Government sets out blueprint for IndyRef2
SNP insist poll timing is up to Holyrood
THE Scottish Government has published a draft Bill on IndyRef2 which sets out details of any future referendum.
The document states that the timing of a vote, which SNP Ministers believe should occur after the pandemic, should be a matter for Holyrood to decide.
It also claims that the question, “Should Scotland be an independent country?”, should be the same as the one used during the 2014 referendum.
But Scottish Lib Dem leader Willie Rennie blasted: “Holy Moley, they’ve had people working on the referendum instead of dealing with the pandemic. We should put recovery first and bin this Bill.”
Nicola Sturgeon has said she favours another referendum in the early part of the next term and would like a joint agreement with Westminster.
To this end, the draft legislation attempts to clarify a number of key issues in the event of IndyRef2 coming to pass.
According to the Bill, voting eligibility will be extended to match the franchise at Scottish Parliament and local government elections. Constitution Secretary Michael Russell said: “Our top priority will continue to be dealing with the pandemic and keeping the country safe but we are optimistic that because of the incredible efforts of people across Scotland better times lie ahead.
“The Scottish Government believes it should be the people living in Scotland who have the right to decide how we recover from the pandemic and what sort of country we wish to build after the crisis.
“It should be for the next Scottish Parliament to decide the timing of the referendum. So that the recovery from the pandemic can be made in Scotland, the Scottish Government believes it should be held in the first half of the new Parliamentary term. If there is a majority in the Scottish Parliament after the forthcoming election for an independence referendum, there can be no democratic justification whatsoever for any Westminster government to seek to block a post-pandemic referendum.”
Scottish Labour constitution spokesman Colin Smyth said: “The focus for all of Scotland’s politicians should be on bringing the country together, and an independence referendum is not a priority at this time. Scottish Labour will focus on what unites us, not what divides us.
“At this election, Scottish Labour is putting forward a National Recovery plan that will put the national interest before the nationalist interest.”
Rennie added: “Dozens of civil servants could have been planning to get cancer services running full speed but they’ve been ordered to do this instead.
“Or they could have been working on getting funds to business, better mental health services or support for schools.
“We are still in a pandemic.”