First Minister rules out referendum rerun in 2017

● But FM insists option ‘on the table’ to push Westminster away from hard Brexit

Scotland’s First Minister has ruled out holding a second independence referendum this year.

Nicola Sturgeon has said another ballot is “highly likely” after a majority of Scots voted to stay in the European Union while the UK as a whole opted for Brexit.

However, she said in a TV interview that a second vote would not be held in 2017. “There is not going to be an independence referendum in 2017. I don’t think there is anybody who thinks that is the case,” she said.

She indicated last week that a referendum could be shelved if a “soft Brexit” was adopted.

Nicola Sturgeon has ruled out holding a referendum on Scottish independence this year despite growing tensions with the UK government over its Brexit strategy.

The First Minister insisted yesterday that a second vote remains “on the table” because the prospect of a so-called “hard Brexit” looks increasingly likely after Prime Minister Theresa May indicated at the weekend she is ready to take the UK out of the European Union single market.

Ms Sturgeon warned at the weekend she is “not bluffing” about another referendum but said it will not be this year.

“There is not going to be an independence referendum in 2017, I don’t think there is anybody who thinks that is the case,” she said.

“But another independence referendum has to be on the table to make sure that Scotland doesn’t end up in the position of being driven off a hard Brexit cliff edge by a UK government that said in 2014 that voting no was the only way to stay in the EU and now wants to steamroller Scotland’s voice and opinion. I will not let that happen.”

The First Minister indicated last week that a referendum could be shelved if a “soft Brexit” approach was adopted to the UK’S departure from the EU next year.

This would mean remaining in the EU single market, which Ms Sturgeon sees as essential to Scotland’s future economic growth, with research warning that 80,000 jobs could be at risk and billions lost from the economy north of the Border.

The Scottish Government has already drafted legislation for a second independence vote, which it has said will be used if it concludes independence is the only way to protect Scotland’s place in Europe.

The government has also published a paper on options aimed at keeping Scotland in the European single market.

Ms Sturgeon has urged the UK government to opt for a socalled soft Brexit and stay in the single market. Failing that, she wants a special arrangement to allow Scotland to stay in the single market if the rest of the UK leaves.

0 Theresa May has indicated she could be ready to take the UK out of the EU single market