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Politics
Peter Davidson

Douglas Ross vows to boycott any 'wildcat' Scottish independence referendum

Douglas Ross has vowed to boycott any Scottish independence referendum that does not have the backing of the UK Government.

The Scottish Conservative leader hit out at the SNP and Nicola Sturgeon after the First Minister kickstarted the campaign for an IndyRef2 yesterday.

Constitution secretary Angus Robertson revealed earlier the Scottish Government intends to hold a second vote on ending the Union in October next year.

Boris Johnson 's Tory government has repeatedly said the 2014 vote was a once-in-a-lifetime referendum and would refuse any request from the SNP.

Ross said he would not support a "wildcard" referendum after Sturgeon suggested the Scottish Government would seek to hold a vote without a section 30 order if the UK Government does not grant one.

He told Channel 4 News: "This is not the priority for people across Scotland right now.

"There are far more pressing issues to deal with: coming out of Covid and the recovery of the country after that; dealing with unemployment; dealing with education issues; getting our NHS on better footing.

"That's the priority people want politicians and the Chamber behind us to be focusing on and if Nicola Sturgeon would be so reckless and irresponsible to go ahead with an illegal wild card referendum then I wouldn't support it and I would urge people to boycott it.

" Nicola Sturgeon has gone further than she's ever gone before, and suggesting she would hold an illegal wild card referendum. I think that is completely reckless.

"It's unacceptable for the First Minister to even be threatening that. And I would say I would have absolutely nothing to do with it."

During the press conference on Tuesday, Sturgeon said her duty is to the people of Scotland and not to Boris Johnson.

"My duty, as the democratically elected First Minister, is to the people of Scotland, it is not to Boris Johnson or to any Tory prime minister," she said.

"This is a UK Government that has no respect for democracy.

"That means if we are to uphold democracy here in Scotland we must forge a way forward, if necessary, without a Section 30 order."

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