Conservatives and Labor politicians slammed the Scottish Prime Minister’s plan to proceed with a second independence referendum later next year after announcing the plan in Holyrood earlier today. Ms Sturgeon announced that the referendum would proceed, if approved by the Supreme Court, on 19 October 2023.
She claims the SNP has a mandate from the Scottish people to proceed with a referendum, but her colleagues across the aisle criticized her decision, saying she was “obsessed” with independence. Others have said that indyref2 is preventing the returning government from focusing on Scotland’s pressing issues.
Michael Marra, secretary of the shadow cabinet for education and skills for Scotland and Labor, said on Twitter: “Due to the prime minister’s statement on her referendum bill, the debate on Scotland’s drug deaths has been postponed tonight.”
Ian Murray, Labor MP for Edinburgh South, replied: “And that is the crux of the problem. Scottish politics is paralyzed and this dead cat-indie strategy is to deviate from this Prime Minister’s terrible record in government. “
Scottish Conservatives were equally eloquent in their condemnation of the Prime Minister’s plans.
Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross spoke in Holyrood after the announcement, claiming Nicola Sturgeon had “once again taken her eye off the ball”.
He said: “The real priorities of people across Scotland are in the background. Instead, the Prime Minister is setting out her plans to divide Scotland in front and in the middle.
“Nicola Sturgeon showed again today that the SNP’s selfish obsession with another divisive referendum is always their top priority. She will use the government’s time and resources to advance her plan to break up the country, just when we need to stand together and work as one. “
Mr Douglas said tackling the cost-of-living crisis should be the top priority of the Scottish Government, and not hold a “potentially illegal referendum”.
READ MORE: Ukraine LIVE: Putin shuddered when intercepted messages showed that ‘elite’ had been wiped out
The legality of the referendum without a Section 30 order – which could be used by Westminster to allow the Scottish Parliament to hold a legitimate referendum as was done in 2014 – has been called into question.
However, Ms Sturgeon announced in a surprise move that she had already asked Scotland’s Lord Advocate to refer the matter to the Supreme Court. She then confirmed that the Lord Advocate had approved her request and that the paperwork would be submitted that afternoon.
Some people believe that Holyrood has the authority to unilaterally authorize the non-binding referendum, while others believe that it will require Westminster approval to approve such a vote. The court will now decide.
Ms Sturgeon claimed that if the Court supported Westminster, it would only strengthen the case for independence. She claimed that, in that case, the SNP would run in the next general election on a single question: “Should Scotland be an independent country?”
Other Scottish politicians, however, lashed out at the idea on Twitter.
DON’T MISS:
G7 summit: ‘Total embarrassment’ White shirt friends blew up [REPORT]
Kate Middleton and Eugenie look ‘less than good friends’ – claims expert [ANALYSIS]
‘Guaranteed way’ to ‘kill’ flies in your home with 55p kitchen food [INSIGHT]
Conservative MSP for Western Scotland Jamie Greene said: “Nicola Sturgeon: We respect 100% the rule of law and the courts. We will have # indyref2 If we can not because it is actually illegal, we will claim the courts are wrong and political. We would then say that the general election is actually rather a referendum. Ehm… ok dan #PretendyRef. ”
A spokesman for Boris Johnson said the prime minister still thought it was “not the right time” for another referendum, but did not rule out giving permission for the vote to proceed.
He said: “Our position remains unchanged that both we and the Scottish Government’s priority must work together with a relentless focus on the issues we know matter to people up and down the country.
“It remains our priority, but a decision has been taken by the Prime Minister, so we will study the details of the proposal carefully, and the Supreme Court will now consider whether to accept the Scottish Government’s Lord Advocate reference.”