STURGEON LABOUR WILL SAY YES TO INDYREF2
First Minister claims agreement after talks with Jezza
NICOLA Sturgeon has upped the stakes in the General Election campaign by insisting a Labour government will agree to IndyRef2.
The First Minister made the claim days after she had a private meeting with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.
Sturgeon has demanded another referendum in 2020 and will formally request the power from the UK Government by Christmas.
Labour was hostile to a second referendum but Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell overturned the policy in the summer by saying his party would not block one.
He and Corbyn’s spokesman later added that IndyRef2 wouldn’t be
considered in the “formative” years of a Labour Government.
It is widely believed the new position is based on an assumption Labour is unlikely to win a majority and may have to rely on SNP votes to take office.
But the Tories, who have ruled out giving MSPs the power to organise another referendum, pounced on the U-turn and claimed Labour is weak on the Union.
At a campaign event in Leith yesterday, Sturgeon said the SNP would not back any “formal coalitions” after the December election but praised the Labour stance. “The UK Labour position, as far as I can tell, is they oppose independence, they don’t want a second referendum. I don’t agree with it but it’s legitimate. But they accept it’s not for Westminster to decide these questions.” Asked whether she believed Labour would grant a Section 30 order, which would temporarily transfer the power to Holyrood to organise a referendum, she said: “Yes.” Asked why she was so confident, she replied: “I’m a believer in the power of democracy. I don’t think, in your heart of hearts, any of you believe this attempt to block the will of the Scottish people is sustainable.”
It emerged yesterday that Corbyn and Sturgeon met for talks in London on October 23. Days earlier, the First Minister had warned the Labour leader not to bother picking up the phone unless he was prepared to back a second vote.
And Sturgeon will today tell a rally in Glasgow that an independent Scotland is “within touching distance”.
She’ll urge “another clear win” for the SNP at the General Election next month to “bring it even closer still”.
The SNP leader is the main speaker at an independence rally in George Square, where she’ll say: “This election really is the most important in modern times. So much is on the line – people are completely fed up with the mess at Westminster.
“An independent Scotland is closer than it has ever been. It really is within touching distance.” Corbyn last night said IndyRef2 was “not necessary or desirable”, adding: “Labour doesn’t support independence for Scotland.”
Acting Scots Tory leader Jackson Carlaw said: “Nicola Sturgeon is not listening – she is obsessed with independence and we must send her a message at this General Election.
“There’s little doubt Corbyn would cave in on another referendum. Given that, it’s little wonder Nicola Sturgeon is having chats with him. She is rolling out the red carpet because she knows he’ll give her what she craves – another independence referendum.” Scottish Lib Dem leader Willie Rennie said: “Scotland doesn’t need another independence referendum. Labour have agreed to grant another referendum.”
The election really is the most important in modern times NICOLA STURGEON