Theresa May lays down independence vote challenge to Nicola Sturgeon

[-:Undertaker:-]

https://www.theguardian.com/politics...ge-to-sturgeon

Theresa May lays down independence vote challenge to Nicola Sturgeon


PM escalates attacks on SNP demand for greater autonomy after Brexit, throwing down referendum gauntlet

Prime Minister Theresa May has signalled a tougher line on Scottish demands for greater devolution after Brexit, laying down a clear challenge to Nicola Sturgeon to call another independence referendum.

The prime minister told the Scottish Conservative party she would fight against any further decentralisation of power which meant the UK became “a looser and weaker union”. “We cannot allow our United Kingdom to drift apart,” she said.

In a marked escalation of her attacks on the first minister’s demand for greater autonomy for the Scottish parliament after Brexit, May said there would be a strict limit to any extra powers and spending.

“We must avoid any unintended consequences for the coherence and integrity of a devolved United Kingdom as a result of our leaving the EU,” May told the Scottish Tory conference in Glasgow on Friday.

Senior figures in the Scottish National party accused May of an attack on the central principle of devolution, only a year after Holyrood’s independent status had been guaranteed in legislation.

Hilarious SNP demands return of powers it wants to send back to Brussels anyway https://t.co/mUw9cEeegK

— Iain Martin (@iainmartin1) March 3, 2017

Predicting it would lead to a backlash in Scotland, Alex Salmond, the former first minister, told the BBC: “What she announced today was a power grab. She’s actually proposing that if Brexit goes ahead, the powers that should come back to Scotland [from the EU] – on fishing, farming and a range other issues – she’s going to retain them at Westminster, because she likes the look of the Scottish economic zone.

Despite the SNP’s grip on power in Scotland and the party’s popularity amongt voters, Downing Street believes Sturgeon is in a weak position on independence.

Just 35% of Scottish voters support a referendum before Brexit, and support for independence sits at 45%, below the majority Sturgeon has previously insisted she needs before calling a fresh poll.

May said her central goal was to protect “the deep and fundamental strengths” of the union. “Ours is not a marriage of convenience, or a fair-weather friendship, but a true and enduring union, tested in adversity and found to be true.”

Her stance signalled a widening gulf between the pro-UK parties over new powers for the Scottish parliament, with Scottish Labour and the Liberal Democrats calling for a federal UK.

She implied the entire devolution settlement of 1998, which set up the Scottish parliament and Welsh assembly, was now up for renegotiation, risking a row with the Scottish government.

May said the original devolution arrangements were founded on membership of the EU. That meant arrangements for agricultural funding and fisheries policies designed for the EU were no longer relevant, suggesting the UK government would seek centralised control over spending in those areas.

“The UK devolution settlements were designed in 1998 without any thought of a potential Brexit,” she said. “The essential common standards which underpin the operation of a single market were provided at the European level.

“As we bring powers and control back to the United Kingdom, we must ensure that right powers sit at the right level to ensure our United Kingdom can operate effectively and in the interests of all of its citizens, including people in Scotland.”

FINALLY! A PM with a backbone who is standing up to the Witch of the North and her anti-British party.

It's time to confront the absurd SNP argument head on. They're arguing against Brexit, but want those powers that the EU currently holds.... in order to become 'independent' and hand them back over to the EU.

Wouldn't it be grand if, at the end of this story, the SNP hold another referendum (on condition after Brexit), lose badly again and it results in a realignment of politics up north with a full revival of the Scottish Conservatives in the north?



Thoughts? Are you glad the PM is taking Sturgeon on? Do you think Sturgeon's bluff should be called?

[scottish]

indyref2

[-:Undertaker:-]

so you can epically lose for a third time Sad! @scottish;

[scottish]

I don't think I've lost once yet?

[-:Undertaker:-]

are you kidding? lmao you lost the EU ref despite deriding on here that Leave would lose then threw a massive tantrum and demanded the result be overturned and scotland hold a referendum cos you didnt get your way like a big loser baby. time you realised number of likes you get on here = doesn't equal public opinion.

[scottish]

if by threw a 'massive tantrum' you mean chatting shit to you to get you pissed off then yeah.. you got me.

I had very little interest in the EU referendum and for the scottish referendum I would have voted remain.. in both cases I didn't vote.

but yeah I must have lost..


and lol at the comment on likes, people like my posts because i shit post and you take the bait every time.

[-:Undertaker:-]

@scottish;

why would i get pissed off i was absolutely delighted and especially by your reaction of the sore loser. you're even getting pissed off now for me calling you out for acting like a spoilt brat over losing. it's there for everyone to see in the pinned thread. it's so funny how you pretended (and still do) not to have cared but spent years/months deriding my side saying we'd lose, then you lost and threw a massive paddy calling for it to be blocked/scotland to vote again etc.

believe me the thought of you crying into your keyboard that morning was a great bonus x

[scottish]

I doubt anyone cares enough about either the scottish independence referendum or the eu referendum to cry other than yourself, but if it helps you sleep at night keep believing that x

my 'interest' in the eu referendum never left this forum, but if you want to believe I was that interest feel free.

[David]

anyone else convinced undertaker must get bullied irl

[-:Undertaker:-]

you can look like you're not bothered about it now but your posts that morning/the days after and your demands for another indy referendum now even in this very thread prove otherwise. as the Donald would say, Sad!