Sturgeon should back ‘The Sturgeon Test’ on Indyref2

21 Apr 2019

The Scottish Conservatives are calling on Nicola Sturgeon to stand by her own test on holding a second independence referendum, prior to the SNP conference this week.

At her Holyrood manifesto launch in April 2016, Ms Sturgeon said that she would not bring forward a referendum before a majority of people in Scotland backed the case for independence.

The First Minister now claims she has the right to demand a referendum – yet a poll by the SNP supporting ‘Progress Scotland’ group earlier this month concluded that support for independence had fallen to below 40%.

Speaking at the launch of her manifesto in 2016, she said:

“If there is to be a second referendum, we first have to earn the right to propose it. Setting the date for a referendum before a majority of the Scottish people have been persuaded that independence – and therefore another referendum – is the best future for our country is the wrong way round.”

“This summer we will start new work to persuade a majority in Scotland of that case for independence. If we don’t succeed, we won’t have earned the right to propose another referendum.”

Jackson Carlaw, interim leader for the Scottish Conservatives said the First Minister should back “the Sturgeon Test” this week when she is expected to update Holyrood on her plans.

“At her own manifesto launch, Nicola Sturgeon made her view clear: if people didn’t back independence, she wouldn’t propose a referendum.

“For three years since, she’s tried to use Brexit to demonstrate support for independence and another referendum. Yet even the SNP’s own polls show she has comprehensively failed.

“Even by her own logic, the First Minister has not earned the right to hold another referendum. Let’s therefore hope that this week the First Minister stands by her own words, and doesn’t cave in to her activists ahead of SNP conference.

“Nicola Sturgeon should uphold the Sturgeon Test.

“Scotland doesn’t want yet more referendums – we want to move on and focus on the things that matter: improving our schools, making our streets safer and growing high quality jobs in Scotland.”