Scotland and the Battle for Britain -Episode 1 BBC Documentary 2016

Andrew Marr discovers why the Scotland he was born in has changed so much politically.
Scotland today feels very different to the country Andrew experienced growing up. It has become more left wing, less British and much more fiercely Scottish Nationalist. The SNP has been in power for nearly a decade and now - post the Brexit vote - there is talk of a second independence referendum. In just over half a century, Scotland has been transformed. How and why did this happen - and what does this mean for the future of the UK?
In the first of these two films, Andrew tells the story of a quiet political revolution, which still isn't much understood south of the border. The political gyroscope in Scotland has swung from the Unionists - who became the Conservatives - winning over half the Scottish vote in the 1950s, to the Labour Party, utterly dominant for over three decades, and today to the SNP, who have risen from a party of protest and insurgency to become the party of government in Scotland.
This film ends in 2012, with the announcement of a referendum on Scottish independence.

[@davidsimpson911]

i was genuinely saddened and upset when i heard of Andrew Marr's stroke,and equally relieved and delighted that he made a full recovery,i am not only a massive fan of his wonderful documentaries,but i also like and admire the man for his intellect and his wry sense of humour,kudos to you Andy and keep educating us and entertaining us with your wisdom.

[@BattlestarZenobia]

The answer for Tory decline is simple, the Conservative Party moved to the right under Thatcher, whilst Scotland didn't. Scotland isn't more left wing, England is more right wing

[@craigieboy123]

@Thiago Nash so you're a fucking scumbag?

[@TheBarca1889]

Delusional.

[@passiveagressive4983]

Cameron’s hubris re: the Scottish referendum, led to his belief that he could win Brexit.

[@foodhaul8382]

100%

[@what-uc]

Cameron allowed three referendums for things he didn't want. AV, Scottish independence and Brexit

[@martindornan1667]

In an independent Scotland the Scottish people would be governed by the government that they vote for and not be governed by the government that another country voted for.

[@Sabhail_ar_Alba]

They'll still be ignored by the venal politicians whether Westminster or Edinburgh.

[@christophermorrison8632]

Depends what you call a country though, doesn't it. If 2 countries legally and constitutionally amalgamate, aren't they then one country?

[@13strange67]

@Gavin Martin Better Brussels than Westmonster !

[@garyodonovan8305]

Ireland is independent, and as an Irishman, I would much prefer to be a part of the United Kingdom.

[@jintsfan]

@@13strange67Ask Ireland. Mention Nice and Lisbon

[@ianedmonds9191]

To be clear this not a battle for Britain. This is a battle for Scotland. The rest of the UK can continue right along. I suspect Westminster has marginalised NI to the point that's also a lost cause but you reap what you sow. Wales is behind the curve because Thatcher ripped it's heart out in the 80s with the miner's strike. England and really just London don't care about the rest of the UK. We're leaving and there's not a damn thing you can do about it unless you want to be viewed like North Korea. We'll vote then we'll leave. Job done. Luv and Peace.

[@sclibertarian348]

Nothing says freedom like voting for independence from Westminster only to willingly give it back to Brussels.

[@johnnicolson467]

Scotland wants Independence and every poll his year shows it 12/4/20 Opinium found that 54 per cent of people would vote Yes 25/5/20 YouGov found that 54 per cent of people would vote Yes 4/6/20 Opinium found that 54 per cent of people would vote Yes 21/6/20 Panelbase found that 54 per cent of people would vote Yes 12/8/20 YouGov found that 53 per cent of people would vote Yes 19/8/20 Savanta ComRes found that 54 per cent of people would vote Yes 19/8/20 Panelbase found that 55 per cent of people would vote Yes 02/9/20 Panelbase found that 63 per cent of people would vote Yes 12/9/20 Survation found that 53 per cent of people would vote Yes 20/9/20 HeraldScotland found that 72 per cent of people would vote Yes 22/9/20 IpsosMORI found that 60 per cent of people would vote Yes 26/9/20 Glasgow Herald found that 68 per cent of people would vote Yes

[@rabthecab]

That line about the SNP helping Thatcher win power is absolute bollocks - Callaghan himself blamed his own MPs, and no whitewashing will ever change that. Also, Marr's excuse for losing his accent is also rubbish; I've been in London 32 years & my accent hasn't changed a bit.

[@Test-og5bc]

Marr is an establishment man - he works for the BBC. Would put a serious amount of money on him being a rabid Tory.

[@robertmay9798]

@Daud Khan... Survived for another 6 months. Callaghan still would've had to call an election and fight Thatcher and likely would've lost after the Winter of Discontent. All the SNP did was put that government out of its misery.

[@wessexfox5197]

@@Test-og5bc when he was a journalist he was know as Red Andy. He is a man of the social Democratic left like someone like Roy Jenkins.

[@manuelncl1769]

Looking forward to watch the second episode, pity that is almost impossible to watch programs like this outside UK.

