Scottish Labour’s second in command has defied his leader by saying he would “not oppose” a second independence referendum.
Deputy leader Alex Rowley has gone against his party’s Holyrood manifesto – which rules out another vote on secession in the next five years – by revealing he will not challenge SNP manoeuvres for independence in the wake of the Brexit of vote.
His boss Kezia Dugdale has stood by the manifesto commitment in the wake of the EU referendum, adding the country does not need “more turmoil, more upheaval and more economic chaos”.
But Mr Rowley said yesterday that Brexit had shifted the debate.
He wrote: “My response is that I would not oppose such a referendum.
“I accept the SNP were clear in their manifesto that the Scottish Parliament would have the right to hold another referendum if there was a ‘significant and material change’ in the circumstances that prevailed in 2014, such as Scotland being taken out of the EU against our will.”
He said a second referendum “in the current circumstances of Brexit, is a very different proposition from that of 2014”.
A Scottish Labour spokesman moved to clarify his remarks, saying: “Alex Rowley has not supported a second independence referendum.”
But the SNP’s Linda Fabiani said the intervention was “encouraging”.
She added: “Alex Rowley is also absolutely right to point out that any such referendum would be a completely different prospect from the 2014 referendum.
“The fact is that the UK which Scotland voted to stay part of two years ago simply doesn’t exist anymore in the aftermath of the Brexit vote.”
The Tories’ Jackson Carlaw, however, blasted Mr Rowley over his comments.
He said: “Quite simply, there is no justification for a second independence referendum and it is a great pity that Scottish Labour no longer seems to believe that this is the case.
“No-one has a clue what Labour stands for any more, and Mr Rowley’s comments will only add to the sense that this is a party which has completely lost its way.”
Since the UK voted to leave the EU, Ms Dugdale has reaffirmed the manifesto pledge that rules out a second independence referendum.
A Labour source later confirmed: “We do not support a second independence referendum – as we laid out in our manifesto – and we will not be changing that position anytime soon.”
Ms Dugdale and Mr Rowley are also at loggerheads over the future of the embattled Jeremy Corbyn.
Mr Rowley supports the Labour leader and has criticised those attempting to overthrow him, while Ms Dugdale has suggested Mr Corbyn should stand down.
