Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Salmond like Hitler, says Starkey

 

Aisha Gani
Thursday 26 April 2012 15:14 BST
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

The ever controversial TV Historian Dr David Starkey has compared Alex Salmond to Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler.

Speaking at a packed debate hosted by the centre-of-right Bow Group think tank on the teaching of history in UK schools, he said: "If you think about it, Alex Salmond is a democratic Caledonian Hitler. Although some would say Hitler was more democratically elected"

On teaching history he said schools needed to "start thinking seriously about teaching English history" and not British history.

Teaching should, "unashamedly focus on political history. Social history is mere soft indulgence – It’s mere sentiment," he added.

"English identity is too important to be left to the loons of the BNP and EDL," he said.

Bow Group council member Nic Conner, who attended the event, confirmed the comments, although he maintained that they had been taken out of context.

He said: "Dr Starkey began by questioning some of the myths surrounding Alex Salmond: the political myth that he is one of the greatest political leaders of our time when what he has done is all a trick, tapping into nationalism and the idea of a common enemy, in this case the English.

"He then compared this, somewhat unfortunately, to Hitler."

A spokesman for the First Minister said: “This offensive nonsense is actually an insult to Scotland and to the people of Scotland.

"David Starkey is getting dafter and crankier with every passing day.

"His litany of offensive comments are designed only to provoke outrage, and thankfully England is blessed with a great number of far better historians than him.

"We can count ourselves lucky that David Starkey is nowhere near the teaching of history in Scottish schools."

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in