Nicola Sturgeon has given Boris Johnson ‘veto’ over Scottish independence referendum, claims Alba MP
SNP and Tories locked in ‘sterile charade,’ claims former Scottish government minister
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon has given Boris Johnson a “veto” on whether or not another Scottish independence referendum can be held, an Alba MP has claimed.
Kenny MacAskill – an ex-SNP minister who defected to Alex Salmond’s outfit earlier this year – claimed Scotland’s first minister was now locked in a “charade” with the prime minister.
Ms Sturgeon has vowed to push for a “legal” referendum once Scotland is through the Covid pandemic, while Mr Johnson has dismissed the idea of holding another vote soon as “reckless”.
Writing in the Scottish Left Review, Mr MacAskill said both were only interested in keeping “their partisan audience satiated” with empty rhetoric.
“That sterile debate will continue as it suits both SNP and Tory to posture that they’re pushing hard for or defending vigorously respectively – even if the reality is that it’s a charade where both know it’s not happening anytime soon.”
The former justice secretary criticised Ms Sturgeon for previously requesting a Section 30 order from the UK government – the section of the Scotland Act which allows Holyrood to pass laws normally reserved to Westminster.
Mr MacAskill claimed she had “given a veto to Boris Johnson by ceding that a Section 30 order was not only required but the only route”.
Alba had pushed Ms Sturgeon to immediately demand negotiations on independence if the SNP won the recent Holyrood election.
Mr MacAskill also attacked the SNP leader for insisting there could be no independence referendum before a coronavirus recovery.
“Well, how long’s that to be? … It’s not that a recovery’s starting. It’s that the worst is still to come. All [Johnson] has to say is ‘now is not the time’. The first minister has now not only given the prime minister a veto but has allowed him to set the timing.”
Mr MacAskill – one of two SNP MPs who defected to Alba before the election – raised eyebrows among nationalists last week when he suggested it may be time to consider “home rule” for Scotland.
The MP for East Lothian suggested that giving the Scottish government a raft of new powers could help “break the logjam” and resolve the “constitutional impasse”.
“Surely this is the time to build a coalition for such a proposal, undermining neither independence nor the Union but yet facilitating necessary progress for our land,” he wrote in The Scotsman.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments