SNP’s deputy at Westminster refuses to say if Indyref 2 will be held next year
a second referendum next year. Pamela Nash, chief executive of Scotland in Union, said: ‘Given that the Scottish people are clearly against a second divisive referendum being held next year, and the UK Government supports that view, it is unlikely that a referendum will happen as early as next year.
‘Despite this, the SNP are carrying on regardless, wasting our public money and resources on it. They are insulting the Scottish public.’
Urging the SNP to ‘get on with the job of governing’, she added: ‘Whatever SNP politicians claim about the council election results, it is clear that the people of Scotland do not support their timetable for a divisive second referendum next year.’
Miss Sturgeon has insisted she has a mandate for a re-run of the 2014 vote after pro-independence parties won more seats at last year’s Holyrood election. But the poll showed that support for independence is still lagging behind support for the Union.
When undecided voters were removed, 58 per cent wanted
‘Reckless and unwanted’
Scotland to remain part of the United Kingdom while 42 per cent were in favour of leaving.
Scottish Conservative constitution spokesman Donald Cameron said: ‘Shamefully, instead of getting on with the job, the SNP are still insisting that Indyref 2 will happen in 2023.
‘The public don’t want it. The SNP need to stop burying their heads in the sand and accept their push for a referendum next year is reckless and unwanted.’
Appearing on the BBC’s Sunday Show yesterday, Miss Oswald claimed that ‘it’s not for the Conservatives to say’ whether there can be another referendum – despite the Conservative Government holding the power to grant one and SNP ministers at Holyrood stalling over revealing what legal advice they have about whether they could legally hold a vote.
But she repeatedly refused to say whether a referendum would definitely go ahead.
The Survation poll also asked what the Scottish Government’s priorities should be.
Only one in ten said an independence referendum, far behind the NHS (61 per cent), economy and jobs (48 per cent), Covid-19 recovery (30 per cent), education (26 per cent) and housing (21 per cent).
More than a quarter (28 per cent) of Yes voters in 2014 said they would now vote to remain part of the UK.
Asked why they had changed their mind, 72 per cent cited the stability of the UK economy, 70 per cent selected Miss Sturgeon’s performance as First Minister, and 66 per cent said it was the importance of protecting public services.
Responding to the poll’s findings, Mr Cameron added: ‘It’s time the SNP finally accepted that Scottish people don’t want another divisive referendum next year.
‘They know there is no support for their plan to break up the country among the vast majority of Scots.’ Another poll, of 1,009 voters for The Sunday Times by Panelbase conducted from April 26 to April 29, found that 55 per cent of Scots back holding a referendum in the next five years.
Almost a quarter of those polled (24 per cent) favour one within the next 12 months, with 31 per cent backing one in the next two to five years. However, 45 per cent of those polled said that a fresh vote should not be held in the next few years.
The poll has support for independence unchanged since November at 49 per cent among those likely to vote and, with undecideds excluded, support for the Union at 51 per cent. Taking undecideds into account, 47 per cent of those likely to vote back independence, 49 per cent are opposed and 5 per cent do not know.
After the 11th successive election victory for the SNP in Thursday’s local elections, Miss Sturgeon said she would continue to make civil servants work on plans for the break-up of the UK, arguing that the results had boosted the independence cause.
She said at the Glasgow count: ‘The SNP has increased its share of the vote and the Greens have increased the share of the vote, so is that good in terms of the standing of independencesupporting parties? Yes, I think it is. But it doesn’t change the overall position in terms of the independence referendum mandate – the preparations for that continue.’
In Dundee on Saturday, celebrating the party’s performance, the SNP leader added: ‘The argument for independence, and the debate for independence and a referendum, continues as it would have done, regardless of the outcome of this election.’
Stephen Daisley – Page 18
‘Preparations continue’