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Nicola Sturgeon tells next PM: don't block new Scottish referendum | Nicola Sturgeon tells next PM: don't block new Scottish referendum |
(35 minutes later) | |
Nicola Sturgeon has cautioned any future Conservative prime minster against blocking a second referendum on Scottish independence, as she entrenched her position on Scotland’s continued membership of the EU. | |
Asked on the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show on Sunday morning what her reaction would be should the next Tory leader refuse to allow a new independence poll, Scotland’s first minister replied: “I think the people of Scotland would find that completely unacceptable. | |
“I don’t think it is acceptable in the context we find ourselves in for anybody trying to dictate to Scotland the terms of how we seek to take the country forward. It is simply not acceptable and I would caution any future prime minister against putting themselves in that position.” | “I don’t think it is acceptable in the context we find ourselves in for anybody trying to dictate to Scotland the terms of how we seek to take the country forward. It is simply not acceptable and I would caution any future prime minister against putting themselves in that position.” |
Related: Nicola Sturgeon to lobby EU members to support Scotland's remain bid | |
Surgeon also said that if a second independence referendum is held, prompted by the UK-wide vote to leave the EU on Thursday despite every local authority in Scotland voting to remain, it would not be “a re-run of the 2014 referendum”. | |
“The context and the circumstances have changed dramatically. The UK that Scotland voted to remain within in 2014 doesn’t exist anymore.” | |
Her comments came as a poll carried out immediately after the EU referendum result revealed a healthy bounce in support for independence. In 2014, Scotland voted to remain part of the UK by 55% to 45%. | |
Sturgeon also told Marr that there was a strong moral argument for Scotland to retain its current terms of EU membership around questions such as currency, because the country was negotiating to remain rather than the re-enter the union. | |
Referring to Scotland’s “overwhelming and emphatic” vote to remain within the EU, the SNP leader said: “This is not only a matter of principle. What’s going to happen with the UK is that there are going to be deeply damaging and painful consequences of the process of trying to extricate the UK from the EU. I want to try and protect Scotland from that. | |
Related: Europeans will always be welcome here in Scotland, says Sturgeon | |
“This would not be a decision about Scotland leaving anywhere, this would be a decision of Scotland staying and therefore the moral argument about us retaining the current terms that we have would be even stronger than in 2014.” | “This would not be a decision about Scotland leaving anywhere, this would be a decision of Scotland staying and therefore the moral argument about us retaining the current terms that we have would be even stronger than in 2014.” |
She added that she did not “in any circumstances” want to see a border between Scotland and England. | |
Polling publishing on Sunday confirmed a surge in support for independence since the EU referendum result. | Polling publishing on Sunday confirmed a surge in support for independence since the EU referendum result. |
A Panelbase survey for the Sunday Times indicated an almost direct reversal of the result of the 2014 referendum, with 52% in favour of independence, up seven points, and 48% against, down seven points. | |
The snapshot of 620 adults also found that 52% thought Scotland was likely to become independent within 10 years, rising from 30% when the same question was asked in April. | |
A poll for the Sunday Post that asked respondents how they would vote if a second referendum were held tomorrow, revealed 59% would vote yes to independence, 32% no and 9% undecided. | |
The online survey carried out by ScotPulse was sent to a representative sample of 1,600 people on Friday. It also found that 73% of under 25s backed independence, with even over-65s – the cohort most opposed to independence in 2014 – substantially more in favour at 47%. | |
A total of 50% said they were now more supportive of independence in the light of the EU referendum result, and 62% backed Sturgeon’s decision to fight to keep Scotland in the EU. | |
Sturgeon had previously indicated that she would seek support for independence at 60% or higher over a substantial period of time before calling a second referendum. |