Scotland’s leader vows to push for independence vote

Published January 25, 2021
Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon accused British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Sunday of fearing democracy. — Reuters
Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon accused British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Sunday of fearing democracy. — Reuters

LONDON: Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon accused British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Sunday of fearing democracy when it comes to letting the Scottish people express their will on independence from the United Kingdom.

Scotland voted against independence by 55pc to 45pc in a 2014 referendum. But a majority of Scots also backed staying in the European Union in the subsequent 2016 Brexit vote, stoking demands by Scottish nationalists for a new independence vote after the UK as a whole voted to leave.

Sturgeon’s Scottish National Party (SNP), which runs the semi-autonomous Edinburgh executive, laid out plans on Saturday for a new referendum if, as expected, it wins Scottish elections in May.

Johnson said earlier this month he thought there should be a gap of about 40 years before any new referendum.

“He’s frightened of democracy,” Sturgeon said during a BBC television interview on Sunday.

“If the SNP win the Scottish election in a few months’ time on a proposition of giving the people that choice, what democrat could rightly stand in the way of that?” she said.

Johnson says the SNP presented the 2014 referendum as a “once in a generation” event and cannot now insist on another.

The SNP counters that the situation has changed because of the United Kingdom’s departure from the European Union. Scots’ votes against Brexit in 2016 were outweighed by a majority voting in favour in more populous England.

Sturgeon’s party says EU membership was presented in 2014 as a key argument for Scotland to remain in the United Kingdom, only for Scots to be dragged out of the bloc against their will.

Published in Dawn, January 25th, 2021

Opinion

Editorial

Smog hazard
Updated 05 Nov, 2024

Smog hazard

The catastrophe unfolding in Lahore is a product of authorities’ repeated failure to recognise environmental impact of rapid urbanisation.
Monetary policy
05 Nov, 2024

Monetary policy

IN an aggressive move, the State Bank on Monday reduced its key policy rate by a hefty 250bps to 15pc. This is the...
Cultural power
05 Nov, 2024

Cultural power

AS vital modes of communication, art and culture have the power to overcome social and international barriers....
Disregarding CCI
Updated 04 Nov, 2024

Disregarding CCI

The failure to regularly convene CCI meetings means that the process of democratic decision-making is falling apart.
Defeating TB
04 Nov, 2024

Defeating TB

CONSIDERING the fact that Pakistan has the fifth highest burden of tuberculosis in the world as per the World Health...
Ceasefire charade
Updated 04 Nov, 2024

Ceasefire charade

The US talks of peace, while simultaneously arming and funding their Israeli allies, are doomed to fail, and are little more than a charade.