Nicola Sturgeon has announced that she is to seek permission from the Scottish Parliament to trigger a second referendum on Scottish independence.
The First Minister, speaking at Bute House this morning, said she would look to gain such permissions as early as next week, with a vote most likely taking place between autumn 2018 and spring 2019.
Her announcement has prompted fierce reaction across the political world. Here, in full, is how each of the leaders responded to Ms Sturgeon’s speech…
Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale said: “Scotland is already divided enough. We do not want to be divided again, but that is exactly what another independence referendum would do.
“Two years ago, 85 per cent of Scotland’s voters took part in the independence referendum and the result was a clear vote to remain in the UK.
“With our country facing all of the uncertainty around the Tories’ reckless plans for a hard Brexit, the last thing we need is even more uncertainty and division.
“A clear majority of the people of Scotland voted to reject the SNP’s false hope and lies, and backed working together with the other nations of the UK.
“The reality is that leaving the UK would mean turbo-charged austerity for Scotland, putting the future of our schools and hospitals at risk.
“Labour believes that together we’re stronger. That is why we firmly oppose a second referendum and Scottish Labour MSPs will vote against the SNP’s proposals next week. We will stand up for the people of Scotland, who do not want a second independence referendum.
“Nicola Sturgeon could have made a passionate case for bringing powers from Brussels to Edinburgh, instead she did what she always does: sought grievance and division.
“Scotland deserves better than this. Nicola Sturgeon’s government is presiding over an education system with a growing gap between the richest and the rest, a health service that doesn’t have enough doctors and nurses, and an economy which sees more than 200,000 Scottish children live in poverty.
“Scotland would be a better place if the First Minister stopped dividing the country and started actually governing the country.”
Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson said: “Nicola Sturgeon has today given up acting as First Minister for all of Scotland.
“People have said time and time again they do not want to go back to the division of a second referendum.
“Nicola Sturgeon promised the 2014 referendum would be ‘once in a generation’.
“Today she has ignored the majority in Scotland who do not want a referendum and has decided to double down on division and uncertainty.
“The First Minister’s proposal offers Scotland the worst of all worlds. Here timetable would force people to vote blind on the biggest political decision a country could face.
This is utterly irresponsible and has been taken by the First Minister purely for partisan political reasons.
“Both No and Yes voters have been urging her to put this to one side – but because of her own rash decisions to use Brexit in a bid to lever support for independence, she has ignored them completely.
“Quite simply, today the First Minister has failed in her job to act in the interests of all of us.”
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie MSP said: “The SNP have been working towards this announcement for months. They have been determined to contrive a way to ignore their promise that 2014 was ‘once in a generation’.
“There is no wide public support for a new and divisive referendum.
“Scottish Liberal Democrats stood on a manifesto to oppose a divisive referendum and we will do that.
“The big concern is that the SNP’s policy risks leaving Scotland outside of the EU and outside of the UK.
“The First Minister refused to state that Scotland would be a full EU member under her plan.The SNP have airbrushed membership of the EU from their independence plans. That will let down all those who support the EU.
“That is the worst possible result for jobs, trade and security.”
Patrick Harvie MSP, Co-convener of the Scottish Greens, said: “The Greens welcome the Scottish Parliament’s consent being sought for a Section 30 order on an independence referendum and we will support it. Scotland’s votes and our voice have been ignored by a Tory government at Westminster which we did not vote for and a feeble Labour opposition. The people of Scotland deserve a choice between Hard Brexit Britain and putting our own future in our own hands.
“Theresa May’s isolationist Brexit will cause huge damage to Scotland’s economy and public services, to our health service, schools and universities. It will isolate us from the world. Those who care about fairness in society are horrified by the kind of Brexit Britain tax-haven the Tories are planning. The Greens will campaign for a progressive, internationalist, independent Scotland.”
A UK Government spokesman said: “As the Prime Minister has set out, the UK Government seeks a future partnership with the EU that works for the whole of the United Kingdom. The UK Government will negotiate that agreement, but we will do so taking into account the interests of all of the nations of the UK.
“We have been working closely with all the devolved administrations – listening to their proposals, and recognising the many areas of common ground, including workers’ rights, the status of EU citizens living in the UK and our security from crime and terrorism.
“Only a little over two years ago people in Scotland voted decisively to remain part of our United Kingdom in a referendum which the Scottish Government defined as a ‘once in a generation’ vote.
“The evidence clearly shows that a majority of people in Scotland do not want a second independence referendum.
“Another referendum would be divisive and cause huge economic uncertainty at the worst possible time.
“The Scottish Government should focus on delivering good government and public services for the people of Scotland.”
