MacAskill joins clamour for Indyref 2

ONE of Alex Salmond’s top allies has claimed SNP supporters are becoming ‘restless’ with Nicola Sturgeon’s failure to call an independence referendum.

Former Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill has added to the civil war engulfing the party by condemning the First Minister for failing to act.

It comes after Western Isles MP Angus MacNeil said Scotland had ‘waited long enough’ for a rerun of the 014 vote.

After Mr MacAskill’s comments were published in Holyrood magazine yesterday, the SNP’s deputy leader Keith Brown said it was ‘increasingly clear’ that Scotland’s interests can only be protected by independence. Maurice Golden, Scottish Conservative chief whip, said: ‘It’s clear that the latest twist in the SNP’s civil war will now focus on Sturgeon’s independence strategy. The Scottish people deserve a government that focuses on their priorities, not endless in-fighting and back-stabbing.’ Acknowledging that a referendum request would be rebuffed by the UK Government, Mr MacAskill said seeking it would still get ‘the party machine moving again.’

He added: ‘Why Sturgeon is holding back from approaching Theresa May is baffling.’