THE Project Fear playbook is out once again, with Ruth Davidson the latest Unionist politician showing how anxious recent polling has made them.
Lord Ashcroft's poll, released at the start of the week, showed support for Scottish independence at 52% – and it was the first poll taken since Prime Minister Boris Johnson's visit to Scotland.
We're sure it's entirely coincidental that, suddenly, the tactics of 2014 are making appearances in even greater numbers.
Newspapers reported on RBS chief executive Ross McEwan saying that the bank would relocate from Edinburgh after a Yes vote.
In response to one of these articles, Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson tweeted: "Have spoken to Ross McEwan and senior RBS execs this afternoon. They confirm RBS supports 11,000 financial services jobs in Scotland."
Have spoken to Ross McEwan and senior RBS execs this afternoon. They confirm RBS supports 11,000 financial services jobs in Scotland. https://t.co/T21OcCIUBj
— Ruth Davidson (@RuthDavidsonMSP) August 7, 2019
If this was just a statement of fact, it'd be fine – but there's a clear implication that this means significant job losses.
Is this what the article and RBS boss actually suggest, though? Or is Davidson playing some tricks here?
In fact, the Scottish Tory is omitting absolutely crucial context. To quote McEwan: "I think if you talk to the Scottish Government, they would want us to take the plaque and move it to England because the balance sheet size of this thing would just be too big for Scotland – £730-odd billion, you can't support it. So that would be the cahnge, same as it was four years ago."
Asked what moving the headquarters would mean, he added: “Not much at all. As long as we can get the good talent in Edinburgh this would stay one of our major centres.
“As long as the economy stayed competitive here and we could get talented people and they wanted to work here, not much changes.”
In other words, Ruth Davidson is – would you believe it – fearmongering.
Meanwhile, the Scottish Tories are busy oppposing any and all calls for Scotland to have a fresh say on independence amid a Brexit that we didn't vote for but which is already costing jobs.
Got a story for The Jouker? Let us know by emailing jouker@thenational.scot
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