The Prime Minister will give a press conference on Tuesday in Edinburgh alongside Patrick Harvey, the co-chair of the Scottish Greens. Sturgeon has pledged to launch IndyRef2 by the end of next year, but is facing stiff opposition from the UK government and pro-Union parties in Holyrood. It comes as former SNP leader Alex Salmond used an interview last weekend to urge the Scottish government to draw its “firearm” in a new independence campaign. In an interview with BBC Scotland, Sturgeon was asked if tomorrow’s event marked the official launch of an IndyRef2 campaign. The Prime Minister said: “Yes, we said we would do it after Covid’s situation allows. “Tomorrow, we will publish the first in a series of documents that will restore the cause of independence to an interdependent world. “The world, both domestically and internationally, has changed dramatically since Scotland voted in 2014. Read more related articles Read more related articles “The first work will be largely scenic – it will look at a wealth of evidence from the economic and social performance of the United Kingdom and Scotland, compared to a number of other countries across Europe. “The conclusion, very clearly, is that Scotland could do much better as an independent country.” Asked when a bill would be introduced to pave the way for a referendum, Sterzon said she would say more about the legislation “in the coming weeks”. He added: “There are two principles that are really important in all this. “Democracy is the first. The people of Scotland gave my party, my government, the mandate for an independence referendum in last year ‘s elections. I intend to honor that. “The second principle is the rule of law. Every process must be legal and legitimate. “If we had a UK government that respected democracy, that would be resolved the way it was in 2014 with an Article 30 provision.” But the fact was condemned by opposition politicians, who insisted that ministers should focus on correcting the NHS and the cost-of-living crisis. Alex Cole-Hamilton, leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, said: “Nicola Sturgeon has launched more independence campaigns than ferries. “This coalition is about one thing only. The ministers are paying attention, the top civil servants and tens of millions of pounds are gaining independence. “They care more about their obsession with independence than anyone who has stuck to the NHS longest waiting list in history, the cost of living crisis or the climate emergency. “No one believes that education is now Nicola Sturgeon’s top priority. “The SNP and the Greens are taking people for granted. Let’s put aside the debate on an independence referendum and focus on what matters right now.” Tory MSP Donald Cameron said: “Nicola Sturgeon is deliberately ignoring Scotland’s priorities to advance plans for a second divisive 2023 independence referendum. “The vast majority of Scots do not want to be distracted by another referendum next year. “They want the government to focus 100% on our recovery from the pandemic, the global cost of living crisis, our NHS support and job protection. “However, Nicola Sturgeon continues recklessly with her obsession anyway. This is nothing short of a shame when the country faces so many important challenges. “The distraction and the interruption of another bitter debate on the referendum is the last thing Scotland needs right now. “Nicola Sturgeon should focus fully on helping people in this difficult time, not diverting government resources and huge amounts of public money to the SNP obsession. “The people of Scotland want to see an SNP government focus on key tasks such as building ferries rather than dismantling the UK.” To subscribe to the Daily Record Politics newsletter, click here. Read more related articles
