Indyref 2 ‘not the right thing to do in wake of pandemic’

HOLDING a divisive independence campaign after the coronavirus pandemic is not the ‘right thing to do’, according to Anas Sarwar.

The Scottish Labour leader yesterday warned Nicola Sturgeon against holding a rerun of the 2014 vote – and insisted she should instead focus on ‘healing the wounds’ of the country.

Miss Sturgeon has stated she plans to hold an advisory referendum if the SNP wins a majority at the Holyrood election in May – even if she does not have permission from the UK Government.

But Mr Sarwar has argued that now is not the time to be mounting a divisive campaign with coronavirus still sweeping the country – and with governments facing a massive economic challenge when the pandemic finally ends.

He said: ‘The idea that we come through [a pandemic] and straight into a divisive referendum campaign, I just don’t think it’s the right thing to do. Instead I think it’s right that we focus on rebuilding our country.

‘I actually don’t think even Nicola Sturgeon would be advocating a referendum right now, but I think she’s more focused on healing the wounds in her political party than she is about healing the wounds in the country.’

However, some in the Scottish Labour Party believe Mr Sarwar’s stand in opposition to another referendum cannot continue.

Speaking after his election, MSP Neil Findlay told the BBC: ‘We cannot rebuild the Labour Party taking a hard Unionist stance.

‘I don’t think that is credible because that immediately writes off the 50 per cent or so of the electorate who want a referendum.’