Sturgeon’s fresh appeal for patience in battle for indyref2
● First Minister admits right to stage poll may end up in courts
The right to hold a referendum on Scottish independence may be decided in the courts after Nicola Sturgeon warned she has not ruled out moving to stage a vote without the UK government if Boris Johnson continues to block it.
But the SNP leader admitted in a speech yesterday that such a move could set the Yes movement back and warned supporters this was not her preferred strategy at the moment.
Setting out the next steps in the campaign for independence on Brexit Day, Ms Sturgeon also revealed plans to revive Scotland’s “constitutional convention” and establish a new Claim of Right and forge a broader campaign for a Yes vote. But the speech was branded “utterly predictable and entirely wrongheaded” by pro-union leaders.
Senior Nationalists also called on the SNP leader to adopt a more “urgent” approach after her speech to supporters in Edinburgh.
It comes in a week that saw the Scottish Parliament vote in favour of holding a second referendum on independence, with the SNP government seeking to stage it this year, while an opinion poll by
Yougov also showed the first majority for independence in five years.
The First Minister warned the legal position on whether the Scottish Parliament could stage such a vote was “unclear”, but that she may be ready to test this in court and rejected claims it would be a “wildcat” vote.
“If a court ruled that it was legal, it wouldn’t be a ‘wildcat referendum’ as our opponents like to brand it – it would be within the remit of the Scottish Parliament,” she said.
“Now, should the UK government continue to deny Scotland’s right to choose, we may reach the point where it is necessary for this issue to be tested. I am not ruling that out.
“But I also have to be frank. The outcome would be uncertain. There would be no guarantees. It could move us forward – but equally it could set us back. So my judgment at this stage is that we should use our energies differently.”
The SNP leader wants to hold another referendum on independence this year, but power over the constitution lies at Westminster. A request for a transfer of power, through a section 30 order, was made by Ms Sturgeon last month in the aftermath of the SNP’S landslide election victory north of the Border. But it was rejected by Boris Johnson a few weeks later.
Ms Sturgeon also revealed she would be referring the referendum question from 2014 – “should Scotland be an independent country? Yes/no” – to the Electoral Commission to be re-tested amid concerns it may favour a Yes vote.
The SNP will also double its campaign spending as it seeks to persuade undecided Scots of the case for leaving the UK in aftermath of Brexit, Ms Sturgeon revealed.
The Scottish constitutional convention of the 1980s was the driving force behind the creation of the Scottish Parliament and Ms Sturgeon set out plans for a similar body to help build the case for independence.
“We will invite scotland elected representatives–MS PS, MPS, the MEPS elected last year and council leaders – to come together to endorse a modern Claim of Right for Scotland through a new Constitutional Convention,” Ms Sturgeon revealed.
The Scottish Government has already begun work on a new case for independence, in the same vein as the Scotland’s Future document publish ahead of the 2014 vote.
“In the coming months, the Scottish Government will publish the outcome of that work,” Ms Sturgeon said.
“The ‘New Scotland’ series of papers will seek to provide the information and answers people want.
“They will provide detail on how Scotland can make the transition from a Yes vote to becoming an independent country.”
But Tory leader Jackson Carlaw said Ms Sturgeon was seeking to keep the “divisive debate going” in Scotland.
“Nicola Sturgeon’s determination to plough on with preparations for another vote on independence is predictable, depressing and entirely wrong-headed,” Mr Carlaw said.
“People across Scotland are sick and tired of her relentless
“If a court ruled that it was legal, it wouldn’t be a ‘wildcat referendum’ – it would be within the remit of the Scottish Parliament”
NICOLA STURGEON
pursuit of a referendum they simply don’t want.”
Pamela Nash, chief executive of Scotland in Union, said: “It is sickening that Nicola Sturgeon is willing to neglect struggling schools and hospitals, and waste even more public money on her never-ending campaign to divide the people of Scotland.
“She even failed to rule out a Catalan-style ‘consultative’ referendum that would result in an expensive legal battle.”
Western Isles MP Angus Macneil, who holds the seat for the SNP, took to social media to call the First Minister’s current policy “hard to fathom”. “Surely consultative referendum route should be pursued without delay & if necessary cleared up in court one way or other,” he said.