Sturgeon told independence dream is over

HUMILIATED Nicola Sturgeon has been told to drop any plans for a second Scottish independence referendum after the Prime Minister called her bluff on Brexit.

The Scottish First Minister had claimed she was “not bluffing” in threatening a second poll if Theresa May decided to leave the European Union single market.

But last night Ms Sturgeon was left reeling after her threat was ignored by Mrs May and was mocked by Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson for failing to persuade Scots of her case. Having claimed that independence was “very likely” under Brexit, Ms Sturgeon said yesterday it was now “more likely”.

She said: “It seems the Westminster Tory Government now think they can do anything to Scotland and get away with it.

“They must start to understand how wrong they are.”

Ms Sturgeon also called for “serious engagement” on her ridiculed proposal for Scotland to be allowed to remain in the single market if the rest of the UK leaves.

She said there was no evidence that her proposal, or the rest of the Scottish Government’s plan on the country’s future in Europe, had been considered.

But the Scottish Conservatives and Scottish Labour called on her to rule out a second independence vote.

Ms Davidson said the Scottish Nationalist Party should accept that many of its demands – including the protection of workers’ rights, of rights for EU citizens in Britain and co-operation on tackling crime – have been recognised.

She said: “The SNP has tried to use the [Brexit] result as an excuse for a divisive second referendum.

“It has failed to persuade people in Scotland of that case.

“Now that the UK Government has spelled out this plan of action, that case has collapsed altogether.

“There is no justification whatsoever for that threat to be maintained.

“Nicola Sturgeon should now rule a second referendum out.”