Indyref2: Pete Wishart says it would be '˜unthinkable' to lose second independence vote

Pete Wishart has urged Nicola Sturgeon not to hold a second independence vote until at least 2021 unless she is certain a vote in the next few years would provide a victory.

Peter Wishart SNP MP wrote about the timeline for independence in his column

Writing in his column in the National today, titled ‘Why we need to be like Wallace in Braveheart’ the SNP MP wrote: “It would be unthinkable to lose another indyref and almost reckless to proceed without good evidence it could be won.”

The suggestion from Wishart follows on from suggestions made by MSP James Dornan that a new vote should be held as early as next year.

However, Wishart, who could be a possible contender in the forthcoming contest for depute party leader, said that he would be against an earlier vote unless there was evidence that a Yes vote would win.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon MSP joins the newly elected SNP MPs for a photo-call with a background of the Forth Bridge at South Queensferry,

He justified the 2021 timeframe as he felt that the negative economic impact of Brexit would not be clear to voters in Scotland until after the EU/UK transition period ends, at the end of 2020.

Following Brexit, it is his opinion that support for Scottish independence would rise.

He said: “In this Parliament we do have a mandate to hold another referendum and if we begin to see evidence that the time is right it should be deployed,” he wrote.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon MSP joins the newly elected SNP MPs for a photo-call with a background of the Forth Bridge at South Queensferry,

“But we only should hold a referendum when we are certain of winning and not hold one just because we can.

“If the optimum conditions are assessed to be found on the other side of a Scottish election then we should properly prepare and ensure that a mandate is once again forcefully renewed, undisputed and incontrovertible.

“I actually believe that it would be impossible to win a referendum if we can’t secure a mandate to hold one.

“Then there are events. It is not beyond possibility that the UK Brexit project will totally implode in chaos and the ‘optimum’ time comes into play sooner rather than later.

He added: “We should obviously grab that opportunity and quickly put in place a referendum. But with this scenario we’re literally talking about months and is therefore something we cannot properly plan for and would be largely out of our control.”

“Scottish independence is now one of the most discussed issues in our nation. Before the last referendum independence was pretty much an abstract idea that most people hadn’t properly considered, now, most of our fellow Scots have pretty strong views on the subject. Offering the same prospectus, with the same arguments, is likely to produce the same result.”

He also urged SNP and pro-independence supporters to work together and to convince previous No voters that independence was the right option for Scotland saying: “Scotland will secure its independence and we are so tantalisingly close, but we have work to do in convincing our fellow Scots who voted No last time to join us as well as uniting all Scots from both sides of the EU referendum.

“Setting a roadmap and plan is essential in getting us there as is striking at the optimum time for success.”