Nicola Sturgeon: Dont call second referendum indyref2

The First Minister has told top advisors not to refer to a second independence referendum as '˜indyref2'.

Nicola Sturgeon has said she is determined to save Scotland from Brexit. Picture: John Devlin

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Nicola Sturgeon wants to move away from the term being used to describe a new separation vote as she believes the political landscape has “completely changed”.

The SNP leader made her views clear earlier this month at a high level party meeting attended by around 25 senior aides.

Her comments were made as the agenda for the meeting moved on to the subject of independence and the prospect of another poll on Scotland’s future in the Union.

“We were having a conversation about independence generally and Nicola said we shouldn’t be making reference to indyref2.

“She said this is a new referendum, we have a different set of circumstances, different reasons for having one and it is a completely separate matter,” an SNP insider told The National.

“She said a new referendum is specifically about the democratic deficit and about being pulled out of the European Union against our will. Brexit demonstrates most clearly that as a country we are not being heard and the UK is not a nation of equals.”

With the prospect of a new plebiscite being called in the coming weeks, Theresa May has ordered her ministers to go out and drive home the case for the Union. 
A Cabinet meeting yesterday was dominated by discussion of the need to “maintain, strengthen and nurture” the 300-year-old bond between the nations of the UK, with ministers told their departments should “listen to and engage with the devolved administrations”.