The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Davidson demands SNP quits independence fight
Politics: Firstminister accuses Tories of causing ‘utter chaos of Brexit’
Ruth Davidson has urged the SNP to abandon a fresh summer campaign for independence in the wake of the vote to leave the EU.
The Scottish Conservative leader called on Nicola Sturgeon to ditch the planned initiative, first announced at the Nationalist’s spring conference in March.
The SNP confirmed the campaign will go ahead “before the end of the summer”, and blasted Ms Davidson for the “utter
“We have a first minister doubling down on division by threatening yet another referendum”
chaos and confusion” her party had caused with the Brexit vote.
Ms Davidson accused the firstminister of going back on a pledge to seek a second referendum only when opinion had shifted in favour of independence.
She highlighted YouGov polling on the question from July, which found 53% backed remaining in the UK compared to 47% in favour of independence.
The Tory leader said figures published last week showing Scotland had a £14.8billion deficit in 201516 demonstrated “the cost of independence”.
Ms Davidson said: “In the aftermath of the EU referendum, we now need a Scottish Government which is prepared to put stability first. Instead we have a first minister doubling down on division by threatening yet another referendum.
“The SNP has a choice - to be Scotland’s builders or Scotland’s wreckers. To look to the future, or to take us back to the battles of the past. It is high time we had a Scottish Government that acted for all of us, not just its own narrow interests.
“Last week, the cost of independence was made clear once again. Yet despite all that, the Nationalists are threatening to kickstart their campaign for separation.
“It’s not only unwanted – it also flies in the face of promises made by Nicola Sturgeon in April’s election campaign when she said she’d only back a referendum if there was evidence people wanted it.
“Everything we have seen this summer demonstrates we have a Scottish Government which will put its independence obsession before the day job.”
An SNP spokesman said: “Ruth Davidson and her increasingly right-wing band of MSPs are in no position to lecture anybody about stability given the chaos and confusion her party has caused with Brexit, and the potentially huge economic damage to Scotland which it threatens.
“Independent forecasts show Brexit could cost Scotland’s economy up to £11billion a year, and given that threat, it is right that all options should be on the table to protect Scotland’s place in Europe, in line with the decisive vote here to remain in the EU. It is the SNP Government which is getting on with the job of picking up the pieces post-Brexit vote, including bringing forward £100million in capital spending. Meanwhile, infrastructure investment is collapsing under the Tories, who still have no plan, while both the prime minister and chancellor are posted missing.”
A Scottish Labour
spokesman said: “If only Ruth Davidson had been so outspoken about the uncertainty caused by referendums when David Cameron was proposing his disastrous EU vote then we wouldn’t be talking about the prospect of another independence vote.
“With so many challenges facing Scotland – the attainment gap in classrooms, the huge deficit exposedbyGERS, a lack of access to affordable childcare and the link between poverty and ill-health – it’s time for the SNP Government to focus on the bread andbutter issues of government.
“The GERS figures should act as a reality check for those calling for another independence referendum.”
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie said: “The SNP and Tories have identical, super-sized wrecking balls. The To ri e s wrecked our place in the European Union and the SNP want to wreck our place in the UK.
“Liberal Democrats are the only party committed to our place in the UK and Europe.”