THE Labour First Minister of Wales has said it is for the people of Scotland to decide if they want an independence referendum.
Mark Drakeford told Sky News that no government or party should stand in the way of a new vote.
He said: "I am very clear that if a population in Scotland, or indeed in Wales, wanted to hold a referendum, it is for the people of Wales and the people of Scotland to make that decision. And then that decision must be respected,"
This, he added, should include his colleagues in the Labour Party.
"No Labour leader should argue that the component parts of the United Kingdom can be prevented from navigating a future for themselves."
However, his party colleague Richard Leonard was less strident.
He told the broadcaster there were no plans for a referendum. Asked to rule it out completely, he said: "I'm saying that we will be going into the elections for the Scottish Parliament next year on a manifesto platform saying we do not support a second independence referendum, and so we will seek to get a mandate from the people for that position."
The Union: In trouble?
— Sam Coates Sky (@SamCoatesSky) September 4, 2020
Here is the 12 minute film at the heart of @SkyNews coverage today about the four nations of the UKhttps://t.co/9g8fexRvu5
During the Sky News package on the state of the Union, Drakeford was asked if he could ever see Wales voting for independence.
He said: "If the United Kingdom were to fracture then everybody will have to think about the way in what remains can go on working for everybody."
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