INDYREF 2021
Sturgeon’s No2 insists PM Johnson won’t block poll
THE SNP should hold indyRef2 next year if the coronavirus crisis is over, the party’s deputy leader has revealed.
In an exclusive interview with the Record, Keith Brown also insisted Prime Minister Boris Johnson will not block the vote.
Nicola Sturgeon’s No2 believes late 2021 is the right time for a second referendum and said: “If it’s safe, that’s when we should do it.”
A SECOND referendum on Scottish independence should be held as soon as the country is safe from Covid, a senior SNP figure said yesterday.
Deputy party leader Keith Brown suggested late 2021 would be the right time to hold another vote on an issue which previously split Scotland in two.
In an exclusive interview with the Daily Record, Nicola Sturgeon’s No2 also:
● Claimed Prime Minister Boris Johnson would not block another vote.
● Declined to be drawn on the broken relationship between Sturgeon and ex-SNP leader Alex Salmond.
● Revealed IndyRef2 will be front and centre of the party’s manifesto for next year’s Holyrood election.
Brown spoke ahead of the SNP’s virtual conference. It starts today and will be dominated by talk of another vote on Scotland’s constitutional future.
Brown predicted IndyRef2 will be a big issue at the election:
He said: “It will be huge because it will be the centrepiece of our manifesto. And it seems to be something the Tories want to highlight as well, for their own reasons.”
On the timing of a possible poll, he mentioned the coronavirus pandemic, saying there had to be a safe referendum. Brown said: “I
I want the referendum at a point when we can get the best advantage KEITH BROWN ON THE TIMING OF AN INDY POLL
want to see the referendum held at a point when we can get the best advantage – obviously for the Yes side – and that will be when we get people out on the streets actually campaigning.”
Asked if he thought it could be held late next year, he said: “If it’s safe, then that’s when we should do it. The Electoral Commission have said any referendum should have a period of six months campaigning in advance of it, so that gives a very tight window in May. It would require everything to go extremely smoothly with the vaccine.”
He added it would not be better to have a referendum in the latter part of the next parliamentary term, adding: “We are already seeing things like the public sector wage freeze the Tories are putting forward and although they are saying they are not going to follow a path of austerity, it seems to be something that is coming.”
Scottish Labour last night blasted Brown for his IndyRef2 move.
Anas Sarwar, the party’s shadow constitution minister, said: “Keith Brown is insulting voters with these comments. An independence referendum next year is the last thing any sensible politician should be considering. We need to focus on rebuilding our country after the pandemic, not dividing our country.”
IndyRef2 will be central to the Nationalists’ Holyrood campaign and any victory will be used to put pressure on the Tory Government.
The SNP’s Westminster leader Ian Blackford has said a referendum “must” take place next year, while Sturgeon has not ruled out trying to hold it then.
Brown insisted he is “absolutely convinced” that the Prime Minister, who has ruled out IndyRef2, will not block another vote.
He said: “I don’t think anybody thinks that Boris Johnson would be coming up here, fighting off midges in Scotland for a holiday if he wasn’t thinking about Scotland and the possibility of a referendum.
“Michael Gove wouldn’t be setting up this Union unit in the UK Government or flying kites
about what the franchise should be. They know it’s coming.”
He also rejected changing the wording of a referendum to “Leave” versus “Remain”.
Brown said: “There’s a word for that – gerrymandering – and I think there might be a motive for that, which is they want to try and skew the question.”
He was reluctant to talk about the rift between Sturgeon and Salmond, which was caused by the Scottish Government’s botched sexual misconduct probe into the former first minister.
A Holyrood inquiry is trying to get to the bottom of the fiasco.
Asked if he is worried about the impact of the row on the SNP, and wider Yes movement, he said: “I’m not involved in the inquiry.ry. I’m not on the committee and I wasn’t in government when this stuff happened. Soo it’s not something I’m involved lved in. I’m not getting huge uge representations on it either.” her.”
Asked if he would like ike Sturgeon and Salmond to “make up”, he said: “I’m not going to get involved in it. I’m not in the government.” nt.”
So, would he be happy py to campaign alongside de Salmond in another er referendum campaign?
Brown said: “Right the e way through this I’ve not t commented on the Alexx Salmond situation. And I don’t intend to start now.”