SNP must '˜decouple' Brexit from indyref2, says David Mundell

The question of independence needs to be 'decoupled' from Brexit, the Scottish Secretary has said.

David Mundell MP. Picture: Contributed

David Mundell said the two issues had been deliberately conflated in order to help the push for a second independence vote.

But during a trade trip to South America, he called on the UK and Scottish governments to move on from “the issue that divided our country so badly” and work closer together on Brexit.

He said: “The fact is, until the recent election in June, the Brexit debate in Scotland was deliberately conflated with the question of Scottish independence.

“Despite the passage of only three short years – and despite the decisive result – the Scottish National Party sought to use Brexit to reopen the issue that divided our country so badly.

“Their attempt was roundly rejected in the recent general election so we now need the issues to be decoupled for good.” Mr Mundell is in Paraguay as part of the first visit by the UK Government in more than 20 years.

A spokesman for Economy Secretary Keith Brown said: “Mr Mundell’s obsession with independence and failure to understand the impact of the EU Withdrawal Bill is at odds with the growing consensus across Scotland that we must protect the powers of the Scottish Parliament from this legislation and that any UK-wide frameworks must be mutually agreed, not imposed by Westminster.”