THE WILL OF THE SCOTTISH PEOPLE SHOULD BE RESPECTED

28 March 2017

THE WILL OF THE SCOTTISH PEOPLE SHOULD BE RESPECTED – DUGDALE

The SNP should respect the will of the Scottish people by scrapping its plan for another divisive referendum, Kezia Dugdale said today.

Speaking in the latest Scottish Parliament debate on independence, the Scottish Labour leader said that Scotland is already divided enough.

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Here is the full text of Kezia Dugdale’s speech in the Scottish Parliament:

Last week we came together to remember those who lost their lives or were injured in the Westminster terror attack.

We united in our condemnation of a barbaric act, and reaffirmed our commitment to the values of tolerance and integration, freedom and solidarity.

It was right that last week’s debate about a second independence referendum was postponed.

But the business of the Scottish Parliament has now resumed.

And here I am once again responding to remarks from the First Minister about a second independence referendum.

If it feels familiar to those of us in here just imagine how familiar it must feel to those outside of this chamber.

To people who very rarely tune in to these discussions.

Who just want political leaders to focus on the business of government by delivering good schools and hospitals, and on growing the economy to provide jobs and prosperity.

But once again they see us debating the issue they thought had been decided in a once-in-a-generation vote in 2014.

Yesterday’s meeting between the Prime Minister and the First Minister summed up where we are in this country.

Two intransigent leaders focussed only on the constitution, while the business of government gets pushed to one side.

Nicola Sturgeon demonstrated that she has given up any pretence that she wants the best Brexit deal for Scotland.

Instead of fighting for more powers to come to Scotland from Brussels, it’s independence or nothing for the First Minister.

And we had the spectacle of Theresa May claiming to be the best protector of the Union.

Just ponder that for a moment…

The leader of a Conservative Party that has caused so much division in our society.

That set Scotland against England in the General Election.

And whose reckless Brexit gamble brought us to this point, where leaving the EU just provides the SNP with the latest excuse it was looking for to push for another referendum.

So some humility from the Tories, and a genuine desire to probably engage with this place wouldn’t go amiss.

Presiding Officer, in the week since we last met to discuss, at least three issues which would normally dominate the front pages of our newspapers have been buried in the back of the book.

We have learned that the SNP has abandoned a promise to reduce the working hours of junior doctors. A promise made by the former First Minister to the parents of a woman who lost her life.

We have seen a damning report into the quality and provision of child and adolescent mental health services.

And just today, it has been confirmed that Scotland’s cancer waiting times have not been met for four years.

Each of these 3 issues constitutes an individual scandal.

Together they a represent a complete abdication of responsibility.

But we aren’t discussing any of those things. After all, why would the government responsible for the NHS want to debate its 10 year record on the health service?

Not when there is yet another independence debate to be had.

We all know the outcome of the vote tonight.

The compliant Greens will once again back their fellow Nationalists in the SNP.

Let’s not pretend that this SNP-Green push for another divisive referendum reflects the will of the Scottish people.

Because It doesn’t.

85 per cent of the population voted in the last referendum, and we voted decisively to remain in the UK.

That’s the will of the people and it should be respected.

My message to the First Minister remains unchanged: we are divided enough – do not divide us again.

Because leaving the UK would mean £15billion worth of extra cuts to schools and hospitals in Scotland.

And every time I am in a tv studio with a member of the governing party, as I was this morning, they seek to try and rubbish or ridicule these figures – but they simply can’t deny that these are the government’s own numbers.

The government’s own stats say Independence would be catastrophic for working families.

That’s why I could never support a policy that would hurt our poorest communities, so the question beckons, why would the First Minister?

We are just hours away from the start of the formal process of leaving the European Union.

The First Minister and I agree that Brexit risks damaging our relationship with Europe.

It will threaten thousands of jobs right here in Scotland and hold back our economy.

But like her I, accept that Brexit is going to happen. Scotland is leaving the European Union.

The First Minister has finally dropped the pretence that we could remain in the EU and that clarity is welcome.

The First Minister has another decision to make now too.

Is she going to spend the next 2yrs and 100% of her time campaigning for Scotland to leave the UK, at the expense of governing… or will she roll up her sleeves from today and seek to secure more powers for this Parliament when they return from Brussels to Britain?

Because tomorrow I will be in Cardiff doing just that.

Working with the Labour First Minister of Wales, Carwyn Jones, who is prepared to put in the hard work necessary now to secure the best Brexit deal for Wales and for the United Kingdom.

Because this isn’t a battle between independence and the status quo.

It’s about the SNP’s never ending campaign for separation and what the people want – and voted for – a powerful Scottish Parliament within the United Kingdom.

These benches will campaign with everything we have for Scotland to remain in the UK.

A UK where political and economic power is in the hands of the many, not the few.

A UK that delivers for the people of Scotland.

That was our manifesto commitment and we will honour that tonight by voting against the SNP’s plan for another divisive referendum.