Nicola Sturgeon appears in SNP election campaign advert

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The bizarre election ad from the SNP urged Scots to vote for the pro-independence party in the upcoming May election. The footage featured multiple television sets broadcasting a photo of First Minister Nicola Sturgeon’s face on the screen with an actress reeling off why the SNP and independent parties should have Scottland’s vote. But the advert has been utterly torn apart online and branded “disturbing”, with Ms Sturgeon described as appearing like “Big-Brother” from George’s Orwell’s 1984 book. 

In the advert, the actress says: “There is only one way, the governments that care most about Scotland will be Scottish governments of whatever party – elected by the people of Scotland.”

“These powers come only with independence. A vote for the SNP will show Westminster and the world, that we cannot, we will not be denied our right to decide.”

But the clip, which has been shared thousands of times on Twitter, has been ridiculed by opposition parties and members of the public.

Edinburgh councillor Scott Arthur shared a screenshot from the video, commenting with a passage from George Orwell’s 1984: “Big Brother is infallible and all-powerful. Every success, every achievement, every victory, every scientific discovery, all knowledge, all wisdom, all happiness, all virtue, are held to issue directly from his leadership and inspiration.”

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The damming comparison to the dystopian futuristic book by Orwell, which was written in 1949 and explores the consequences of totalitarianism, mass government surveillance and repression of people, saw others use the same analogy to describe the ad.

Another person said: “Lordy just seen that SNP ad. Not sure they really thought that imagery thru. Sinister rather than inspiring”

A third chimed: “Not sure that trying to distil Orwell and 1984 into a PPB is the vote winner the SNP think it is. It’s just creepy.”

Another person compared the scenes in the advert to Sturgeon looking like a “Big Brother” figure.

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They said: “Just watched the Sturgeon-as-Big-Brother SNP election ad. I guess they have polling that suggests people will be swayed by that sort of stuff. Yikes.

“But as ever I’m struck by the central grievance that “Scotland must be allowed to choose”. We *were* allowed to choose. We chose!”

And a fifth said: “Just seen the SNP’s latest 1984 ad? What the f***?”

Scottish Conservative candidate Annie Wells said: “Voters will be forgiven for thinking they had just watched something out of 1984 when viewing the SNP’s election pitch to them.

“It portrayed a dark Orwellian like nightmare which had nothing positive to say about the future of our country.

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“The SNP are only interested in seeking to divide us all over again with another referendum within the next two years.

“Only the Scottish Conservatives have the strength to stand up to the nationalists, stop their drive for indyref2, and ensure Parliament is completely focused on rebuilding Scotland.”

The advert comes as Nicola Sturgeon may be forced into talks with Alba Party leader Alex Salmond to discuss a roadmap for Scottish independence.

Mr Salmond claimed Scottish independence talks should start within days of next month’s Holyrood election and voters would “expect” the professional relationship with Sturgeon to resume.

But opponents condemned the “nightmare” prospect of the former SNP colleagues reaching a deal on his “grotesque” demands as Scotland battles back from the coronavirus pandemic.

Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross warned “the reckless Nationalist obsession” had again been exposed.

The pair have not spoken since mid-2018 when they fell out over the Scottish Government’s unlawful handling of sexual harassment complaints against him.

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