Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon bows to pressure and reveals SNP WILL support second Brexit referendum during SNP conference speech
The First Minister said she would 'expect' her MPs to get behind a vote on the final EU divorce deal
NICOLA Sturgeon bowed to months of pressure by revealing the Nats will support a second Brexit referendum.
The First Minister said she would “expect” her 35 MPs to get behind a vote on the final EU divorce deal if proposed in the Commons.
But she warned she would seek assurances that Scotland’s decision would be respected.
Speaking on the first day of her party’s conference in Glasgow, the SNP boss said: “We would not stand in the way of a second referendum, a so-called People’s Vote.
“SNP MPs would undoubtedly vote for that proposition.
“We would want to talk to people about how we ensure that Scotland does not end up in the same position all over again — where we voted to remain in the EU but find ourselves facing exit completely against our will.”
Pressed on the issue on the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show, Ms Sturgeon added: “I would expect the SNP MPs to vote for that if that comes to a vote in the House of Commons.”
The SNP has previously ducked fully endorsing another referendum on quitting the EU.
It said only that it would “not stand in the way” of one — suggesting the party could abstain in any Westminster vote.
Some senior SNP figures have been wary of supporting the idea over fears Nats’ backing for any second Brexit vote could be used by pro-Union parties as a “precedent” for a rerun if Scotland ever backs independence.
But the shift in stance came after a poll of Nats members found there was overwhelming support for a People’s Vote, with 89 per cent of respondents backing it and 11 per cent against.
Ms Sturgeon also said her party would slap down any Brexit deal Theresa May strikes with Brussels unless it includes continued membership of the single market and customs union.
She described indy as “inevitable” after we leave the EU as a Survation poll revealed by The Scottish Sun on Sunday suggested a 52/48 Yes/No split in the event of No Deal.
The First Minister also warned a “blind Brexit” — where MPs are forced to vote on a deal while the UK’s future relationship with the EU is still unclear — would be “almost as unacceptable as no deal at all”.
No time for second ref, says Duncan
By LYNN DAVIDSON, Whitehall Correspondent
FOREIGN Minister Sir Alan Duncan insisted there was no time left to have another Brexit referendum - as Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said she’d back another vote.
Shrugging off calls for a second EU vote as “fanciful”, he said: “You’ve got to get the legislation through. It ain’t gonna be through before the 29th of March so it ain’t gonna happen.”
It came as the SNP leader said her party’s MPs would back a new Brexit referendum in a House of Commons vote.
Her Westminster chief Ian Blackford also argued Scotland must be allowed to vote again on independence if there is a second Brexit referendum.
Meanwhile up at the party’s Glasgow conference, SNP MP Joanna Cherry claimed a “democratic event” would be needed for Scottish independence to happen, but not necessarily a referendum.
She added it would lead to a “fire or frying pan” scenario.
Ms Sturgeon confirmed she will set out her plans for IndyRef2 at “the end of this phase of the Brexit negotiations” — likely to be before Christmas.
The party chief has been under mounting pressure from Nats hardliners who have accused her of dithering over the timing of another vote and want her to call one as soon as possible.
On Saturday, one of the largest ever pro-indy demonstrations was held in Edinburgh, with tens of thousands of people taking place in an All Under One Banner march to the Scottish Parliament.
The First Minister went on: “I think we are on a journey and that will end with Scotland becoming independent.”
It came as Nats Westminster leader Ian Blackford said the SNP could only back a People’s Vote on Brexit if there was an assurance Scotland would not be forced to accept the result if it votes differently from England and Wales.
Two years ago, all 32 local authority areas north of the border rejected Brexit. Overall Scots voted 62 per cent to remain in the EU.
Mr Blackford said: “We have to have the protection of knowing that if the UK has a second vote and we end up in the same situation as we had in 2016, we would be able to determine our own future. That would be only right and proper.”
He added: “There has to be the right for Scotland to call a second referendum on independence.” But rivals last night united to slam the SNP’s stance.
Tory constitution spokesman Adam Tomkins branded them “the party of neverendum” by signalling backing for a second Brexit vote while pushing for IndyRef2.
Prof Tomkins said: “Today we’ve learnt that, not content with taking Scotland backwards, Nicola Sturgeon’s made clear she wants to drag the entire UK through a second referendum on Brexit too.
“Scotland voted to stay in the UK and the UK voted to leave the EU. Scotland has had enough of Nicola Sturgeon’s endless complaints and demands for a rematch.”
CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS
JOKE OF THE DAY: Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf on Theresa May’s conference speech dancing: “With those moves she isn’t going to win Strictly Come Dancing any time soon - Robot Wars maybe.”
CHANCER OF THE DAY: A photographer tried to get Nicola Sturgeon to put her “Stronger for Scotland” slogan into action by trying out a bench press at a fitness expo at the SEC. Her spin doctors politely declined.
BLAST OF THE DAY: Conference chairman Derek Mackay angrily cut off serial conference stage-stormer Gerry Fisher — who accused party bosses of being liars — telling him: “This is not a point of order, this is out of order.”
CRACKPOT OF THE DAY: MP Joanna Cherry annoyed party bosses by claiming independence could be declared without a referendum.
She said: “There has to be a democratic event, and I choose those words wisely, it doesn’t have to necessarily be a referendum, it could be something else, like a general election.”
MISSING IN ACTION: TheSNP’s top Holyrood spin doctor Fergus Mutch has raised a few eyebrows by going on holiday over the conference — blaming a family wedding.
Lib Dem boss Willie Rennie, whose party has been leading calls for a People’s Vote, accused Nats of a “shoddy exploitation of Europe” by using it to push their independence agenda.
The North East Fife MSP said: “After months of dawdling and deflection when it comes to a People’s Vote, it’s finally all out in the open.
“The SNP only want the public to have the final say on Brexit if it’ll suit them. The First Minister cynically plots and calculates while the Brexit clock ticks.
“When it counts Nicola Sturgeon is missing — just like Jeremy Corbyn. We can’t sit idly by and let this devastation go ahead.
“The public deserves to have the final say on whether the Brexit deal is good enough.”
Labour’s Ian Murray, a campaigner for Brexit vote No2, hailed the pledge.
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The Edinburgh South MP said: “Nicola Sturgeon has 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 a People’s Vote — and with Labour backing the option of a People’s Vote at its conference — we are now heading towards a parliamentary majority for it.”
But he added: “Unfortunately, however, the SNP is still putting its obsession with independence ahead of the best interests of the country.”
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