‘Deluded’ Sturgeon says indy blueprint can win over voters
NICOLA Sturgeon was branded ‘delusional’ yesterday after claiming the SNP’s Growth Commission report will ‘win the trust of a majority’ of voters ahead of a new vote on independence.
The First Minister claimed the blueprint for separation has led to a ‘palpable change in political debate’ in Scotland.
But critics accuse her of trying to ‘gloss over splits’ within her party and the Yes movement over the document’s proposals – including keeping the pound and prioritising deficit reduction over public spending.
Yesterday, Miss Sturgeon appeared to ignore the growing criticism from senior Nationalists – and said the report will help ‘build a compelling case for independence’.
Writing in the Sunday Herald, she said there had been a ‘palpable change in the air in Scottish political debate’ since Andrew Wilson’s report was published on May 25.
She claimed it had ‘shifted political debate in a very positive direction’ and the response to the document had been ‘heartening.’
Miss Sturgeon also said it would help start a ‘debate based on hope – not despair’. This is despite Mr Wilson saying an independent Scotland would have no control over major economic decisions, such as interest rates, if it kept the pound – and would face a decade of cuts of up to £72billion.
She added: ‘The recommendations provide a foundation on which we can build a compelling case for independence.’
Her comments come ahead of the SNP’s conference in Aberdeen, which starts on Friday – at which there will be no official debate of the Growth Commission report.
Scottish Tory finance spokesman Murdo Fraser said: ‘Nicola Sturgeon clearly wants to gloss over splits among independence supporters ahead of the SNP conference.
‘But to describe reaction to the Growth Commission as “heartening” is bordering on the delusional. The people of Scotland have no interest in another referendum.’
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie rennie said: ‘It takes a deluded confidence to suggest a report that divided Nationalists will manage to unite No voters.
‘The loose currency plans and austerity warnings in the Growth Commission and recent poor growth projections will not convince people isolation is a good idea.’
Labour MSP Jackie Baillie said: ‘The First Minister says she has been heartened by the response – that response has been
‘Glossing over splits among supporters’
senior Nationalists skewering the report for promising a decade of austerity.’
Former SNP policy chief Alex Bell has called the report a ‘political suicide note’, while ex-justice secretary Kenny MacAskill said the lack of debate was typical of Miss Sturgeon’s ‘presidential regime’.
Stagecoach tycoon Sir Brian Souter – an SNP donor – has said he backs separation but now is not the time, and that Scotland should remain outside the EU after Brexit.