I’LL BREAK UP BRITAIN AT ANY COST

On second anniversary of referendum, anger as Sturgeon insists independence ‘transcends Brexit, oil and the economy’

BREAKING up the United Kingdom is more important than safeguarding Scotland’s economy, Nicola Sturgeon declared yesterday. The SNP leader dismissed the potentially catastrophic impact of the £15billion deficit Scotland would face if it split from the UK by insisting that being an independent country is more important.

In an article marking the second anniversary of the 2014 referendum, the First Minister said her dream of separation is more important than issues such as ‘national wealth and balance sheets’.

The comments sparked ferocious criticism from opponents, who said it

is now clear that she is only interested in independence rather than the success and prosperity of the country.

Writing in a pro-independence newspaper yesterday, Miss Sturgeon attempted to play down the perilous state the economy would be in if Scotland had left the UK. She said: ‘Two years on from the historic vote of 2014, the fundamental case for Scotland’s independence remains as it was.

‘The case for full self-government ultimately transcends the issues of Brexit, of oil, of national wealth and balance sheets and of passing political fads and trends.’

In recent months, Miss Sturgeon has repeatedly insisted that education is her top priority. But yesterday’s comments sparked a furious backlash, with critics claiming she is not interested in using the powers she has to improve Scotland.

Scottish Secretary David Mundell said: ‘It is quite clear now that the SNP position is independence at any cost. The pretence we had two years ago that somehow independence would be economically beneficial, that it would lead to prosperity in Scotland, has been abandoned.

‘People in Scotland have voted decisively to remain in the United Kingdom. We need to respect that and get on with the other challenges we face, such as the day-to-day business of taking forward the Scottish Government’s programme. They should be focusing on that.’

The crisis in the oil and gas industry has meant an independent Scotland would now face an even greater deficit than in 2014.

The latest set of official Scottish Government public spending figures showed the country spends £14.8billion more than it raises as part of the UK – which would become a huge deficit if Scotland went it alone.

By declaring that independence is more important than the economy, Miss Sturgeon now appears to be taking a very different approach to the referendum campaign of 2014, when the Scottish Government boasted that an independent Scotland would be a ‘wealthy’ country which would enjoy a better financial position than the rest of the UK.

The Scottish Government’s White Paper on Independence, published in November 2013, said: ‘Scotland is a wealthy country and can more than afford to be independent. On independence in 2016, Scotland’s estimated financial position will continue to be healthier than the UK as a whole.’

It also said that Scotland was ‘an energyfool rich nation with the largest oil reserves in the EU’.

In yesterday’s article, Miss Sturgeon said the threat of leaving the EU was ‘probably the most striking and significant’ example of the democratic deficit Scotland has continually faced’.

She added: ‘Such a lack of control over our own future should be of concern to everyone.’

But Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson said Miss Sturgeon’s comments indicated that she has abandoned the ‘lies’ that were told in the run-up to the 2014 referendum about the economy of an independent Scotland.

She added: ‘The economic case for independence two years ago was a tissue of lies.

‘Fantasy figures on oil and our national wealth were concocted to people and which fell apart under scrutiny. Now everyone can see Nicola Sturgeon’s sums don’t add up. She’s decided to abandon them altogether.

‘Instead of trying to explain what would happen to our economy and how we fund our public services under independence, the new mantra is that none of these things matter any more and people should just shut up about them and wrap themselves in a flag instead.

‘I think Scots are smart enough to draw their own conclusions. The country examined the case for independence two years ago and said, “No thanks”.

‘Scotland will suffer if we keep being dragged back by the SNP to a groundhog day debate about this. It’s time Nicola Sturgeon did what she’s paid to do – be a First Minister for all of Scotland, not a rabblerouser for independence.’

Last week, Miss Sturgeon appointed 14 members of a new SNP ‘Growth Commission’ which will look at how to address the deficit, as well as other issues relating to currency.

On Friday, Alex Salmond said he expects Miss Sturgeon to hold another referendum in around two years’ time, before the UK con-

‘The case for separation was a tissue of lies’

cludes negotiations to leave the EU.

Yesterday, Deputy First Minister John Swinney declined an opportunity to dispute his former leader’s timescale.

Asked if he agreed that another referendum could happen ‘within two years’, Mr Swinney said: ‘It is dependent very much on the negotiations that take place with the United Kingdom Government and the European Union on the UK’s exit from the European Union.

‘I think those timescales are difficult to nail down at this stage but undoubtedly the approach the First Minister has taken of saying our priority is to protect our EU membership for Scotland, given that is what people voted for in the referendum back in June, I think we have to prioritise that and that is exactly what the Government has been doing. That is exactly why Mike Russell was in London during the week, taking forward these negotiations.

‘Obviously, the outcome of that process will create very much the conditions as to whether or not there is another independence referendum and when that might take place.’

Meanwhile, Mr Mundell refused to be drawn on whether the UK Government could decline to approve another referendum, saying: ‘Of course there could be another referendum, the argument is whether there should be.’

Comment – Page 14

‘A rabble-rouser for independence’