NICOLA Sturgeon has stressed throughout the pandemic that her response to the crisis has nothing to do with constitutional or political issues, but is completely rooted in public health needs.
Today the First Minister expressed that sentiment again as she was asked about her plans for a second Scottish independence referendum during her government’s daily briefing.
A reporter asked the SNP leader for her views on the weekend’s Panelbase poll showing support for Scottish independence is at 54%. It was the second consecutive survey on the matter to put Yes support sitting at that exact figure.
READ MORE: Support for Scottish independence skyrockets in latest Panelbase poll
The journalist asked Sturgeon: “Yesterday Sir John Curtice said the Sunday Times poll demonstrated that many Scots during the coronavirus crisis have started to wake up to the power of devolution for the first time in 20 years, it may have made them hungry for more powers – so in light of that, looking back should you have chartered a different course in early March from the four-nations action plan.
“And looking forward, will you put in your manifesto a pledge to ask for a second referendum in 2021?”
Sturgeon made her view on the line of questioning clear. “This is a briefing to update the Scottish public on coronavirus and I’m not going to go into other issues,” she replied quickly.
“You asked me if I was going to put something in my manifesto,” the First Minister continued. “This is not an opportunity for me to talk about elections or manifestos and I’m just not going to do that.
“This is an opportunity. It’s really important that people watching these briefings whatever their politics, whatever their views on the Scottish constitutional question, they can listen to the Scottish Government update them and answer questions on coronavirus and I’m not going to take this briefing down that political or constitutional road.”
Sturgeon’s comments echo similar points she made last week when she was asked for her views on Scottish Secretary Alister Jack accusing her of using “reckless” language when she refused to rule out implementing Border restrictions if necessary to prevent further outbreaks of coronavirus.
Answering the first part of the reporter’s question, Sturgeon insisting on prioritising public health once again today.
“I suppose that is my answer to the first part of your question. At no stage have I and at no stage will I judge the decisions that I am making to try to the best of my and the Scottish Government’s ability to manage this pandemic, at no stage will I take those decisions on the basis of political or constitutional judgements.
“The only thing that matters to me is trying to get through this as safely as possible, minimising the loss of life as much as we possibly can, keeping people safe and getting the country safely onto the other side of this. And I will continue to make these judgements driven by public health considerations and of course the considerations around the economy and other harms that we know lockdown have done.
“And people can have different views, they can think I’m right or wrong about that, but I’m afraid they’re not going to shake me from that. Politics and constitutional debates where I look forward because it will mean the pandemic is over, we can get back onto these debates rigorously in a normal way, hopefully maybe being a bit more polite to each other – learning the lessons of kindness and solidarity that have been taught to us through this pandemic.
“But for now that’s not what drives my decisions and it’s not going to be what drives my decisions and I’m afraid that’s just the long and short of it.
READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon: Furious Tories demand daily briefings stop
Last week Scottish Tory MSP Murdo Fraser sparked anger when he tweeted furiously at BBC Scotland, asking them why they air the First Minister’s “30-minute party political broadcast”.
Jeane Freeman rejected the comparison. The Health Secretary told Fraser: “Had no idea @ScotTories thought it ‘absolute nonsense’ for the Government of Scotland to speak directly to the people we are accountable to. Wow. And BTW, impugning senior clinical advisers is not a good look.”
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