Scottish Independence

The Scottish government will publish legislation setting out the timetable and question of a potential second Scottish independence referendum within weeks, Scotland’s constitution secretary has confirmed. The draft Bill – promised in the legislative programme first minister Nicola Sturgeon set out last year – is due to be published before the Scottish parliament enters recess […]

There’s scepticism from readers that the next leader of Scottish Labour can save the Union. The answer to Maurice Smith’s question, in my opinion, is that the Scottish Labour leadership candidate Anas Sarwar will not. The problem lies in the way the question is understood and answered by so many of your contributors. They seem […]

A Brexiteer official will take over the duty of advising Boris Johnson on the state of the union after his former aide quit. Oliver Lewis will take over a “beefed-up union unit” which advises Johnson on ways to counter calls for Scottish independence after Luke Graham quit following a furious dispute with Downing Street, the FT […]

Independence would hit the Scottish economy harder than Brexit, and rejoining the EU would make little difference, a team of academics has said. The economic damage from leaving both unions would be the equivalent of an income loss of between £2,000 and £2,800 per person, according to an analysis of trade by the London School […]

Nicola Sturgeon could seek a second referendum on Scottish independence by Christmas, an SNP minister has signalled. Scots could soon be heading to the polls to decide whether their nation should formally break free from Westminster, the SNP’s constitution minister has suggested. Michael Russell, an architect of the SNP’s road map to independence, said the vote could be held […]

A clip of Boris Johnson laying out the case for the union has backfired spectacularly after Twitter users pointed out the ‘hypocrisy’ of his argument.  Johnson toured a vaccine facility in Scotland on Thursday where he said he “believed in the power of doing things together”.  The prime minister’s comment comes as he toured the […]

James O’Brien has warned the debate surrounding Scottish independence risked turning the UK “upside down again”. The LBC presenter’s comment comes as Boris Johnson visited Scotland on Thursday in a bid to “shore up” the union. Johnson defied advice from Scotland’s first minister that visiting the country would amount to breaking lockdown rules and that he should […]

Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove has claimed that Boris Johnson is a ‘huge asset’ to Scotland. Gove was interviewed by BBC Breakfast after they pointed out that a rise in support for Scottish independence was down to Johnson’s Brexit project and his handling of the pandemic. Asked if he thought he was an “asset” or […]

It is no exaggeration to say that the next Scottish Labour leader will play a pivotal role in deciding whether Scotland becomes independent. MAURICE SMITH reports on a party still coming to terms with the scale of the task ahead. Anas Sarwar must be a glutton for punishment. The 37-year-old has been tipped for Labour Party stardom […]

An SNP minister has warned Boris Johnson could be breaking Scotland’s coronavirus rules by visiting the country this week. Christina McKelvie, the minister for older people and equalities, doubted whether Johnson’s trip would count as “essential work”. The prime minister is reportedly planning a visit to Scotland to make an impassioned plea for Scots to reject […]

Boris Johnson will tour Scotland this week in a bid to shore up the union after yet another poll showed strong support for Scottish independence. The Sun has reported Johnson will use the trip to promote the benefits of Scotland staying a part of the United Kingdom. It comes after Nicola Sturgeon threatened to hold a referendum on Scottish independence […]

The UK risks becoming a “failed state” unless it makes reforms to the Union, former prime minister Gordon Brown has warned. Brown urged prime minister Boris Johnson to consider ideas like replacing the House of Lords with a “senate of the regions” and to review the way the UK is governed. It comes after the […]

Polling expert PETER KELLNER on how the Scottish elections could supercharge the SNP’s campaign for independence. If Boris Johnson thinks that life will get easier in the spring, he should think again. Even if the current lockdown and vaccine programme both succeed, a fresh crisis is almost certain to erupt in its wake, to last […]

Despite vowing to make the case against Scottish independence, Nigel Farage’s new party could make it tougher for Unionist parties in the Holyrood elections, a pollster has warned. Professor Sir John Curtice has said the new Reform UK party in Scotland will be targeting Tory voters who backed Brexit in Scotland, making it harder for […]

A video from a 2013 debate on Scottish independence has resurfaced and it shows Nicola Sturgeon predicting Brexit and the consequences for her country. The 80-second clip shows Sturgeon telling then secretary of state for Scotland and Liberal Democrat MP Alistair Carmichael that Brexit risked isolating Scotland. In a televised debate on the Scottish independence, Sturgeon, […]

Jacob Rees-Mogg has claimed that the United Kingdom stronger as a result of Brexit- and that support for the European Union would fall after leaving the bloc in January. Speaking in The House magazine the pro-Brexit leader of the House of Commons claimed that the Westminster government’s response to the coronavirus pandemic – which resulted in the largest […]

