Sturgeon invokes the spirit of Abraham Lincoln

Nicola Sturgeon invoked the spirit of Abraham Lincoln as she called on Nationalists to go out and build a majority for Scottish independence.

The SNP leader appeared to acknowledge that the UK government cannot be expected to grant a Section 30 order giving Holyrood authority to hold a second referendum unless the polls begin to shift in favour of a Yes vote.

“With public sentiment nothing can fail. Without it, nothing can succeed,” she told MSPS yesterday.

“These are the wise words of Abraham Lincoln, an ardent defender of a union, albeit in a great moral cause.

“For those of us who support independence, his lesson is obvious. If we are successful in further growing the support and the demand for independence – and I will say more later this week about how we build that case – then no UK government will be able to deny the will of the people or stop that will being expressed.”

The latest polls suggest Brexit has not resulted in any significant spike in support for independence and that a majority of Scots don’t want another vote within five years.