Huge majority put Indyref at bottom of the list of priorities
A SECOND independence referendum is ‘not a priority’ for 70 per cent of Scots.
Voters believe the economy, public services and country’s recovery from the pandemic should be top of the agenda for the Holyrood election, a poll has found.
The Scottish parliament will dissolve this week, kicking off the official campaign, which will see the SNP promise voters it will seek to hold another divisive vote on independence.
Nicola Sturgeon has pledged a referendum will be at the heart of her campaign – with senior figures claiming that a Nationalist government could seek to hold a vote by the end of this year.
But the Survation poll found 70 per cent of Scots believe that a second independence referendum ‘is not a priority at this time’.
Only 22 per cent felt a vote on breaking up the UK ‘is a priority’.
Scotland in Union chief executive Pamela Nash said: ‘An overwhelming majority of Scots believe a divisive second independence referendum is not a priority at this time.
‘The SNP has got its priorities all wrong and isn’t listening to the people of Scotland. Nicola Sturgeon isn’t even listening to her own voters.
‘It’s astonishingly reckless for the SNP to prioritise a Referendum Bill in parliament when people are losing lives and livelihoods. This coming election campaign must be about what matters to people – Covid recovery, jobs and the NHS.’
Last week, it was disclosed that the SNP had applied to the Electoral Commission to put the issue of a second referendum on the ballot paper.
The SNP has asked to use ‘Vote SNP for Indyref 2’ and ‘Both Votes SNP for Indyref 2’ alongside its name on the ballot papers.
A third option has also been presented – ‘Nicola Sturgeon for SNP First Minister’.
The Electoral Commission has yet to decide whether or not to approve the descriptions.
Meanwhile, the Scottish Government will push ahead with plans to publish its Referendum Bill this week. Constitution Secretary Mike Russell said yesterday this would allow for a vote to be held ‘at the conclusion of the pandemic’.
SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford has previously indicated a referendum could be held towards the end of this year if his party is re-elected at Holyrood in May.
Mr Russell told BBC Scotland’s Sunday Show that such a vote will be held ‘when the time is right’. He was asked whether the Referendum Bill will have a time frame and whether it will say an independence referendum will be held by the end of the year.
He replied: ‘It’s going to say that we will hold an independence referendum when the time is right to hold it and that will be at the conclusion of the pandemic.’
But the Scottish Tories accused the SNP of being ‘tone-deaf’ and failing to listen to the Scottish public. MSP
‘Not listening to the people of Scotland’ ‘Sturgeon and her gang have lost plot’
Dean Lockhart said: ‘Nicola Sturgeon’s government is mired in sleaze and out of ideas. Instead of focusing on Scotland’s post-pandemic recovery, they continue to not rule out staging another damaging referendum as early as this year. Sturgeon and her gang have lost the plot.’
He added: ‘Sturgeon and her party have done everything possible to subvert parliament and undermine democratic accountability in a desperate bid to cling to power.’