Senior Nationalist demands wildcat indyref

NICOLA Sturgeon must hold a ‘consultative referendum’ if Boris Johnson does not agree to an Indyref 2 poll by Easter, a senior SNP official has said.

Chris McEleny wants a pledge to hold a ‘wildcat’ vote in the party’s next manifesto, with a ‘resulting Yes vote’ to let negotiations on breaking up the UK begin.

Mr McEleny, who sits on the SNP’s governing body, claims the party must have a ‘Plan B’, but his suggestions were rejected at conference last year.

Now he is stepping up efforts for party bosses to consider other routes to separation, by demanding a manifesto pledge ahead of the 2021 Holyrood election.

The National Executive Committee member thinks a consultative referendum resulting in a majority of Scots backing separation would be enough to begin independence negotiations with Westminster.

He has also called for a series of events to be held across Scotland to strike up a discussion on ‘alternative strategies for independence’ in the summer.

Miss Sturgeon has said she will not rule out testing the legality of a consultative vote, but insists she plans to hold a poll this year with Mr Johnson’s agreement.

However, the Prime Minister has repeatedly refused to engage in the question of another referendum and has rejected her bid to hold a vote this year.

Mr McEleny said: ‘If the Section 30 demand has not been acceded to by Easter, it is no longer sustainable to kick any discussion on a Plan B into the long grass.

‘Next year’s Holyrood election should feature an SNP manifesto commitment that should Boris Johnson continue to refuse a Section 30 order, then by a majority of proindependence seats the people of Scotland mandate the Scottish Government to hold a consultative referendum on Scottish independence.’

He said ‘a resulting Yes vote’ would be a ‘mandate for our government to open independence negotiations with Westminster’.