Referendum ‘matter of when – not if ’
Nicola Sturgeon has told Boris Johnson another independence referendum is a “matter of when – not if ”.
The First Minister and the Prime Minister spoke yesterday afternoon following the SNP’S landslide victory in the Scottish election.
Ms Sturgeon claimed her priority remained focusing on the recovery, but insisted another vote was now inevitable.
A spokesperson for the First Minister said: "The First Minister spoke to the Prime Minister this afternoon, and thanked him for his congratulations on her re-election.
“The First Minister made clear that her immediate focus was on steering the country through Covid and into recovery, and that a newly elected Scottish Government would work with the UK government as far as possible on that aim.
“They also agreed the importance of the two governments working together closely and constructively to achieve a successful hosting
of and outcome from COP26.
“The FM also re-iterated her intention to ensure that the people of Scotland can choose our own future when the crisis is over, and made clear that the question of a referendum is now a matter of when – not if.”
It comes after Scotland returned a majority of MSPS supporting independence to Holyrood, with 64 SNP representatives and eight from the Scottish Greens.
Earlier yesterday the Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove insisted that the current SNP leader “didn’t secure a majority as Alex Salmond did in 2011”.