Stephen Kinnock: There is a "democratic argument" for independence

Stephen Kinnock MP - Image credit: PoliticsHome

A prominent Labour backbencher has acknowledged there is a "democratic argument" for Scots to press for a second independence referendum in light of the Brexit vote.

Stephen Kinnock told Holyrood’s sister site PoliticsHome that if Scotland faced being “bulldozed” out of the European Union, he could “understand where they are coming from” in arguing for another vote on their future in the UK.

In the immediate aftermath of the Brexit vote, Nicola Sturgeon said the result – in which Scotland supported remaining in the EU – made a second independence referendum “highly likely”.

The Scottish Government published a draft bill laying out the terms of a possible second independence referendum – which is opposed by Scottish Labour as well as the Scottish Tories and Scottish Lib Dems – last week, with consultation on it running until January 2017.

Stephen Kinnock made clear that he did not accept the economic case for independence, but said he could understand the democratic argument.

He told PoliticsHome: “I think the problem that the SNP has is that Scottish economy, due to their failures and their incompetence in Scotland, the Scottish economy is in trouble.

“They have a budget deficit that is substantially larger than that of Greece, you've got oil at $50 a barrel, so the economic case for independence is very flimsy at best and non-existent really.

“But there is a democratic argument which I can absolutely understand…. Scotland voted to stay inside the EU and if they see themselves being bulldozed into a Brexit that they don't want, which they feel is going to harm their country, I can understand where they are coming from with that.”

His comments came as the First Minister met with Theresa May, as well as the leaders of Wales and Northern Ireland, at Number 10 yesterday to discuss Brexit.

Nicola Sturgeon emerged afterwards saying the talks had been "deeply frustrating".