‘When – not if’: Nicola Sturgeon uses first call with Boris Johnson to warn she WILL hold a referendum despite PM telling her to focus on Covid recovery as Gordon Brown launches fresh bid to KEEP Scotland in the UK
- Nicola Sturgeon told Boris Johnson a re-run of 2014 border vote is ‘when, not if’
- Ms Sturgeon fell short of an SNP majority at the Holyrood elections on Thursday
- But with help of Green Party MSPs Ms Sturgeon does have control of Holyrood
- Gordon Brown said Ms Sturgeon must answer key questions on independence
Nicola Sturgeon has laid down the gauntlet to Boris Johnson on a second Scottish independence referendum as she told the Prime Minister another vote is a matter of ‘when – not if’.
Ms Sturgeon and the SNP fell short of winning an overall majority in Holyrood at the ‘Super Thursday’ elections.
But she has made clear she still intends to push for a re-run of the 2014 border poll to split from the rest of the UK.
Ms Sturgeon discussed her plans with Mr Johnson in a phone call last night as she said she will ‘ensure that the people of Scotland can choose our own future when the [coronavirus] crisis is over’.
It came as Gordon Brown, the former Labour prime minister, said Ms Sturgeon is yet to answer key questions about what an independent Scotland would actually look like.
He said the SNP leader has had ‘years to think about’ crunch issues like a post-independence currency and how a border with England could work but she is yet to spell out answers in detail.
Nicola Sturgeon has told Boris Johnson a second vote on Scottish independence is a matter of ‘when – not if’
Mr Johnson has repeatedly batted away calls for another referendum, arguing the 2014 vote was a once in a generation event
Ms Sturgeon and the SNP fell one seat short of an overall Holyrood majority following the ‘Super Thursday’ elections
Ms Sturgeon fell one seat short of winning an overall SNP majority in Holyrood but thanks to the support of the Green Party’s eight MSPs, she is able to retain control of the Scottish Parliament.
She wants to hold a second independence referendum during the new parliamentary term and has said the vote should take place after the coronavirus crisis has been dealt with.
But Mr Johnson has repeatedly poured cold water on the idea of holding another vote, arguing the 2014 edition was supposed to be a once in a generation event.
An official border poll can only take place if Mr Johnson agrees to it, although Ms Sturgeon could take the UK Government to court to challenge the PM’s authority on the matter.
Ms Sturgeon told Mr Johnson last night that the pro-independence outcome of the elections, with the Scottish Green Party also standing on a ticket of breaking from the rest of the UK, meant a second referendum is now inevitable.
A spokesman for Ms Sturgeon said: ‘The First Minister made clear that her immediate focus was on steering the country through Covid and into recovery, and that a newly elected Scottish government would work with the UK government as far as possible on that aim.
‘The First Minister also reiterated her intention to ensure that the people of Scotland can choose our own future when the crisis is over, and made clear that the question of a referendum is now a matter of when – not if.’
Mr Johnson had tried to strike first after the election results by inviting Ms Sturgeon, along with the other devolved leaders, to a Union summit to discuss pulling together to propel a post-pandemic revival – an invitation the First Minister has accepted.
Downing Street said Mr Johnson finished his call with the SNP leader by ’emphasising the importance of focusing on Covid recovery at this time’, as Number 10 looked to kick talk of a referendum into the long grass.
Michael Gove, the Minister for the Cabinet Office, signalled yesterday that the UK Government is not prepared to sanction a second border vote after the SNP failed to secure a majority.
Mr Gove said Ms Sturgeon falling short of a majority indicated it was ‘not the case that the people of Scotland are agitating for a referendum’.
He instead urged the SNP to ‘concentrate on recovery’ from the coronavirus pandemic because ‘a majority’ of Scots ‘voted for parties that were opposed to a referendum’.
Gordon Brown, the former Labour prime minister, said Ms Sturgeon is yet to answer key questions about what an independent Scotland would actually look like
It came as Mr Brown urged Ms Sturgeon to answer questions on what independence for Scotland would actually mean.
‘The big issue is not the referendum, the big issue is independence,’ he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.
‘I would challenge Nicola Sturgeon, she’s had years to think about this, tell us what independence means – the benefits, tell us the costs, tell us about the pound, tell us about the pension, tell us about the border, tell us about quantitative easing.
‘None of these questions have been answered and every time you ask her she says she is going to produce a plan some time. We actually should have answers to these questions by now.’