UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson slammed down calls by the Scottish National Party to have another vote on the independence of Scotland, arguing that this is not the time to have a "reckless and irresponsible" second referendum
LONDON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 05th May, 2021) UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson slammed down calls by the Scottish National Party to have another vote on the independence of Scotland, arguing that this is not the time to have a "reckless and irresponsible" second referendum.
"I think that most people in Scotland, most people around the whole of the UK, feel that this is not the time, as we're coming forward out of a pandemic together, this is not the time to have a reckless, and I think irresponsible, second referendum," Johnson told Sky news while campaigning for the ruling Conservative Party in the Midlands, England, on the eve of May 6 regional elections.
SNP leader and Scotlands First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has repeatedly said that she will push for another independence referendum if her party wins the majority in Parliament.
She argues that although independentists were defeated in the 2014 referendum by 55% to 45%, Brexit changed the whole scenario, because Scotland was forced to leave the European Union when a large majority of the Scottish voters (62%) had opted for remaining within the bloc.
Johnson has said, however, that the 2014 referendum was "once-in-a-generation vote," so London will not grant permission for another poll.
"I think what most people want is to focus on the country and taking it forward and rebuilding our economy and getting people into work. That seems to me to be the priority," he insisted on Wednesday.
Millions of people in the UK will vote on Thursday for 143 councils, 39 police commissioners, 13 mayors, two regional parliaments (Scotland and Wales), the London Assembly and the new representative to the UK Parliament from the English constituency of Hartlepool.
