Opposition accuse SNP of dismissing details in case for independence

Opposition parties have accused the SNP of ignoring the details and attempting to pursue independence at any cost to Scotland.

Two years on from the referendum on Scottish independence, Nicola Sturgeon used an article in the Sunday Herald to set out the case for another vote.

The First Minister argued “the case for full self-government ultimately transcends the issues of Brexit, of oil, of national wealth and balance sheets and of passing political fads and trends”.

Derek Mackay yesterday argued that with a majority of Scots voting to remain in the EU, the Government would explore “all options” to protect Scotland’s relationship with the bloc.

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Sturgeon announced plans to legislate for a second independence vote in the aftermath of the EU referendum.

But Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson claimed the economic case for independence, made during the last referendum, was “a tissue of lies”

She said: “Instead of trying to explain what would happen to our economy and how we fund our public services under independence, the new mantra is that none of these things matter anymore and people should just shut up about them and wrap themselves in a flag instead.”

Meanwhile Ian Murray said the FM “needs to get on with the day job”.

He said: “Nicola Sturgeon appears to have learned all the wrong lessons from the Brexit referendum. The detail of the case for independence can't be dismissed. What we're talking about are people's lives, livelihoods and the money they have in their pocket.”

The anniversary of the vote also saw a new poll showing support for independence at 48 per cent, versus 52 per cent in support of the union.

But asked what their ideal scenario was, 33 per cent chose an independent Scotland within the EU, with 23 per cent in support of Scotland remaining part of the UK, while outside the EU.

Mackay said: “Today of course marks two years since the independence referendum – in which Ruth Davidson stated categorically that ‘no means we stay in the EU’. The ongoing Brexit shambles, with the UK Government unable to answer basic questions about what kind of relationship they want with the EU, has cast huge economic uncertainty over the whole of the UK.”