Nicola Sturgeon accused of breaking promises over draft indyref2 proposals

Nicola Sturgeon has been accused of breaking promises over draft proposals for indyref2.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon during a visit to the Connect Community Trust's Connie Centre in Glasgow. Picture date: Wednesday July 28, 2021.

A leaked agenda for the SNP’s conference next month shows the party is planning to pass motions that would ramp up plans for a second vote on Scottish independence.

A separate motion also states that legislation for a new referendum should be introduced at Holyrood "at the earliest moment" after a "clear end" to the pandemic.

Now the Scottish Conservatives have accused the SNP of lying over a pledge during the election not to push for another referendum within the first 100 days.

Scottish Conservative Shadow Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, Donald Cameron MSP, said: “Nicola Sturgeon vowed not to push for another divisive referendum for at least 100 days after the Scottish Parliament election. She’s already broken that promise.

“This draft conference agenda shows that the SNP are blatantly working on breaking up the country.

“Instead of concentrating on Covid recovery and protecting jobs, they’re plotting how to divide people at the worst possible moment, just as an economic crisis looms.

“The SNP’s eyes are off the ball again. They won’t focus on what really matters and set aside their narrow and selfish political interests for a mere 100 days, never mind the rest of the Scottish Parliament term.

“We are building Scotland’s real alternative to the SNP to end this era where jobs, schools, drug deaths and every other key issue takes a back seat to the nationalists' obsession with another referendum.”

The alleged proposals were also criticised by Pamela Nash, the chief executive of Scotland in Union.

She said: “Prioritising a divisive referendum over Scotland's recovery is grossly irresponsible.

"Rather than threatening a constitutional crisis and a hard border with our friends and neighbours, the people of Scotland want their governments to focus on recovery from the pandemic.

"By working together we can ensure that no community in the UK is left behind."

It comes as Michael Gove insisted the UK Government would not stand in the way of another vote on Scottish independence if it is the “settled will” of voters.

He said: “The principle that the people of Scotland, in the right circumstances, can ask that question again is there.

“I just don’t think that it is right, and the public don’t think it is right, to ask that question at the moment.

“If it is the case that there is clearly a settled will in favour of a referendum, then one will occur.”

The senior UK Government minister was speaking amid a sharp decline in support for independence, with polling going from 58 per cent in favour at the beginning of the year to 48 per cent.

SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford has claimed May’s election was an indicator that the “settled will” of the Scottish people is in favour of independence.

His party fell just one seat short of a majority in Holyrood in the election and are currently in talks with the Scottish Greens over an alliance on certain issues.

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