THE people of Scotland should not have their fates “imposed upon” them, Nicola Sturgeon has told MSPs.
Scotland’s place in the EU, the SNP leader said, had been “jeopardised” despite promises made to voters by the Better Together campaigners back in 2014. This, Sturgeon said meant there was an “unquestionable democratic mandate” for a second independence referendum.
The First Minister’s comments came during a heated day of debate in Holyrood, as MSPs clashed over plans to ask Downing Street for permission to hold a second vote on independence. The Scottish Parliament will vote today on requesting the Section 30 order needed to make a referendum legally binding.
Sturgeon said the Scottish Government had tried to “square the UK-wide vote to leave the EU with the Scottish vote to remain” with its options paper for Scotland’s place in the EU, and offered a compromise to Theresa May. “All of these efforts at compromise – each and every one – have been rejected,” she said.
“Indeed, there has been no meaningful attempt whatsoever by the UK Government to explore these options and find common ground.”
Sturgeon continued: “The probability is that our exit taking us outside the single market will be on harder and harsher terms than most people, including many Leave voters, would have supported in the run-up to last June’s referendum.
“The voice of this parliament has been ignored at every step of the way and far from any indication of new powers, we now face the prospect of the UK Government using Brexit to reserve for itself powers in areas that are currently devolved to this parliament.
“All of this raises fundamental questions for Scotland.
“If the UK Government can ignore this parliament on one of the most fundamental issues that the country faces, what meaning can ever be attached to the idea that the UK is a partnership of equals?”
Sturgeon added: “The future of the people of Scotland should not be imposed upon us. It should be the choice of the people of Scotland”.
The Prime Minister has already rejected plans for a second vote, saying now was “not the time’’ for another ballot.
That, however, won’t stop the vote going ahead tonight. The Government motion is expected to pass, with support from the Greens. The Tories, Labour and LibDems, who have all said they will oppose the proposal.
Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson said it was clear, the SNP leader’s top priority was “separation not education”.
“The people of Scotland don’t want this and it won’t wash to have a First Minister standing there, washing her hands, saying ‘It’s not me that’s dragging us there, it’s with a heavy heart, a big Tory did this and ran away’.”
Labour leader Kezia Dugdale said if there was to be a second referendum, then her party would campaign with everything they had to oppose independence.
“It is not this union of nations which is intrinsically unjust or unfair, it’s the actions of the powerful within it,” she said.
“Now, I hate what the Tories are doing to Britain. I’ve never felt anger like it. Their austerity programme is destroying public services that we all value and the poorest rely on.
“But the SNP cannot escape from the facts. Leaving the UK would make things much worse.”
The Greens co-convener Patrick Harvie, accused Labour and the LibDems of “wishful thinking” and chasing a “fantasy of a federal UK that simply doesn’t exist”.
He added: “The situation is changed not only by the EU referendum result, but by everything the UK Government has done with it.
“UK ministers have blanked Scotland entirely in this process, ruling out negotiations to respect the way Scotland voted.
“Theresa May promised to develop a shared approach with all the devolved administrations before moving forward with Article 50. We can now see how empty that promise was.”
Willie Rennie, said the SNP were being hypocritical about using Brexit as a reason to hold another independence referendum but refusing to commit to EU membership if they won.
“They are cynically courting the one in three independent supporters who backed Brexit,” he said.
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