‘Referendum by end of 2023’

THE ruling Scottish National Party pledged yesterday to hold an independence referendum by the end of 2023, a step that could fracture the UK by ripping apart the 314-year union between England and Scotland.

If there was another referendum and the Scots voted out, it would mark the biggest shock to the UK since Irish independence a century ago – just as London grapples with the impact of both Brexit and the Covid-19 crisis.

Scotland voted against independence by 55% to 45% in 2014, but Nicola Sturgeon’s Scottish National Party (SNP) wants another referendum if it wins the Scottish Parliament election on May 6. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has repeatedly dismissed SNP calls for a referendum.

“We believe the people of Scotland should have the opportunity in a referendum when the Covid crisis is over to decide whether Scotland should be an independent country,” the SNP said in its manifesto https://www.snp.org/ manifesto published yesterday.

“The SNP’s intention is for the referendum to be within the first half of the five-year term,” the SNP said, adding that the date of the referendum would be “determined by our democratically elected parliament”.

Although Johnson has the power to refuse another independence vote he would likely face a constitutional showdown with Scotland.