Swinson won’t join up with Tories

New Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson has ruled out a coalition with the Tories under Boris Johnson and said she would not grant the power to hold a second Scottish independence referendum.

The newly-elected party leader defended her record in the coalition, but rejected the possibility of supporting a government under Mr Johnson.

She made the declaration as she said her door was open to members of rival parties who wanted to join her.

Ms Swinson said she was “crystal clear” the Lib Dems could not work with any party who supported Brexit and indicated she would prefer a people’s vote on EU membership to a general election.

The Lib Dems’ first female leader said “the rules of politics are being rewritten” and added she hoped to get a majority in the House of Commons for a people’s vote with the support of Tory ministers and MPS who have ruled out serving under Mr Johnson in opposition to his Brexit stance. The successor to Sir Vince Cable also said that, if a people’s vote did take place and a leave option won, she would “absolutely respect” the result.

Asked on BBC Scotland about her backing for a second European referendum, but not another vote on Scottish independence, the 39-year-old claimed the no vote in 2014 was against a detailed proposal “that was comprehensively rejected”, whereas a People’s Vote was a “way out of this current mess and crisis”.

“Chaos in our politics is stopping us from moving on and addressing the real issues our country faces, so there is actually a way out of chaos,” the East Dunbartonshire MP said. “If you were to have an independence referendum in Scotland, that is layering chaos on top of that already volatile and difficult situation.”