Glasgow Times

Minister says fresh referendum ‘illegal’

Scottish Secretary fires back at SNP over 11-point plan for vote

- BY TOM TORRANCE

AN independen­ce referendum held without the permission of Westminste­r would be illegal, Scottish Secretary Alister Jack has said.

The SNP released an 11-point plan last week stating they would hold another vote if a pro-independen­ce majority of MSPs was returned in May’s Holyrood elections, whether a Section 30 order granting it from London was forthcomin­g or not.

The document, put together by Holyrood Constituti­on Secretary Mike Russell, would effectivel­y dare the UK Government to challenge another referendum in court.

However, Jack has now said another vote without express permission would be illegal.

He said: “I’m afraid the constituti­on is a reserved matter, it would be an illegal referendum, let’s be clear about that.”

The Scottish Secretary said it was “not the time” for another vote on

Scotland.

He added: “We can’t go into a process of ‘neverendum­s’ until eventually they get one that they win, that’s not what responsibl­e government is about.

“We had a referendum in 2014, we’re now in a global pandemic, we’re going to have double-dip recession the way things are going.

“It’s about recovering our economy as one United Kingdom, pulling together, doing the trade the constituti­on in deals we want to do, improving Scotland’s economy and rebuilding it as quickly as we can, and after we’ve saved people’s lives with this vaccine, then saving their livelihood­s.”

SNP depute leader Keith Brown hit back at Jack’s claims.

He said: “The Tories sound more rattled by the day and it’s clear they are completely out of ideas and excuses.

“Trying to block a democratic mandate is an indefensib­le and untenable position – the bottom line is the Tories are panicking as they run scared of a referendum they fear they will lose.

“It’s not for Alister Jack, or his boss Boris Johnson, to deny the people of Scotland the chance to determine their own future. That choice belongs to the people of Scotland and any Trump-like attempt to deny that would be utterly undemocrat­ic – and would not hold.”

Jack’s comments come just days after the Prime Minister touted the strength of the Union on a visit to Scotland, which included a stop in Castlemilk.

When asked about the visit, Jack said it was essential, adding it was “morale boosting”.

“In any battle, the general should go to the front line and hear from those people, those troops – who are fighting in this case the virus – exactly the issues they’re facing,” he said.

“It’s morale boosting what he does, he thanked the troops who were rolling out the vaccine centres ... it’s important to talk to people, to thank them, to hear what issues they’re facing.”

 ??  ?? Scottish Secretary Alister Jack backed the Prime Minister’s visit to Glasgow
Scottish Secretary Alister Jack backed the Prime Minister’s visit to Glasgow

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