Scotland will decide! Sturgeon vows to crush UK legal threat over independence referendum

Scotland: Polls show support for independence is down says expert

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First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said last night she would set out “bold plans to rebuild the country and put Scotland’s future in Scotland’s hands” as the party prepares for the upcoming Holyrood election. But UK ministers led by Scottish Secretary Alister Jack would table a boycott and legal challenge if Ms Sturgeon triggers a rogue independence poll, backed by the Scottish Conservatives.

Ms Sturgeon told this publication: “As we come out of the crisis we will have a new national mission – to rebuild and revitalise Scotland.

“And as we look to the future the fundamental question before people in Scotland is this – who has the right to decide the kind of country we should be?

“Should it be the people who live here or should it be the likes of Boris Johnson? I believe it is for the people of Scotland to decide.”

The SNP recently revealed a “roadmap to a referendum” on Scottish independence, setting out how they intend to take forward their plans for a second vote.

Party chiefs say in an 11-point document that a “legal referendum” will be held after the pandemic if there is a pro-independence majority following May’s election.

The roadmap states any attempt by the UK Government to challenge the legality of the referendum in the courts will be “vigorously opposed”.

But Scotland’s opposition parties said the SNP should not put division first and said the UK Government was conceding defeat to the SNP already.

Colin Smyth MSP, Scottish Labour Constitution spokesperson, told the Express: “At a time of national crisis, the public want our politicians to focus on what unites our country – not more division.

“At this election Scottish Labour and our leader Anas Sarwar will set out a vision for Scotland that makes the case for a Covid Recovery Parliament instead of more division.

“Rather than accepting that the argument is lost, speculating on distant hypotheticals and fuelling division, Alister Jack should do the same.”

Willie Rennie MSP, Scottish Lib Dem leader said: “Alister Jack should cheer up.

“I am confident that unlike the Conservatives, Scottish Liberal Democrats can win seats from the SNP and stop their referendum plans dead in their tracks.

“Scottish Liberal Democrats will put recovery first, not another divisive independence referendum.”

Pamela Nash, chief executive of Scotland in Union, added: “The Scottish Government shouldn’t even be contemplating holding a wildcat referendum.

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“Nicola Sturgeon should listen to the priorities of the people of Scotland, and stop trying to find new ways to divide us.”

The latest Savanta ComRes poll commissioned by the Daily Express puts support for remaining in the UK at 51 per cent and Yes at 49 percent.

Savanta ComRes interviewed 1,004 Scottish adults aged 18+ online from February 26 to March 4.

Professor John Curtice, Professor of Politics at the University of Strathclyde, backed the poll and told the Express: “This is further evidence support for independence is in decline.

“Support for independence has probably been going down since the turn of the year, support for independence is around the 50/50 mark.”

But he stressed support for independence has raised in the wake of COVID-19 and added of this May’s election: “The SNP have a solid foundation unless support for independence is eroded further.”

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has repeatedly ruled out the prospect of a second independence referendum much to the annoyance of the nationalists.

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