Support
for Scottish independence spikes as May braces for second referendum
Scottish
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has repeatedly threatened to go back
to the polls if Brexit deal doesn’t look after her country’s
interests.
By ESTHER
KING 2/8/17, 8:24 AM CET
British Prime
Minister Theresa May believes Scotland is weeks away from demanding a
second independence referendum, local media reported.
The British leader
is coordinating with Conservatives in Scotland to hold talks with
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon’s Scottish National Party government
in anticipation of the move, according to the Courier.
Downing Street was
laying the groundwork for talks to make sure “we are calm and
collected ahead of negotiations,” the Courier quoted a Scottish
Conservative party source as saying.
The Scottish first
minister is at odds with May over the government’s “hard Brexit”
strategy, which includes limiting immigration and leaving the single
market, and has repeatedly threatened to call a second vote on
Scotland’s independence from the U.K. if she doesn’t think
Scottish interests are being represented by Westminster.
Support for Scottish
independence has grown since May’s Lancaster House speech and
confirmation of the U.K.’s exit from the single market last month.
A Scottish Saltire
(center) flies between a Union flag and a European Union flag in
front of the
A total of 49
percent of Scots support independence, according to a BMG survey for
The Herald, with 51 percent backing staying in the U.K. (undecided
respondents were removed from the calculation). Most Scots opposed
holding a new vote before the U.K. formally leaves the EU, the poll
found.
“I’ll do what
needs to be done to protect Scotland’s position,” Sturgeon said
late last month. “We are running out of time for this process. It
can’t go on indefinitely and it won’t go on indefinitely.”
May has made it
clear that the devolved administrations will not get a decisive role
in the U.K.’s divorce talks with the EU and won’t have a veto if
they don’t like the deal she strikes. On Wednesday, she also pushed
through a measure to ensure the U.K.’s EU exit deal is done on a
“take it or leave it” basis.
Authors:
Esther King
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