NICOLA Sturgeon has said her party’s MPs would back a so-called people’s vote, if it came to Parliament.
Her comments were made as Theresa May hopes to reach a deal this month or next on the exit terms and post-Brexit relationship with the European Union.
READ MORE: Ian Blackford to meet Michel Barnier amid SNP calls to stay in single market
Calls have been made for a new referendum before March – when the UK is due to leave the bloc – and the SNP leader has said her MPs would back such a move if negotiations end without a satisfactory agreement.
READ MORE: Here's what Nicola Sturgeon should be saying in her SNP conference speech tomorrow
Speaking on the BBC’s The Andrew Marr Show, Sturgeon said: “No doubt calls for a second referendum would grow in those circumstances, and I’ve said before we wouldn’t stand in the way of a second referendum. I think SNP MPs would undoubtedly vote for that proposition.”
The UK is due to leave the EU on March 29 2019, but issues such as the Irish border and future trading relationship have stalled talks. An agreement was hoped to be reached at the EU summit on October 17, but officials say it could November or even December.
Meanwhile, Ian Blackford, the SNP’s Westminster leader, said Scotland has to have the right to vote on independence for a second time should there be a similar renewed vote on Brexit. Blackford said the country should not be forced into accepting the result of any second Brexit referendum should Scotland again vote to remain but the majority of the UK vote to leave.
Nearly 52% of those voting in the UK backed leaving the EU in the 2016 referendum, but 62% of Scots voted to stay with all 32 voting areas returning a majority for remain.
Speaking on Sky’s Ridge on Sunday, Blackford said: “If there’s a People’s Vote, we need to make sure that our position is protected. We must have the right – if we are being dragged out of Europe, if we are being dragged out of the single market and customs union – that we have that ability to determine our own future.” He added if Northern Ireland were to get a “bespoke Brexit deal”, there was no reason the same could not happen for Scotland. This would be a scenario where the country was able to stay in the single market or have better access to the customs union.
Labour’s Ian Murray said: “Nicola Sturgeon has previously been reluctant to back a people’s vote, so her U-turn is welcome. Given we know there are Tory MPs who will vote for [it] and with Labour backing the option...at its conference, we are now heading towards a parliamentary majority for it. Unfortunately, however, the SNP is still putting its obsession with independence ahead of the best interests of the country. The... new opinion polls show a majority of Scots support remaining in the UK, but the Union is being stretched to breaking point by Brexit. “
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel