A ‘wildcat’ indyref would be illegal, Jack warns SNP

AN INDEPENDENCE referendum held without Westminster’s permission would be illegal, the Scottish Secretary warned yesterday.

Alister Jack insisted that even if the SNP wins a majority at the Holyrood election in May, constitutional matters are ‘reserved’ to the UK Government.

The latest intervention came amid claims that Nationalist ministers could push to hold a ‘wildcat’ vote on separation before the end of the year.

The SNP has released an 11-point plan stating that it will hold a referendum if there is a pro-independence majority at Holyrood following the election – whether a Section 30 order is granted or not for a vote.

The document, put together by Constitution Secretary Mike Russell, would effectively dare the UK Government to challenge another referendum in court.

But Mr Jack insisted that such a move – without the permission of the UK Government – would be illegal. Speaking to the BBC’s Politics Scotland programme, he said: ‘I’m afraid the constitution is a reserved matter, it would be an illegal referendum, let’s be clear about that.’

He said it was ‘not the time’ for another vote and highlighted that senior figures – including Nicola Sturgeon – and the Government’s White Paper ahead of the 2014 referendum said the vote was ‘once in a generation’.

Mr Jack added: ‘We can’t go into a process of “neverendums” until eventually they get one that they win, that’s not what responsible government is about.

‘We had a referendum in 2014, we’re now in a global pandemic, we’re going to have double-dip recession the way things are going.

‘It’s about recovering our economy as one United Kingdom, pulling together, doing the trade deals we want to do, improving Scotland’s economy and rebuilding it as quickly as we can, and after we’ve saved people’s lives with this vaccine, then saving their livelihoods.’

Mr Jack’s comments came after claims in the Sunday Times that SNP ministers could look to hold a quick independence referendum before Christmas.

According to reports, Mr Russell has said the vote could be held as little as six months after the referendum Bill is passed in Holyrood.

Boris Johnson visited Scotland last week where he spoke of the strength of the Union – and claimed a referendum was now ‘irrelevant’ to most people.

When asked about the visit, Mr Jack said it was essential and that it was ‘morale boosting’. He added: ‘In any battle, the general should go to the front line and hear from those people, those troops – who are fighting in this case the virus – exactly the issues they’re facing. It’s morale boosting, it is what he does, he thanked the troops who were rolling out the vaccine centres.

‘It’s important to talk to people, to thank them, to hear what issues they’re facing.’

SNP depute leader Keith Brown said: ‘Trying to block a democratic mandate is an indefensible and untenable position – the bottom line is the Tories are panicking as they run scared of a referendum they fear they will lose.

‘It’s not for Alister Jack, or his boss Boris Johnson, to deny the people of Scotland the chance to determine their own future.’

‘Constitution is reserved’