NICOLA Sturgeon is set to tell delegates at SNP conference that Westminster has no right to “deny people in Scotland their right to choose their own future”.
The First Minister will attempt to leave the row over the so-called Plan B for independence behind in her keynote speech to the party today, by saying that the question should not be what will the SNP do if Westminster refuses her request for a Section 30 order.
“The question should be demanded of the Westminster parties – what gives you the right to deny people in Scotland their right to choose their own future?” she will say.
Sturgeon has previously said she hopes to have a second referendum next year.
READ MORE: Cunningham says people ‘can’t trust’ Scots Greens after Climate Bill vote
READ MORE: Mackay: UK Government trying to ‘stymie’ launch of our bank
READ MORE: Scottish independence: Section 30 legal action 'cannot be ruled out'
READ MORE: EFA leader says group will fight for Scottish independence in EU
Over the weekend she confirmed that she will write to Boris Johnson in the “coming weeks” asking for the powers necessary to hold a legally, watertight indyref2 to be devolved to Holyrood.
On the first day of the party’s conference in Aberdeen, Inverclyde councillor Chris McEleny tried to get delegates to debate his proposal for a “Plan B”.
This would kick in if the Prime Minister rejects Sturgeon’s request. He argued that a pro-independence majority at the next election should be enough to be considered as a mandate for talks to begin with the UK Government.
Delegates overwhelmingly rejected his call.
In her speech this afternoon, Sturgeon is expected to say that Scotland is a “wealthy country, bursting with talent and potential”.
She will add: “Scotland is rich enough, strong enough and big enough to take our place among the proud, independent nations of the world.
“But we must reject a post-Brexit race to the bottom and embrace instead a race to join the top tier of independent nations.”
She is also expected to try and move on the debate over the possibility of a hard-border with a post-Brexit England, saying that Scotland will act as a “bridge between the EU and the UK”.
Yesterday Sturgeon, in a flurry of media interviews, was repeatedly questioned over the likelihood of customs checks.
She told ITV’s Good Morning Britain: “We don’t yet know how the UK is going to resolve its longer term future with the European Union.
“When we do that then we take those decisions in terms of how we make sure that Scotland continues to trade with the rest of the UK in the same way that the rest of the UK will have big interests in continuing to trade with Scotland.
“But at the end of the day this is about whether it’s Scotland that decides our future, that we take into account all of the implications of being independent, all of the challenges, all of the opportunities, and we decide our own future.”
In her speech, she will say: “We will be in the EU single market and also the closest neighbour to our friends in the rest of the UK – a bridge between the EU and the UK, making our country a magnet for global investment. That’s what I call the best of both worlds.”
The First Minister will also, effectively, use the speech to launch her party’s campaign for the 2021 Holyrood election with a pledge to scrap all non residential social care charges.
Sturgeon will say: “I know from my own constituency experience that charges can be a barrier to people accessing the support they need. And if people can’t get that support in their own homes, they are more likely to end up in hospital.
“So today, I am making this promise – if I am re-elected as First Minister at the next Holyrood elections, then over the next parliament, the SNP will scrap all non-residential social care charges.”
LibDem leader Willie Rennie said Sturgeon had given up on trying to stop Brexit, saying: “It is reckless and selfish and against the best interests of the country.”
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