BORIS Johnson’s decision to suspend Parliament has made Scottish independence “inevitable”, Nicola Sturgeon has said.
In an interview with the BBC, the First Minister accused the Tory leader of acting like a “dictator”.
“If MPs don’t come together next week to stop Boris Johnson in his tracks then I think today will go down in history as the day UK democracy died,” she warned.
Sturgeon also said Johnson’s shock move had left her worrying about the future of the Holyrood Parliament.
“People previously have suggested to me that a Westminster government could conceivably shut down the Scottish Parliament. I’ve always said, ‘well just because in theory they could do that, let’s not be silly, they’re not likely to do that in practice’.
“This is a government, a UK government, that is showing today that it has no respect for constitutional norms.
“It is no longer ridiculous to say that a Prime Minister that’s prepared to shut down the House of Commons wouldn’t be prepared to do that to the Scottish Parliament.”
The First Minister said the indyref2 framework legislation would continue to work its way through Holyrood. She has previously said she wants a referendum in the second half of 2020.
Sturgeon, speaking to Heart Scotland News, stated: “I think this may well be the day that UK democracy dies and it may well be the day that we look back on as the day when independence for Scotland became completely inevitable.
“I think support for independence is growing with every day that passes right now.
“For people who voted No in 2014, for reasons that, while I might disagree with, I respect [as] legitimate reasons, I know many are looking now at this situation in the UK and thinking: ‘This is not the kind of system we want to be part of.’ “Scotland is a country that should be striving to be the modern, progressive, inclusive, outward-looking country with democracy at its heart that we know it can be.
“I think that case is winning new converts every single day.”
READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon: This was the day independence became inevitable
There were calls yesterday for the date of the poll to be accelerated.
The First Minister said: “I want there to be an independence referendum, I am determined there will be an independence referendum, we have to get the legislation on the statute book but that is very clearly about giving the people of Scotland the choice of independence which I am absolutely certain, and become more certain by the day, is a choice more people in Scotland will take.”
Scottish LibDem leader Willie Rennie added: “This is an Eton coup and a democratic outrage.
“I hope that Ruth Davidson will join the chorus of condemnation that this decision deserves and confirm that Scottish Conservatives will oppose any measures to prevent parliament having its say.
“This process began with a democratic vote, it must not end with a behind closed doors stitch up.”
Tory constitution spokesman Adam Tomkins accused Sturgeon of wasting “no time in using this as another way of agitating for independence”.
READ MORE: Brexit: 'Dictator' Boris Johnson shuts down Parliament
Scottish Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie said: “Boris Johnson led a Leave campaign which cheated and broke the law to win.
“It’s no surprise that now he’s the Prime Minister he is continuing his assault against democracy.
“If we need to ‘take back control’ from anyone, we need to take it back from him. The people of Scotland are used to the UK Government treating them with contempt but this move by Johnson takes this contempt to a whole new level and reinforces the need for the people to have a say over the future direction of our country.”
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