The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Warning EU vote may set precedent for repeats
A second EU referendum would make it difficult to deny Nicola Sturgeon another independence vote, says a Tory cabinet minister.
Liam Fox, the International Trade Secretary, warned of the risk of a Scottish breakaway amid reports that senior Conservatives are in secret discussions with pro-eu MPS on a socalled People’s Vote.
Meanwhile, the first minister said Labour are as much of a barrier to a Brexit breakthrough as the Tories because of Jeremy Corbyn’s refusal to trigger a noconfidence vote in the government.
Mr Fox, a Brexit supporter, told the Andrew Marr Show: “Supposing we had another referendum, supposing the Remain side won it by 52% to 48%, but it was on a lower turnout, entirely possible.
“Let me tell you that if there is another referendum, which I don’t think there will be, people like me will be immediately demanding it’s best-of-three. Where does that end up?
“Then we’ve got the constitutional issue. How do we tell Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP that they can’t have another referendum on independence because they didn’t like the result when the Remainers want another one on Europe because they didn’t like the result?”
Ms Sturgeon said earlier this month there is not enough clarity on Brexit yet to update MSPS on her plans for a second independence referendum, which she had hoped to outline in the autumn.