NICOLA STURGEON HINTS AT DITCHING REFERENDUM THREAT

NICOLA STURGEON HINTS AT DITCHING REFERENDUM THREAT



Nicola Sturgeon today hinted that she could ditch her threat to hold a second referendum to break up the United Kingdom if Theresa May scales back her Brexit plans.

The SNP leader said her 'absolute priority' is to try to stamp her demands on the looming negotiations rather than pursue another vote.

It comes as she has faced mounting pressure to take the threat off the table after her party's election humiliation earlier this month, when they lost a staggering 21 MPs.

But while they took a pummelling in the polls, the SNP look poised to try to take advantage of Theresa May's even more enfeebled state to try to push their demands for the all-important talks.



Quizzed about her demands for another referendum on a visit to the Royal Highland Show in Edinburgh today, she said her 'absolute priority' is now Brexit.

Scotland's First Minister said:  'I think the outcome of the election UK wide opens possibilities that perhaps we thought were closed to us.

'I think there is, in particular, a possibility now of building a consensus across the UK against that hard form of Brexit that was being pursued previously.

'So that will be the priority of the Scottish government over the next number of months.'

She added: 'The issue of a independence referendum is exactly as I have set out - it's about not now, but when the time is right offering people a choice over whether when we know what Brexit looks like, whether that's right for the country or whether an alternative path is right for the country.'

Her comments suggest that the SNP are adopting a radical change of tack after their election disaster and amid dwindling support for independence north of the border.

But the SNP oppose many of the plans for Brexit put forward by Mrs May.

The PM has vowed to finally end EU rules on the free movement of people, and to take Britain out of the single market and customs union so the country can strike new, free trade deals across the world.

While the SNP wants to keep Britain in the single market and is desperate to maintain EU freedom of movement rules in Scotland.

There are fears that if they get their own way and given control over their own regional immigration policy, EU  migrants will use Scotland as a backdoor into the rest of the UK.

The SNP have become emboldened after Mrs May this week admitted her flagship Repeal Bill - which is essential to Brexit - may require a 'legislative consent motion' in Holyrood.



Her admission potentially hands a veto to the Parliament in Edinburgh where the SNP governs as a minority administration.

Meanwhile, in a separate interview Environment Secretary Michael Gove has torn into Ms Sturgeon for her ‘grandstanding’ and said he hopes the Scottish government will now work more constructively with Westminster.

He told BBC Good Morning Scotland: ‘I think there is a change in the atmosphere because in the past the Scottish government preferred grandstanding and showboating to actual constructive engagement.’

He added: ‘So far, Nicola Sturgeon, instead of seeking consensus, has tried consistently to manufacture grievance.

‘And we have also seen that during the course of the General Election campaign, when the SNP occupied a variety of different positions on membership of the single market (and) membership of the European Union.

‘We know now that the SNP is licking its wounds after a disastrous election campaign, we hope that as a result there will be a period of humility.’