A distinguished Conservative peer from Tayside has made the startling claim that Scottish independence is ”inevitable”.
Lord Fraser of Carmyllie told The Courier that the ”practical politics” mean unionists should just accept it is time ”to let Scotland go”.
He said the continual decline of the Conservative Party in Scotland meant ”siren voices” within the Tories are now questioning the usefulness of the UK.
He also claimed the arguments of the SNP under First Minister Alex Salmond are winning over public opinion in England, making it more difficult to effectively fight the nationalists.
The intervention from the veteran Tory will cause major embarrassment for Prime Minister David Cameron, who has made preserving the 300-year union between England and Scotland one of the priorities of his premiership.
But speaking from his office at the House of Lords, Lord Fraser told The Courier he is now ”resigned” to Scotland becoming independent.
Lord Fraser, the former Angus MP Peter Fraser, added: ”While I would like to see a continuation of the union my resigned attitude now is that there is something of an inevitability about it.
”There was a time when you could travel from the Cromarty Firth to the Borders without leaving Conservative constituencies, now the champagne corks would be popping if we got as few as five.
”I’m not for independence but grown-up people have to recognise the practical politics in Scotland.
”I was disillusioned by the results in the last general election. I thought we were going to win back Perth, Angus and North East Fife but that didn’t happen.”’Running sore’While not convinced the SNP will win the referendum in autumn 2014, the former Scottish Lord Advocate added that the issue would continue to be raised.
”It is just going to become a running sore going through the body politic,” he said.
”Politically there may be an argument for not holding referendum after referendum, but I see no legal basis for that. It will just go on and on until the electorate are ground down into voting for it.
”What has been troubling me is that there are siren voices within the Conservative Party in England who are saying if we got rid of Scotland we would have won the last election.”
Lord Fraser added: ”There is inevitability about it because for the first time in my lifetime I am detecting a sense in England that basically says: ‘We thought it was a good marriage, but if you do not feel that way do not lie there uncomfortable’.
”The Alex Salmond line has been playing very well in England. He said something about England ‘losing a surly partner and gaining a good neighbour’. It is a good line, that, and it has carried a lot of weight.”
A spokesman for Mr Salmond welcomed Lord Fraser’s comments.
”These are very thoughtful comments from Lord Fraser and certainly far more sensible than anything being said by the current leadership of the Tories or indeed the other anti-independence parties,” he said.
”The best relationship between Scotland and the rest of the UK is as two equal and independent countries sharing a social union, including the Queen as our joint head of state.”Country’s ‘biggest decision’The SNP’s Angus South MSP Graeme Dey also seized on Lord Fraser’s comments.
”Lord Fraser’s tacit support for Scottish independence will certainly raise a few eyebrows and is something of an embarrassment for Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson,” he said.
”If long-serving Conservative and unionist politicians are not going to make the case for the union, she must be wondering who exactly she can rely on.”
A Scottish Conservative spokesman remained confident of success in the referendum.
”This is the biggest decision the country has faced in 300 years and there is all to play for,” he said.
”Scottish Conservatives know Scotland is better off in Britain.”
Lord Fraser was elected as Angus MP in 1979 and served in the House of Commons for eight years.
In 1982 he was appointed Solicitor-General for Scotland by Margaret Thatcher and became Lord Advocate in 1989, when he was made a life peer and a member of the Privy Council.
He will argue for a motion that it is now time to ”let Scotland go” at a debate in London next month.