Scottish independence: Referendum 'could happen next year', says Mike Russell

A referendum on Scottish independence could take place before the end of next year, Scotland’s Constitution Secretary has said.

Mike Russell says indyref2 could happen next year

Michael Russell said many of the logistics are already in place such as the franchise and legislation on the broader framework for referendums.

But the claims were branded “reckless and irresponsible”, by pro-union opponents, as the country battles a second wave of coronavirus.

The Scottish Government is poised to publish legislation on the “terms and timing” of the vote itself, which could pave the way for it to happen. However, the UK Government, which has control over the constitution, has so far ruled out the prospect of a repeat of the 2014 vote taking place.

Consistent polling since the start of the year shows that a majority of Scots now back independence. If a pro-independence majority is returned at next year’s Holyrood elections in May, many nationalists say the case for a second referendum will be undeniable.

Mr Russell told BBC Scotland’s The Nine show there would to be a “period of months” between the passing of a final referendum bill and the vote taking place.

"We already have two parts of that in place,” he said.

"We have the franchise in place and that Franchise Act was approved last year. We have the arrangements for the referendum in terms of the nuts and bolts and the Scottish Parliament has approved that.”

He added: “What we need now is that last bit of legislation, which sets a date and organises a question.

"And there’s a process to be gone through in terms of question testing. So we will publish the third part before the election as we’ve said. If the Scottish people endorse that and wish it to happen then it must happen. I’m not going to do anything other than assume it will happen in those circumstances.

"And then there will need to be a referendum and that could take place, I’m quite sure, before the end of next year.”

But Pamela Nash, chief executive of Scotland in Union, warned another referendum would “devastate” Scotland.

“These are reckless and irresponsible comments from an SNP minister,” she said.

“We are in the midst of a devastating pandemic that is costing lives and it will take years for our NHS and economy to recover.

“The last referendum campaign paralysed politics, and to go through that again at this time would be devastating for Scotland.

“Rather than seek to divide Scotland like this, we have a brighter future as part of the UK.”

Support for Scottish independence hit a record 58 per cent in the most recent opinion poll conducted by Ipsos MORI, which emerged last week, although polls since the start of the year have seen a shift towards independence. It is a marked reversal from 2014 when 55 per cent of Scots voted to stay in the UK, while 45 per cent voted to leave.

The Scottish Government has argued the Brexit vote, which saw almost two-thirds of Scots vote to remain in the EU, while the weight of votes south of the Border swung the outcome in favour of leave, represents a “material change” which justifies another independence referendum so soon after the previous one.

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