- Newly returned Scottish leader Nicola Sturgeon is calling for another referendum on the country’s independence from the U.K. following her election win
- The pro-independence Scottish National Party (SNP) was returned to power at the weekend, with U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson congratulating Sturgeon on the win
- The PM also argued the two countries were best served when they work together, stating it was important to focus on COVID-19 and not a referendum
- However, Scotland’s First Minister said the nation’s people would decide their own fate once the pandemic was over
- The last time Scotland voted on its future, 55 per cent of the population chose to remain a part of the United Kingdom
Newly returned Scottish leader Nicola Sturgeon is calling for another referendum on the country’s independence from the U.K. following her election win.
The pro-independence Scottish National Party (SNP) was returned to power at the weekend, their fourth consecutive term in government.
U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has congratulated the SNP for the win and also argued the two countries must work together.
The PM is also calling on the Scottish Government to focus on recovering from the pandemic and not another referendum.
“They both agreed that their immediate focus should be and is on working together to build back from the pandemic,” Downing Street said in a statement.
“The Prime Minister stressed how recovery will be more effective if both Governments work together,” the PM’s office added.
However, the Scottish leader said the nation’s people would decide their own fate once the pandemic was over.
“The First Minister also re-iterated her intention to ensure that the people of Scotland can choose our own future when the crisis is over, and made clear that the question of a referendum is now a matter of when — not if,” the leader’s spokesperson said.
The statements from both leaders follow threats of a possible court case, with the U.K. holding the power to stop Scotland from proceeding with an independence vote.
Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove played down that possibility though, stating the focus was on the pandemic.
The last time Scotland voted on its future back in 2014, 55 per cent of the population chose to remain a part of the United Kingdom.