The Sunday Telegraph's final front page before referendum vote deemed 'shameful', 'low' and 'distasteful' by social media users
The Sunday Telegraph has drawn criticism from Scottish voters with its final front cover before Thursday's independence referendum that many social media users believe crosses a line mentioning fallen servicemen and women.
The headline, which reads 'Scottish soldiers lost their lives trying to preserve the United Kingdom. What will their families say now: 'Well, it no longer matters'?', is accompanied by an image of Highlander Scott McLaren's repatriation at RAF Lyneham in North Wiltshire and headshots of Donald McCaughey, Joseph McCaig and his brother John from the Royal Highland Fusiliers who were killed by the Provisional IRA in Belfast during March 1971.
In the article the newspaper tells of the former head of the British Army's "passionate appeal" for Scots to remain in the UK come Thursday for the countrymen who "fought and died to keep the United Kingdom safe".
Minutes after the front page went online last night social media users deemed the cover "shameful", "distasteful", "low", "ill-judged" and "offensive".
Ill-judged Sunday @Telegraph front page. Using dead soldiers to boost any cause is unseemly pic.twitter.com/j3zosQqSE8
— Toby Harnden (@tobyharnden) September 13, 2014
I shan't be giving the Sunday Telegraph any more stories. Ever. As a Canadian tis a most offensive front page. #indyref — Luke Skipper (@LJ_Skipper) September 13, 2014
Sunday Telegraph front page is utterly deplorable, but after the last few days almost nothing surprises anymore.
— Douglas Henshall (@djhenshall) September 13, 2014
Tomorrow's Sunday Telegraph front page inappropriate & disrespectful. No matter your view on #indyref this is not on! pic.twitter.com/Ay3kpINCtP — Dr Tanja Bueltmann (@scotsdiaspora) September 13, 2014
Completely abhorrent front page from The Sunday Telegraph. Regardless of yes/no allegiance this is out of order. pic.twitter.com/7iXTKMWj08
— Kenny MacIntosh (@KennyMacIntosh) September 13, 2014
Wow! Sunday Telegraph plummeting to a new low for their front page. Unbelievable. — Ronnie MacKay (@RonnieMacKay) September 13, 2014
The latest opinion polls have given contradictory information about Thursday's expected result with one telephone poll of 1,000 Scots by Survation for Better Together giving No an eight-point lead. However, an ICM poll of 700 Scots for The Sunday Telegraph put Yes out in front, again with an eight-point lead.