Sturgeon calls May’s stance on new independence vote ‘indefensible’
THERESA MAY is preparing for a possible showdown with Nicola Sturgeon next week over a second independence vote after relations between the governments yesterday sank to a new low.
The Daily Telegraph understands the Prime Minister will visit Scotland early next week as part of a promise to consult all the devolved administrations ahead of triggering Article 50.
Although Mrs May yesterday held talks with Carwyn Jones, the Welsh First Minister, in Swansea, Government sources had said it was “not inevitable” she would meet Ms Sturgeon.
However, yesterday they said it was now likely that the First Minister would be contacted with an offer of talks. Re- lations were already at breaking point after Ms Sturgeon last week attempted to ambush Mrs May with her demand of a second independence referendum. Yesterday Ms Sturgeon hit out at Mrs May for failing to inform her about the date for the triggering of Article 50 before it was announced to the media. The First Minister also tabled a motion at the Scottish Parliament seeking the go-ahead for talks with the UK Govern- ment over a second referendum and warned the Prime Minister her opposition will become “democratically indefensible” if she wins MSPs’ approval.
Mrs May said: “We have been talking with the Welsh Government for the past few months and with the other devolved administrations about the process about the timetable. I have always said it would be before the end of March and we will continue talking to them.”
Lord King, the former governor of the Bank of England, last night said Scotland “could be an independent country” but there would be repercussions for public finances. He told BBC Two’s Newsnight that “it would be a challenge, I think, to borrow on the international market if Scotland decided to run a large budget deficit”.