The vote for the next prime minister and Conservative Party leader will take place in September, and this week the two latter candidates have spoken out against holding a Scottish independence referendum. Candidates’ comments come after Prime Minister Nicola Sturgeon unveiled new plans for holding a independence referendum on October 19, 2023.
Liz Truss said there would be no Scottish referendum “on my watch” if she becomes prime minister.
The Foreign Secretary told The Telegraph she would refuse a request from the Scottish government to vote.
Ms Truss said: “As a Conservative and Unionist I know that our Union is much more than the sum of its parts.
“If Scotland left the UK we would all be worse off – Scottish and English, Welsh and Northern Irish alike.
“I will always stand up for Scotland as a vital part of the UK.
“If I am lucky enough to be elected it will be as Prime Minister of the entire UK. I want to keep it that way.”
Ms Truss is expected to meet with Scottish Conservative councilors on a conference call this week as part of her leadership campaign.
She also plans to visit Scotland on August 16 with Rishi Sunak at yet another Tory hustings event.
Sunak called a potential Scottish independence referendum “the wrong priority at the worst possible time”.
The ex-chancellor wrote in the Scottish Daily Mail this week that the British government cannot “just stop a referendum, we also need to reduce support for independence”.
He said: “Obviously, a new referendum is the wrong priority at the worst possible time.
“The SNP is wrong to try to tear the country apart when we should be working together. Why don’t they talk about the drug crisis in Scotland or how we can get more money into the pockets of Scottish workers?
“Just as I want to be more accountable to people in all corners of the UK, the SNP also needs to take more responsibility for their responsibilities.”
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In response, Ms. Sturgeon hopefully called the two leaders “hypocrites” over both candidates’ previous comments about referendums.
Scotland’s Prime Minister said: “Liz Truss spoke of the importance of a referendum in resolving constitutional issues, Rishi Sunak said a few years ago that there should be a referendum after Brexit – well we are after Brexit ”.
In 2017, Mr Sunak said it would be “difficult” to block a second vote on Scottish independence, but a vote should be postponed until after Brexit.
In 1994, Mrs. Truss spoke at the Liberal Democrat Party Conference and expressed her support for voting “on important constitutional issues”.
Ms Strugeon added: “They are hypocrites – they change their position just to fit their narrow, partisan, democracy-denying agendas.
“Scotland wouldn’t vote for either one, even if given the chance, which it doesn’t get.”
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These comments come at a time when the Supreme Court must make a decision on Scottish independence.
Ms Sturgeon wants to hold a referendum next year, but the British government has asked the Supreme Court to drop the referendum case.
The British government has expressed its “clear view” that the Scottish Parliament does not have the power to decide the referendum.
A spokesman for Nicola Sturgeon said the Scottish government “is fully committed to offering the Scottish people the choice of independence”.
The Prime Minister said: “Whether you are for or against independence, there must be an acceptance that” [a referendum] is the right appropriate, legitimate route. But others are trying to block that route.”
The Supreme Court will hear arguments for an independence referendum on October 11, and a ruling will be delivered months later.