Nicola Sturgeon renews call for Scottish Independence referendum
Scotland’s First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, has gone on the offensive in her quest to secure a Scottish independence referendum next year.
Speaking on the BBC Question Time leaders’ special, Sturgeon said Brexit had “dramatically” changed the situation and that voters should be able to “change their minds”.
Sturgeon, who is also the leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP), robustly interacted with the audience during the programme to advance the cause of Scottish independence.
Sturgeon told one audience member, who enquired about the connection between Brexit and Scottish independence that she would still have pressed ahead with independence even if Brexit “hadn’t happened”.
But Sturgeon conceded that Brexit had increased the odds for a second independence referendum, which the SNP wants to hold in the second half of 2020.
On the issue of a hung parliament, Sturgeon said she is “prepared to deal with Labour” if party leader Jeremy Corbyn commits to “ending austerity” and “agrees to hold another Scottish independence referendum”.
Reiterating her earlier position that she doesn’t envisage a “formal coalition” with the Labour party (in the event of a hung parliament), Sturgeon proposed a “less formal” so-called “confidence and supply” arrangement with Corbyn, but only if the Labour leader met her conditions.
Besides Sturgeon, the BBC Question Time leader’s special was also attended by Corbyn, Liberal Democrat leader, Jo Swinson, and Prime Minister, Boris Johnson.
The four party leaders all faced 30 minutes of questions on the special programme, which was hosted by veteran BBC journalist and presenter, Fiona Bruce.
The event was held in Sheffield, South Yorkshire.
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