THE media must challenge Boris Johnson’s “undemocratic” vow to block another referendum on independence, Nicola Sturgeon has said.
In a social media post, the First Minister called for “serious scrutiny” of suggestions that Westminster leaders would refuse to grant legal permission for the vote, regardless of how Scotland votes in December’s General Election.
The SNP leader has billed the snap ballot as a vote on Scotland’s future.
Her party will enter the contest with a commitment to call a second independence referendum, and Sturgeon says securing a Scottish majority in December on that basis will provide a clear mandate for a fresh contest on the constitution.
READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon issues rallying cry for indyref2 at National event
Appearing on Sky News yesterday, she said: “Everybody in Scotland knows there is going to be another independence referendum and if the people of Scotland vote SNP, if the SNP win this election, then that sends a clear message that we want to take our future into our own hands, rather than have Boris Johnson continue to impose a future on us.”
Earlier, on Sophy Ridge on Sunday, Johnson stated his opposition to such a referendum, triggering widespread reporting that he has “snubbed”, “said no to” and “will not grant permission for” a vote.
The Tory leader told Ridge: “I don’t want to have one.”
Responding, Sturgeon retweeted a news article by BBC Scotland which stated: “Boris Johnson says he will reject any request to hold a referendum on Scottish independence while prime minister.”
In a comment posted with that article, she used a hashtag referring to General Election and stated: “I wonder if at any point during #GE19, the media will subject this unsustainable and undemocratic position to any serious scrutiny?
“You know, instead of just asking if they will ‘allow’, actually asking them to justify saying they will ignore the votes of the Scottish people.”
The comments came one day after Sturgeon addressed The National’s #indyref2020 rally in Glasgow, where an estimated 20,000 people backed calls for a new vote.
But, speaking to Ridge, Johnson said: “I think having another referendum, I don’t think people in this country think referendums are very wonderful for harmony.
“We had one in 2014, the British people, the people of Scotland, were told in 2014 that that was a once-in-a-generation event. I don’t see any reason to go back on that, on that assurance.”
Sturgeon said Johnson’s personal opinion on Scottish independence was “perfectly legitimate”, but that any refusal to grant a Section 30 order, regardless of election results in Scotland, would be tantamount to telling voters “he doesn’t care how you vote, he’s going to ignore that vote”.
She went on: “I didn’t like the result of the 2014 referendum, I wish it had gone differently, but I accepted that result. I simply take the view that, particularly given everything that’s happened since, in any democracy people have a right to change their minds.
“And as far as the Brexit vote is concerned, Scotland voted to remain, so all I’m trying to do on Brexit is to stand up for how people in Scotland voted.
“We want to remain part of the European family of nations. We don’t think the EU is perfect but we understand the benefits that come from that. We don’t want Scotland to turn away from that, we don’t want to be closed.”
Labour shadow cabinet member Rebecca Long-Bailey MP told the programme that her party would not block a second referendum if it was returned to power and the Scottish Government was to push for one after the 2021 Holyrood election.
She said Labour wants “Scotland to be part of Great Britain”, adding: “If the Scottish Government determine they want to pursue another referendum and they go through the legislative process within their own government to push that forward, then as a government we wouldn’t stand in their way.”
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