Tory MP accused of hypocrisy after claims break-up of union would ‘destabilise our whole nation’

Tom Tugendhat, now a supporter of the Tory government’s Brexit proposals, made the comments after polling showed increased support for Scottish independence.

He said that the end of the union would ‘leave families in trouble as our economy faltered’.

He added it would ‘undermine our ability to help others’, and make our allies ‘weaker and our enemies stronger’.

Tugendhat was commenting on a new poll which showed support for independence in Scotland had risen to 54%.

He tweeted: ‘The end of the union would destabilise our whole nation and – because of our size – many others. It would leave families in trouble as our economy faltered and undermine our ability to help others. Our allies would be weaker and our enemies stronger.

‘We all need the union.’

His comments prompted a large response from the pro-EU community, who accused him of hypocrisy over his comments on Scottish independence compared to his Brexit views.

‘In that case, oppose Brexit and topple Johnson,’ wrote David Head.

https://twitter.com/TomTugendhat/status/1274723066598371332

‘Same logic surely applies to UK needing the EU or at least stay very close to it?’ tweeted former MEP Dr Charles Tannock.

‘And yet its biggest current threat has been set in motion by the Conservative and ‘Unionist’ Party,’ noted another ex-MEP Seb Dance.

‘European Union?’ asked Leighton Williams. ‘Yup you are right. Unfortunately your unionist party has destroyed our United Kingdom. There’s only one way back and that’s electoral reform and more devolution.’

Anti-Brexit campaigners the EU Flag Mafia, said: ‘But we told you 4 years ago this would happen because of #brexit … it was called project fear. Now own it big man’.

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Elinor Elliot replied: ‘Then your party shouldn’t have engaged in behaviour that is almost guaranteed to destroy the Union, should it? It’s almost like Etonians have been brought up to believe that nothing they do has consequences.’

Mike Buckley added: ‘Tories can be so blind to the impacts of their own choices. It’s quite sad really.’