[@meirionowen5979]

Wales did not vote to leave the EU. It needs to be understood that very nearly 1 million living here have come from England, many of them elderly and retired. This in a country of fewer than 3 million.The statistics, then, are flawed. There is a lively grassroots movement here amongst the young of Wales, working to ensure that in the case of Scotland gaining their independence that the Welsh will not remain in any union with England. In other words, if Scotland goes then Wales also goes. This is our chance for independence, too. The English living here will have no say in the matter.

[@krismckenzie6742]

Go for it! I hope I will see Alba and Cymru out of Britain and Britain out of Éire in my lifetime... #CelticAlliance

[@ivandinsmore6217]

Welsh Independence makes a lot more sense than Scottish independence.

[@kevinmcilduff6037]

Scottish politics and its future in Britain. Excellent insightful doco

[@globaltraveller]

Britain has no future. Scotland's future is part of something bigger.

[@davytornado9772]

Well Nigeria and Somalia are bigger...take your pick.

[@ianedmonds9191]

@@davytornado9772 Scotland has no future in the Union.

[@martindornan1667]

Over £360 billion of oil tax. Westminister did not set up an oil fund unlike nearly every other country who discover oil. These countries set up a sovereign wealth fund. Norway, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia etc. Norway has a sovereign wealth fund of over $1 trillion in 2018. For the same amount of oil the Norwegian government gets a lot more tax out of the oil companies than Westminster does. Westminster has and still are mismanaging a resource that should have went to the people in Scotland. Unlike Norway, Scotland has suffered over 8 years of austerity from westminister and according to the IFS austerity for Scotland will continue way into the future.

[@jes79a]

What Marr ignores when talking about the decline of the Tories in Scotland is the party's lack of autonomy. In the 21 General Elections that were held in the United Kingdom between 1885 and 1965, only once (1922) did the party's share of the vote fall below 30%. That includes the famous defeats of 1906 and 1945. During that time, at least from 1912 it was simply known as the Unionist party. Amalgamating it into the Scottish Conservative and Unionist party I think has proved a major mistake. Should the party return to it's pre-1965 model, I think therein lies the key to revising it's fortunes.

[@albertwatt1438]

Will Scotland’s independence mean an end to the SNP? If not why not? They will have served their purpose. We Scots should have an election to vote in, the parties we want to govern Scotland, once we have our independence and what would be the point of a party that wants independence, in an already independent Scotland. Also, our parliament needs rebranding to the parliament of Scotland. Calling our parliament “Scottish” makes it sound like its only nearly Scots. Think about it , ish only means close enough.

[@ivandinsmore6217]

Most of the real Scots are in Canada now.

[@MarcusHelius]

When John Smith died the world lost a good man and gained a War Criminal Tony Blair...

[@thomasjones2415]

Aye Absolutely,

[@yingyang1008]

very convenient timing

[@huwdavies6493]

Music at 37:30?

[@meirionowen5979]

'Love will tear us Apart,' by Joy Division, a Manchester band.

[@Justdisco2]

Scotland dragged by the hair out of the European Union and for It’s own good and many years from now Scotland will thankful for it.

[@wyoming2566]

Scotland is independent country its people need democracy

[@krismckenzie6742]

@@pinquifrustri fuck off fascist racist

[@kw2142]

"Those were the days" Andrew on Marr on when an etonian and tory party had a majority in SNP. What BBC tory bias.

[@craigieboy123]

Yawn

[@kw2142]

@@craigieboy123 if you can't see Tory bias in BBC then you're blind. UK used to serve Scotland very well through empire & jpb opportunities. Empire is dead so no longer the case. Now post Brexit, Scots stuck on island, can't even seek opportunities in EU27 or much harder anyway to do so. UK is finished because Tory elite don't give a toss about working class fishermen up in Scotland

[@soupcat5728]

@@kw2142 wake up Bootlicker your dear leader is stripping your rights to freedom of speech and you can’t call people a Tory cunt if you disagree with them

[@kw2142]

@@soupcat5728 I didn't call anyone a Tory cunt. Anyone can vote Tory, have no problem with that. The point I was making is that BBC is biased towards unionism & Toryism. Andrew Marr, Andrew Neil, Nick Robinson etc. None of the BBC presenters or media are pro Scottish independence yet BBC is meant to be neutral & objective institution when it clearly isn't.

[@soupcat5728]

@@kw2142 BBC Scotland that is, BBC in the South is all left wing

[@Eric_200]

Sooooo Andrew Marr was born in Scotland, educated in Scotland, identifies as being Scottish yet he speaks with an RP accent bc he lived in London for a bit? WTF?

[@corey9522]

Who is the person at 23:20?

[@Jesus420.69]

Brian Wilson, former Labour MP

[@johnnicolson467]

This is a turning point for Britain it won't be called the United Kingdom anymore as Scotland will soon be Independent, N Ireland will soon join Ireland so Wales and England will have to be called rUK (rest of the UK) or little Britain.

[@alow33n]

wales wants independence too lol fuck west minister

[@robertewing3114]

Little Britain Scotland, that really is the reality, idealism not sense. Idealism can think united Ireland will soon be generated, there is certainly no reality there.

