SNP's Blackford says Indyref planning goes on despite Ukraine war

SNP’s Ian Blackford says Scottish independence vote planning WILL go ahead despite majority of Scots wanting separatism drive paused during war in Ukraine

• Ian Blackford said Vladimir Putin did not control timing of a new separatism vote
•  Poll last week suggested majority of Scots want independence drive paused 
• Blackford: SNP won election last year … there’s a majority for independence 

The war in Ukraine should not result in plans for a second Scottish independence referendum being delayed, a senior SNP politician suggested today.

Westminster leader Ian Blackford said Vladimir Putin did not control the timing of a fresh vote on breaking up the United Kingdom amid calls for it to be postponed.

A poll last week for the Scotsman newspaper showed a majority of Scots wanted the SNP’s drive to hold a new vote – against the wishes of Westminster – postponed while war rages in eastern Europe.

But speaking on BBC Scotland’s Sunday Show, Mr Blackford said: ‘Is anybody suggesting that Putin should determine the timeline for an independence referendum in Scotland?’

He added: ‘We fought an election last year, which the SNP won, we now have an agreement with the Greens, there’s a majority for independence.’

The SNP MP fought last year’s Scottish Parliament election on a manifesto which included a commitment to holding a second vote on independence. 

His comments came as a former senior member of staff within the SNP claimed it is ‘unlikely’ a ballot on Scotland’s future in the UK will take place within Nicola Sturgeon’s preferred timeframe.

The Scottish First Minister has repeatedly said her intention is to hold another referendum by the midway point in this Holyrood term – although the UK Government remains against such plans.

Westminster leader Ian Blackford said Vladimir Putin did not control the timing of a fresh vote on breaking up the United Kingdom amid calls for it to be postponed.

A poll last week for the Scotsman newspaper showed a majority of Scots wanted the SNP’s drive to hold a new vote – against the wishes of Westminster – postponed while war rages in eastern Europe.

Kevin Pringle, who was a special adviser to former first minister Alex Salmond and held key roles within the SNP and the Yes Scotland campaign pushing for independence, said it is ‘unlikely’ there will be a fresh vote on the issue by the end of next year ‘given the hurdles to be overcome’.

Writing in the Sunday Times, Mr Pringle said: ‘It is unwise to make any definite predictions in such volatile times, but it seems reasonable to say out loud that an independence referendum is unlikely to take place by the end of next year, given the hurdles to be overcome and extensive preparations required.

‘I don’t think the war in Ukraine has changed this, in the sense that it was no more likely before the Russian invasion and all the destruction and instability being wreaked.’ 

Last week’s poll for the Scotsman showed 58 per cent of Scots wanted talk of a new referendum put on hold during the war. The same feeling was held by 43 per cent of SNP voters – though slightly more (47 per cent) wanted it to continue.

The SNP failed to win an outright majority at Holyrood, but Green MSPs – who also back another referendum – mean there is a majority for such a vote in the Scottish Parliament.

Mr Pringle however cautioned that pushing to hold a vote by the end of next year could result in the SNP’s goal of increasing support for independence being ‘undermined’.

He said: ‘A referendum is a means to an end, nothing more. If the Scottish Government pursues it within a tight 2023 timescale that people are uncomfortable with, even assuming it doesn’t happen then, the task of building support for independence itself may be undermined.’

Mr Pringle said the ‘mandate’ SNP and Green MSPs were elected on last May was to hold a referendum in the current five-year Scottish Parliament term.

With four years still to go, he added: ‘That provides time enough to get it right.’

Pamela Nash, chief executive of the pro-UK campaign group Scotland in Union, said: ‘Any sensible politician knows that this is not the time to be pursuing constitutional division and pulling Scotland apart.’

She said Mr Blackford is ‘rowing back on his previous comments to appease a minority who want to continue the nationalist campaign to leave the UK’.

Ms Nash said ‘respected observers like Kevin Pringle recognise there shouldn’t be another referendum next year’.

She added: ‘At this difficult time, we need politicians working to unite communities, not stoking fresh division.’

Source: Read Full Article