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UK government rejects Scottish independence referendum: “now is not the time”

Friday, March 17th 2017 - 06:27 UTC
Full article 70 comments
The prime minister added: “I think we should be working to get the right deal for Scotland and the UK with our future partnership with the European Union”. The prime minister added: “I think we should be working to get the right deal for Scotland and the UK with our future partnership with the European Union”.
Ms Sturgeon has called for a referendum in the autumn of 2018 or spring of the following year, to coincide with the conclusion of the UK's Brexit negotiations Ms Sturgeon has called for a referendum in the autumn of 2018 or spring of the following year, to coincide with the conclusion of the UK's Brexit negotiations

The UK government is to reject calls for a Scottish independence referendum before Brexit after Theresa May said “now is not the time”. The prime minister said the focus should be on getting the best Brexit deal for the whole of the UK.

 Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson said Nicola Sturgeon's demand for a vote by the spring of 2019 would be rejected “conclusively”. Ms Sturgeon said blocking a referendum would be a “democratic outrage”.

Ms Sturgeon, the Scottish first minister, told BBC Scotland: “It is an argument for independence really in a nutshell, that Westminster thinks it has got the right to block the democratically elected mandate of the Scottish government and the majority in the Scottish Parliament.

”You know history may look back on today and see it as the day the fate of the union was sealed.“

Ms Sturgeon has called for a referendum to be held in the autumn of 2018 or the spring of the following year, to coincide with the conclusion of the UK's Brexit negotiations with the EU.

But Mrs. May said her message to Ms Sturgeon was clear - ”now is not the time“. The prime minister added: ”I think we should be working to get the right deal for Scotland and the UK with our future partnership with the European Union.

“It would be unfair to the people of Scotland that they would be being asked to make a crucial decision without the information they need to make that decision.”

The British prime minister also said the country should be “working together, not pulling apart”.

Ruth Davidson argued a second Scottish independence referendum should only be held after the UK leaves the EU. Ms Davidson later told a media conference in Edinburgh that the people of Scotland should have the right to see how the UK was working after leaving the EU before deciding whether or not they wanted independence.

She added: “People should only be asked to make a judgment on whether to leave or remain within a 300-year-old union of nations when they have seen for themselves how that union is functioning following Brexit.

”They should also know what the alternative entails and we have seen no clarity from the SNP on even the basic questions of their proposition.“

Scottish Secretary David Mundell said: ”The proposal brought forward is not fair, people will not be able to make an informed choice.

“Neither is there public or political support for such a referendum. Therefore we will not be entering into discussions or negotiations about a Section 30 agreement and any request at this time will be declined.”

Categories: Economy, Politics, International.

Top Comments

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  • Voice

    Clyde

    Good idea...a no pressure referendum to see if we want another one...

    EscoSesDoidao

    The Voice is not Voice...
    Also Now is not the time could mean not in this generation which is what we were promised...
    I reckon SNP are going to lose a lot in the local Gov elections in May...
    A 15 Billion deficit and and one track Droning worse than my Pipes...
    They should spend more time Governing rather than whinging at Westminster about Independence...
    They had a golden opportunity to prove their worth...
    They've proved they ain't worth shit...

    Mar 17th, 2017 - 06:56 pm +6
  • Clyde15

    To widen the discussion the matter of who would be eligible to vote should be re-examined.

    The last time it appeared that anyone who had little or no connection with Scotland could vote. E.U.citizens ? What did it have to do with them.

    My son who lives and works in England had no vote. Economic migrants to Scotland could, if they were on the voter's roll.

    When I applied and joined the Civil Service, I was required to prove that my parents and Grandparents had been BORN in the UK.

    I would apply this criterion to the eligibility to vote in a referendum.

    To me, it seems ludicrous that someone coming off a Ryanair flight from Poland or other EU countries should have a vote.

    Mar 19th, 2017 - 06:00 pm +3
  • Voice

    The Independence referendum is about the territory of Scotland is a territorial issue...
    If you reside in Scotland and have chosen it as your main residence (home) great.. have a say...
    If you have CHOSEN to live elsewhere...
    ...mind your own business....It's not exclusively for Scots, it's for Scotland...

    Mar 20th, 2017 - 12:13 am +3
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