[@ivandinsmore6217]

Why does Northern Ireland have to join Ireland. Why can't they have independence too?

[@JohnDoe-ip2gs]

FREEDOM

[@coco_sloth]

*"FRANK GET THE DOOR! IM RESIGNING!"* - Nicola Sturgeon, 2022.

[@trishadick3786]

Actually Nicola campaigned to remain in the EU and Scotland voted to remain in the EU . So she won her campaign lol

[@mrennie5158]

😂😂😂

[@ivandinsmore6217]

Helen Liddle"s hair looks remarkably like Margaret Thatcher's.

[@thesmilinggun-knight9646]

0:37 lol

[@mikemines2931]

Peak oil year £12 billion to treasury, same year Scotland took £20 billion in welfare. That's why the EU aren't interested, let the English pay for them.

[@SteLo1008]

Song at 26:15?

[@wallacepearse3915]

heart of glass.. Blondie...bit late lol

[@what-uc]

50:40 The SNP have now succumbed to that hubris

[@ivandinsmore6217]

Very sad that Scotland missed the opportunity to use the oil money to become the Kuwait of the North.

[@13strange67]

You're not Scottish ! You're not Scottish ! YOU'RE NOT SCOTTIIIIISH, ANYMOOOORE ! ! ! Marrs you dope !

[@Sarusource]

37% believing in Scottish independence: what year was Alex Salmonde making that claim? 38:00

[@johnmaclagan2263]

Looked from the early 90's, he got excited maybe he smoked weed back then

[@msheldon10]

Looks early 90s. Possibly 1992 as it was an election year.

[@Lemma01]

It would be interesting to see England vote on this. It seems possible that many would love to lose centuries of financial responsibility for the Scots. Then the 'proud nation' can find it's true place in the world, like Slovakia, or Finland. Or equally probably Turkmenistan, if they can't manage to borrow..

[@meirionowen5979]

eii? I've been to S;ovakia and Finland, they are thriving, wealthy nations.

[@mrennie5158]

"centuries of financial responsibility for the Scots"- 😂😂😂

[@myroseaccount]

Andrew Marr is a pratt

[@kuroazrem5376]

I hope the flower of Scotland will blossom again away from the English boot

[@alantaylor8763]

Alba Gu Brath

[@zulkiflijamil4033]

Alba Gu Brath.

[@pegasuseswoolfuk3316]

The Day of British Labour is history gone Scottish Labour is finished Tony Blair really did underestimate Salmond and SNP now he is learning the consequence of his actions so many Labour MPs have swapped and defector to the SNP and even so many of their former Labour supporters and voters have gone over to the SNP let's face it Labour is finished here in Scotland they are more liking siding with SNP agreeing with the policies even couple of their MPs supporting for Independence, the former Labour heart land in Scotland has disappeared you gave into their threats and demands giving away power right into their hands if there is a day in reckoning let it be you Tony Blair.

[@SilkyBadger]

^ Paid Troll ^ safe to ignore this fear spouting arse trumpet!

[@pegasuseswoolfuk3316]

You have enough fat to make another human.

[@pegasuseswoolfuk3316]

You're as useless as a screen door on a submarine.

[@thomasjones2415]

Alex Salmond Is A Real True Born Leader And A Winner,

[@howardroberts4859]

The only way that new free UK can start to come back is we all pull together.

[@jean-lucpicard5510]

What an absolute clueless statement from a moron who does not know what they are talking about!

[@howardroberts4859]

So to say, let’s pull together is a Moron. So what is your answer. Divide and Winn.

[@wallacepearse3915]

The answer is simple. Braveheart. That's how fucked up we are, look back the snp rise started with that movie, before that they averaged 17-20 percent tops.. Mr Gibson has got a lot to answer for.

[@thomasjones2415]

Nicola Sturgeon Is The Scottish Version Of Maggie Thatcher But A Billon Times Wroser Than Sh Is Ever Was,

[@bigmcglinchy442]

😂😂 pipe doon

[@coco_sloth]

@William Dryden She was inspired by Thatcher. She even stole the billboard from Her.

[@sammyleet03]

I'm not a big fan of Nicola myself, but she definitely dealt with the covid and lockdown situation better than Joris Bohnson did.

[@monarchist1838]

It was great to see the SNP lose 21 seats and 13 Scottish Tories elected! The highlights were of course watching Salmond and Robertson lose out.

[@davidhouston6549]

Monarchist 18 DOWN WITH THE IMPERIALIST CROWN

[@davytornado9772]

Greatest day of my life seeing Salmond and that arrogant fat oaf Robertson get rejected. Beaten by Tories in Scotland. BY TORIES...IN SCOTLAND ! ! ! FFS how embarrassing is that.

[@callum6486]

Great the Tories lose half their seats. Normal service has resumed.

[@wessexfox5197]

@@callum6486 still 6 seats that don’t want Scotland to leave the union. If you bitter little Celts get your independence what are you going to do about the people who wanted to stay in the UK.