Now is not the time to discuss Scottish independence vote, May tells Sturgeon
No negotiations as PM closes down the First Minister at hotel meeting
IT was her big chance to tackle the Prime Minister over Scottish independence, but Nicola Sturgeon was only “briefly” allowed to mention a second referendum before she was shut down by Theresa May, it was claimed last night.
The Prime Minister is understood to have dictated terms during their meeting in a Glasgow hotel, running down the clock by talking about Article 50 and a policing exercise before Ms Sturgeon tried to grab her chance at the end of their talk.
But sources made it clear last night that there was no “substantive” discussion of a referendum because Mrs May had already reiterated her position that “now is not the time”.
She instead told the First Minister to forget all thoughts of a second Scottish referendum until voters have seen how Brexit is working “in the real world”.
However, the First Minister insisted there is no “rational” case for an independence referendum being delayed longer than two years because the Prime Minister told her both the UK’s Brexit and EU trade deals will be known by then.
Speaking after her meeting with Mrs May in a Glasgow hotel, Ms Sturgeon said she sought total clarity on the timings of both the Brexit and trade deals and the Prime Minister was not “under any illusions” about why she was asking.
But sources rejected the First Minister’s interpretation of the conversation, saying that Scots should not be asked to make such a mo-
Nicola Sturgeon and Theresa May discussed the Prime Minister’s plans to trigger Article 50 yesterday. The SNP leader was told she must wait to see how Brexit works out before holding a referendum
mentous decision until they have seen how Brexit is working in practice.
They made clear this would not have happened by the time Ms Sturgeon wants to hold the referendum, between autumn 2018 and spring 2019.
Ms Sturgeon met Mrs May on the eve of a vote in the Scottish Parliament, which is expected to give her the authority to ask the Prime Minister for the powers to hold another referendum.
Sources said the Prime Minister’s discussion with Ms Sturgeon about the vote was extremely brief.
David Davis, the Brexit Secretary, is also expected to write to the Scottish Government today with an official rejection of Ms Sturgeon’s highly complex plan for Scotland to stay in the EU single market even if the rest of the UK comes out.
Mrs May met Ms Sturgeon yesterday as part of her pledge to consult with the de- volved administrations ahead of the triggering of Article 50.
The venue, Glasgow’s Crowne Plaza hotel, was kept secret until after the discussions had completed.
The First Minister described the talks as “cordial” and said she had wished Mrs May well in the Brexit talks. However, she said the preparatory work necessary for an independence referendum would have to start “quite quickly” if it was to be held within the next two years.
She said Mrs May was “absolutely adamant” that both the terms of the Brexit and trade deals would be known within two years.
She added: “I think it makes it very difficult for the Prime Minister to maintain a rational opposition to a referendum in the timescale I have set out.
“I think based on the discussion today I would struggle to see what her rational opposition to it would be in the timescale we have been talking about.”
A Downing Street source said: “We totally disagree with the First Minister’s assessment [on timing]. It’s not enough to take a decision based on the outline of a deal. People have to see how it is working in the real world.”
No 10 later said there had been no “substantive” discussion about a referendum because the Prime Minister had already set out her position.
Instead, most of the meeting is understood to have been taken up with a briefing from Mrs May on the process of triggering Article 50.
A similar briefing was given to Carwyn Jones, the Welsh First Minister, last week.
‘It’s not enough to take a decision based on the outline of a deal’