose to poll. They obviously soon know what these pollsters politics are after a few polls. Then the next stupidity was the largest number polled were English with only a small number of Scots polled. Then to finish the job they counted all the don't knows as against independence. Talk about a con?
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bluepip
2 Fans
19:45 on 21/02/2012
well folk lets be honest. if the scot want a referendem let them have one and at the same time give the rest of the uk one, the ordanary scotish person like the english are not stupid they all know which side the butter is on. however if the referendem goes head let the english, welch and the northern irish be given a referendem on the EU. the results would make good reading. as for murdoch tell him to go back were he came from
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Allyb999
50 Fans
20:09 on 21/02/2012
Independence referendum has absolutely nothing to do with an EU referendum.
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Auld Bob
15 Fans
21:39 on 21/02/2012
I'm not so sure the Englanders know which side the bread is buttered but the majority of Scots sure do. This should give you a wee idea. For 5 of the last 6 years the Scots have put more into the Treasury than they got out, (not even counting Oil & Gas Revenues), as shown by the GERS, (Government Expenditure & Revenue, Scotland), figures. Yet in that same timescale the UK Treasury has run up a national debt of £3 Trillion. Care to explain how a country in £3Trillion pound debt can be subsidising one that is in Fiscal surplus?
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lariat
1 Fans
19:39 on 21/02/2012
As the NZ premier was reported to have said when hearing of so many New Zealanders leaving for Australia "The average IQ of both countries has improved". Just what did Murdoch mean? Clever or not, it sells papers - even the Sun.
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Auld Bob
15 Fans
21:41 on 21/02/2012
May I point out that Murdoch never said his papers would support the SNP. Just that Salmond was the best politico and that Scotlamd should go it alone in his opinion.
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digbury
32 Fans
19:14 on 21/02/2012
Murdoch, an Australian, couldn't give a fig about Salmond or Scottish independence, all he wants to do is to take a pop at the English who've caused him so much grief of late and sell more newspapers - or should that be comics?
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Auld Bob
15 Fans
21:45 on 21/02/2012
God you are sure mixed up. Where have, "THE ENGLISH", caused him such grief?
It is, in case you had not noticed, "The United Kingdom", that is giving him grief. Last time I looked Scotland, Wales and N.Ireland were still part of that United Kingdom. Not for much longer though.
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Gilbert McLardy
1 Fans
00:37 on 24/02/2012
Well Blue there is Nothing Wrong with the Aussies, As a country its second only to Scotland
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