GEORGE Osborne’s advice to Boris Johnson that the only way now left to him to stop Scotland becoming independent is to refuse a second referendum has intensified the debate around finding alternative ways of achieving independence.
Kenny MacAskill, the SNP MP for East Lothian, argued the former Tory Chancellor’s view exposed the reality that the Prime Minister was not going to agree to a new vote.
Asked what he believed Osborne’s position, set out in a column in the Evening Standard, meant in terms of the route ahead, he said: “It means that we cannot allow our future to be dictated to by the UK. Decisions need made in Scotland not dependent upon Westminster consent.
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“The real nature of what we’re facing has been exposed and those who either think Johnson will blink or trust in British sportsmanship are deluded.”
Osborne wrote that losing Scotland would mean that Johnson would get the “ignoble title of the worst prime minister ever” and set out some advice to him on how to proceed if he didn’t want that title.
He pointed out post-Brexit, the UK side couldn’t use the same arguments about the benefits of being part of a wide Union – as the SNP wanted an independent Scotland to rejoin the EU.
"He also said that hiring lots of press officers to push the pro-Union message and put “Union Jack” badges on projects in Scotland would also not work.
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So, he argued, the only option left was to refuse a referendum.
“So what’s the second plan? Simple. Refuse to hold a referendum. It’s the only sure way you won’t lose one,” he said.
“Yes, the SNP will be in full cry — but so what? Domestic opposition has already evaporated, with the Labour leader there resigning last week.” he said.
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“As Tony Blair says, no one has been able to mount a fight since Ruth Davidson left the stage.
“There’s a risk that the Scottish Government holds its own plebiscite — but that won’t be legal, and the courts will stop the arms of the Scottish state, like the police and civil service taking part. Ask the jailed Catalonian leaders how their illegal poll worked out.”
SNP councillor Chris McEleny, who has been calling for the SNP and Scottish Government to set out an alternative route to independence to combat Johnson’s refusal to agree to a new referendum, added that Osborne’s column underlined the need for a “Plan B”.
He said: "The UK Government have been clear that they will oppose, and block a referendum on Scottish independence, and now the former Chancellor of the Exchequer lets the cat out of the bag by saying that Boris Johnson should simply just keep refusing to agree to a referendum to stop Scots voting for it – as there now isn’t a case he feels can win a referendum for the pro-Union side.
“Considering the UK Government have been clear they will not agree to a Section 30 order it would be an act of extreme folly if the SNP do not have a Plan B in the manifesto for the Holyrood elections.
“When I first called for this in 2019 I was booed by a careerist faction at our party conference.
The independence movement simply won’t accept the opportunity to vote for independence to be lost again at this May’s election,” he added.
A poll published yesterday found that more than half of voters would back the next Holyrood election being used as an “opportunity to vote for or against independence”.
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The survey, carried out by Survation on behalf of James Kelly’s Scot Goes Pop, comes ahead of the party’s virtual National Assembly this weekend where members will meet to discuss “the tactics and strategy on the route from here to Independence Day”.
Last month, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon reiterated her Government’s commitment to a “legal, constitutional rule to becoming an independent state”.
She wants the process which took place ahead of the 2014 referendum in which the Scottish Government secured a Section 30 order from Downing Street to be the route taken in a new referendum.
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