Sturgeon promises to produce Indyref2 plans amid Brexit fury
Nicola Sturgeon is facing fresh calls from senior figures in the Nationalist movement to press ahead with a second referendum on Scottish independence amid claims the British state is in “meltdown”.
Patrick Harvie, leader of the pro-independence Greens at Holyrood, told Ms Sturgeon it was now time to “make a judgement” on the issue as he slammed the Brexit deal agreed by the Prime Minister.
It came as former SNP justice secretary Kenny Macaskill told the First Minister she must “press the button” on a second referendum as the chaos over Brexit intensified.
The pro-independence Greens and SNP have already combined to vote through a motion demanding a second referendum at Holyrood.
And Mr Harvie said at First Minister’s Questions yesterday: “There is already surely enough clarity to make a judgement.
“There’s nothing in Theresa May’s plans that protects the social, economic and workplace rights that we have.
“There’s a not a single reference to Scotland either in the Withdrawal Agreement or in the absurdly simplistic paper on the future relationship.
“The chaos of Brexit was inevitable, but we also need to face up to the equally inevitable fact that Scotland will only get the strong future relationship that we want with Europe – as the overwhelming majority of people in Scotland voted for – if we get out there, campaign for it and persuade people to vote for Scotland to become a full, independent EU member country.”
Speaking after the Holyrood exchanges, Mr Harvie added: “Nicola Sturgeon must tell us when people in Scotland will get the chance to opt out of this constitutional and economic chaos.”
Ms Sturgeon told MSPS the case for Scottish independence was growing “stronger every day” and confirmed she will introduce plans for a second referendum.
“I will come back to the chamber and set out my views on that, the precise detail of that, when we have clarity,” she said.
“Obviously we have now seen the terms of the deal. It remains to be seen whether that will go to a vote in the House of Commons in the next couple of weeks. We will see how that saga plays out, then I will give that commitment as I said I would.”
She added: “I have no doubt that Scotland will get the opportunity to choose again on the question of independence and when it does I am confident that Scotland will choose to be an independent country.”
The First Minister said the past two years had seen the Scottish government “sidelined” on the Brexit negotiations, while the powers of the Scottish Parliament had been undermined.
But she said Scots deserved to know how events at Westminster were likely to unfold, with the prospect of a second EU referendum, general election or even a new Prime Minister all still on the cards.
Conservative interim leader Jackson Carlaw, who is standing in for Ruth Davidson while she is on maternity leave, demanded Ms Sturgeon rule out another vote on leaving the UK.
He said: “We need a First Minister acting for all of Scotland. Isn’t it time she acted in the national interest, not the nationalist interest?
“With everything that is going on will she now take her threat of a second independence referendum, and all the disruption that could cause, off the table?”
Mr Carlaw argued if separate provisions were made for Scotland as well as Northern Ireland, it would effectively result in a “border at Berwick”.