The future of the UK hangs in the balance as the remaining results of the Holyrood parliament arrive.
But the tightening may not happen as quickly as some believe – and the Westminster Cabinet is working on a plan it says could sabotage it.
Scotland’s 2021 Holyrood election has been touted as a pivotal moment for the Union.
However both Preservatives and SNP suddenly seem aligned with wanting to gain more time before pressing the button on Indyref2.
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Boris Johnson told the Daily Telegraph: “Well like I said I think there is no case now for such a thing … I don’t think this is what the time calls for. at all.”
The Prime Minister ditched the language of “never” having a second vote earlier this year.
Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister John Swinney has also suggested a deadline.
Asked on Saturday about Mr Johnson’s remark that it would be ‘unwise’ to hold a referendum in the current context, Mr Swinney told the BBC: ‘We said we would have a referendum once we had the current context of COVID under control.
“And this is a point of agreement that we can move forward with the Prime Minister in due course.”
Nicola Sturgeon celebrates after retaining her seat
This is a delayed, but not avoided, constitutional conflict.
The SNP and the Scottish Greens, if necessary, will likely call for a transfer of referendum powers to Holyrood in the coming month.
When the PM refuses, Ms Sturgeon said Holyrood would pass his own referendum legislation without London’s consent, repeating her challenge to Mr Johnson to challenge it in the UK’s Supreme Court on Friday.
The Scottish law of 1998 which underlies decentralization stipulates that the composition of the Union is a matter for Westminster.
This means that the Scottish Parliament has not …
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Source: news.sky.com
This notice was published: 2021-05-08 10:06:00
