THE UK Government will this week face further questions over an independence referendum following the Supreme Court ruling, with ministers challenged to outline a “legal and democratic route” for Scotland to decide its own future.
Scottish Secretary Alister Jack will appear before the House of Commons Scottish Affairs Committee to give evidence following the court’s decision.
He will be joined by junior ministers Lord Offord and John Lamont, as well as director of the Scotland Office Laurence Rockey, in a session which will also discuss the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement and the cost of living crisis.
Meanwhile, Alba Westminster leader Neale Hanvey has secured a Commons debate on Wednesday on the subject of “Government policy on a further independence referendum for Scotland”.
The Westminster Hall debate will take place on St Andrew’s Day, with the answering minister from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, which has responsibility for the Union.
Speaking ahead of the debate, Hanvey told the Sunday National: “I will use the platform of this debate to set out the clear democratic case for a second independence referendum.
“I will take the opportunity to remind the UK Government that it is the people of Scotland, not Westminster, who are sovereign and that the right of the people of Scotland to choose independence, is not only a democratic imperative but is firmly grounded in Scotland’s proud and long-standing constitutional tradition of popular sovereignty resting with the people.
“In addition, Scotland’s right to choose Scottish independence, should they so wish, has been accepted by previous UK prime ministers and the late Donald Dewar as well as being set out in the Smith Commission, which was signed up to, by all of the parties, following the referendum in 2014.”
The MP for Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath (above) said he would lay down a “clear challenge” to the UK Government to set out the path that Scotland can take to an independence referendum.
He will state in his speech: “If there is a consented, legal, and democratic route by which the people of Ireland, north and south, can choose their own constitutional future in a border poll every seven years, then what is the consented, legal and democratic route by which the people of Scotland can determine their own constitutional future?”
Following the Supreme Court ruling last week, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was asked by SNP MP Dr Philippa Whitford to explain the “democratic route by which the people of Scotland get to make a choice over their own future?”.
In response, he said: “The UK is a collaborative and constructive Union that is delivering for the people of Scotland, even in Ayrshire itself, where we are working collaboratively with the Scottish Government to invest in aerospace, advanced manufacturing and space.
“Those are the types of activities that will bring tangible benefits to the people in the hon. lady’s region, and that is the right focus for the Government.”
Scottish Secretary Jack was also quizzed in the Commons on what the route to a referendum would be.
Responding to a question from SNP Pete Wishart on the issue, he said: “In 2014, there was a consensus between both Governments, all political parties and civic Scotland. Those are not the circumstances today.”
SNP MP Stephen Flynn asked him to “name just one scenario” under which he would agree to a referendum.
Jack replied: “The route to a referendum is when there is consensus between Governments, across political parties and across civic Scotland, as there was in 2014.
“That is not the case now: now, the UK Government want to focus on the Scottish economy, on creating freeports, on supporting people with the cost of living and on getting on with the day job, which is what I think the Scottish Government should do.”
