Voters don’t want indyref in next 2 years, says SNP MSP

NATIONALIST MSP Michelle Thomson has undermined her leader’s timetable for a second independence referendum by saying it should not be within two years.

Mrs Thomson suggested it would be irresponsible for Nicola Sturgeon to seek a divisive vote while the country recovers from the pandemic.

She warned the SNP has a ‘great deal of work’ to do on key issues such as currency and the economy before any referendum is held.

The Falkirk East MSP was speaking at the Big Indy Event in Edinburgh on Tuesday evening when she made the comments.

The First Minister has insisted she will seek to hold a second referendum before the end of 2023 if Scotland has come through the pandemic. She suggested this would need all restrictions to be lifted, but said it would form part of the country’s recovery.

But Mrs Thomson said Scotland’s priority in the years ahead should be supporting people.

Asked if she believes there will be a referendum in 2023, she said: ‘I would incline to say no. I think there will be [a general election]. I hear stories from Westminster they’re planning that and guess what – the Tories are confident about winning.

‘So there is a question about what is the mandate for 2023.’

Asked whether Miss Sturgeon should request a section 30 order – legally required to transfer powers over a referendum to the Scottish parliament –‘and get knocked back before 2023’, Mrs Thomson said: ‘No, I don’t believe so, and the reason… is it goes back to the early ground-setting, in terms of we’re coming out of a pandemic.

‘A lot of people – and we can’t forget that – a lot of people are hurting. A lot of people are on their financial hunkers and they need support. People have lost friends and so on.’

The UK Government has rejected calls for a referendum.

Mrs Thomson added: ‘There’s a great deal of work to be done, because if there were to be an independence referendum tomorrow, as it stands… we would fail.’

Although it was not detailed in her Programme for Government, Miss Sturgeon has unveiled her intention to publish a Referendums Bill at Holyrood.

Pamela Nash, chief executive of Scotland in Union, said: ‘The reason there is unlikely to be a divisive second referendum by 2023 is because the people of Scotland don’t want one. It’s just a shame Nicola Sturgeon won’t listen.’

Last night, an SNP spokesman said: ‘There is a cast-iron democratic mandate for a referendum in the current Holyrood term.

‘The First Minister has made clear steering the country safely through the pandemic is the most urgent priority, but we intend to exercise that mandate in the first half of this parliamentary term once the Covid crisis has passed.’

‘A great deal of work to be done’