Nicola’s referendum ‘muddle’

NICOLA Sturgeon has been accused of being ‘in a muddle’ over Scottish independence after backtracking on a pledge to turn the next general election into a de facto referendum.

Last year, the First Minister vowed to treat the next UK election as an independence vote if the Supreme Court ruled – which it did – that she couldn’t call a poll without Westminster’s consent.

But yesterday the SNP said it will give members two options at a conference in March. Either, Ms Sturgeon can use a good result at the next general election – that must be held by January 2025 – to pressure No 10 into letting her hold another referendum.

Or, the next Scottish election, due in 2026, would become a vote on independence, The Sunday Times reported.

The watered-down position was described as a ‘muddle’ by former SNP health minister Alex Neil.