Stevenson hails draft Indyref 2 Bill
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NEWS that a draft Bill is to put before the Scottish Parliament to pave the way for a fresh independence referendum has been welcomed by a local MSP.
Announcing the proposed legislation last Wednesday, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the SNP Scottish Government were fulfilling their manifesto commitment to hold the independence poll should Scotland be dragged out of the EU against its will.
Banffshire and Buchan Coast SNP MSP Stewart Stevenson hailed the move, which has been eagerly awaited by supporters of another vote.
He told the Advertiser: “The interests of the people of Scotland have been ignored and treated with contempt by Westminster throughout the Brexit process.
“The framework bill will seek agreement to a transfer of power at an appropriate point to enable an independence referendum that is beyond challenge to be held before 2021. The UK government must recognise it would be a democratic outrage if it sought to block such a referendum.”
Moray’s Conservative MP Douglas Ross described the move as “astonishing but predictable”.
“At a time when the people of Moray and Scotland need their country to be run responsibly, when our NHS and education systems are in crisis, when small businesses and larger enterprises need the support of competent leaders, we have the SNP-led Scottish Government who would rather just concentrate on having another divisive referendum, proving that they really don’t care about the country or its needs.
“We have all had enough of referendums, but the SNP are desperate to keep asking the same question until they get the answer they want.
“We said No and we meant No. Scottish Conservatives stand ready to take over at the next election to put a First Minister in charge who will get on with running the country.”