A leading MEP has claimed that Scotland would be ‘better off’ if it goes independent and rejoins the European Union, hinting it could perform better than England after Brexit. Philippe Lamberts, the Belgian co-president of the Green Party in the European Parliament, compared Scotland’s potential to Ireland which remains an island away from the main […]

Boris Johnson has hinted Scotland could be offered a second independence referendum in the ‘future’ but warned that citizens would end up voting to stay in the union. The prime minister said the SNP’s “sheer incoherence” would see union supporters win a future referendum. Johnson’s response came after Glasgow MP David Linden had asked why polls have […]

Michael Gove has been compared to Bart Simpson for his refusal to accept responsibility for the “chaos” caused by Brexit. But instead the Cabinet Office minister compared himself to Groundskeeper Willie – the fictional Scottish school janitor – only to be told that Willie declared his support for Scottish independence at the 2014 referendum. SNP MP Owen […]

A leading MEP has given his backing for Scotland rejoining the European Union – and believes Nicola Sturgeon could become president of the European Commission if it does so. Philippe Lamberts, a Belgian MEP and co-president of the Green Party in the European Parliament, gave his backing for an independent Scotland returning to the table […]

Gordon Brown has said he believes Scotland would not vote for Scottish independence but branded Boris Johnson “out of touch” over devolution. The former prime minister predicted that Scots would vote to remain part the UK in another referendum but warned it would be a “hard battle” to keep the union together. Brown also described […]

It is May 2021. The morning after the Scottish parliament election. And in line with the most recent polling, the SNP has won a landslide, taking 56% of the constituency vote and 47% of the regional vote. The result means a significant Holyrood majority for the SNP and Nicola Sturgeon declares it a clear mandate for […]

Jacob Rees-Mogg claimed on Thursday that devolution would be a “triumphant success” if the Conservative party had a majority in Holyrood – and slammed what he called the “failure of the SNP” to deliver for Scotland.  The leader of the House of Commons made the remark to SNP MP Tommy Sheppard during a session of […]

Scotland should aim for full EU membership if it becomes independent, the country’s constitution secretary has said. Mike Russell said he would not like a “halfway house” of European Economic Area (EEA) membership. The EEA consists of members of the EU along with Liechtenstein, Iceland and Norway, through the European Free Trade Agreement (EFTA) which […]

Nicola Sturgeon has told Boris Johnson “not to stand in the way of democracy” as she issued a call for a second Scottish independence referendum – claiming he risks being “swept away” by popular opinion if he failed to grant Holyrood a second vote. The SNP has told Downing Street that a landslide victory in next year’s national elections […]

Scottish nationalists are acting like “little Englanders” over Boris Johnson’s leadership, a radio caller has claimed. Raymond from Falkirk made the claim as he called James O’Brien’s radio show to respond to remarks Johnson made about devolution being a “disaster north of the border”. The caller feared Scotland falling into a similar trap to Brexit, […]

A Tory MP has caused controversy after he claimed Brexit had no relevance to the case for a second Scottish independence referendum. Former Welsh secretary and Vote Leave supporter John Redwood said the nation’s decision to vote in favour of staying in the EU was “irrelevant” as he shot down suggestions that Brexit was a cause for a new […]

Sky News presenter Kay Burley had the perfect response to communities secretary Robert Jenrick when he issued a warning about the impact of Scottish independence on the economy.  The minister was dispatched to the television studios to defend Boris Johnson’s remarks criticising devolution. Jenrick said those not focusing on the priorities of the people during the […]

Boris Johnson has come under attack for calling devolution “a disaster north of the border” in comments seized upon by the SNP. Downing Street sources did not deny Johnson made the comments, which were first reported by the Sun, during a discussion with the Northern Research Group of backbenchers. But they insisted “the PM has […]

Nicola Sturgeon is planning to ignore Westminster’s veto on holding a second independence referendum, a leaked party memo has suggested. The National is reporting that SNP MPs Angus MacNeil and Chris McEleny will have their motion debate alternative legal routes to independence during this year’s party conference approved. Dubbed “Plan B”, the motion suggests Holyrood should take the UK government […]

Brexit and the UK government’s handling of it has undermined the case for the union and is driving up support for independence, the Scottish Conservative leader has warned. Douglas Ross said there has been a failure to resolve Brexit divisions and the SNP government at Holyrood “benefits from intergovernmental disputes”. He suggested there is a […]

Boris Johnson’s leadership is the biggest driver for swing voters over Scottish independence, new polling has revealed. Brexit, the Westminster government’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic, and a desire for certainty were all attributed to rising support for Scotland going it alone, but the key argument was Johnson, a view shared by 79% of swing […]