Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon launched a new campaign for Scottish independence on Tuesday (June 14) by unveiling the first in a series of white papers calling for a break with the United Kingdom. “After everything that’s happened, Brexit, Covid-19, [British Prime Minister] Boris Johnson, it’s time to present a different and better vision,” Ms Sturgeon told a news conference.
“It’s time to talk about independence”, added the leader of the independence party SNP, believing that she had “an indisputable democratic mandate”, in this sense, after the victory of her party in the local elections in 2021.
Nicola Sturgeon wants to organize a new self-determination referendum in Scotland by 2023, despite a first consultation where 55% of voters rejected independence in 2014 and despite the refusal of the London government. She believes that Brexit, which the Scots opposed, has changed the situation and that the nation must now be able to join the European Union (EU) as an independent state. “Brexit has ripped us out of the EU and the single market against our will, with huge damage to trade, living conditions and public services,” she pleaded.
Boris Johnson s’y oppose
“At this crucial time, (…) do we remain tied to a British economic and social model that constrains us to disappointing economic and social outcomes, which are likely to get worse rather than better outside the European Union? “, launched Nicola Sturgeon. “Or do we, on the contrary, raise our eyes with hope and optimism and draw inspiration from comparable countries across Europe? »
The first document published on Tuesday, which analyzes the performance of ten European countries such as Ireland, Switzerland or Belgium, shows that these are “more prosperous, fairer and more productive than the United Kingdom”, underlined the leader. “Why not Scotland?” “, endowed with abundant energy resources, an important agri-food industry and a rich natural heritage, she insisted.
Other documents will follow in the coming months, on currency, public finances, social security, trade, defense and security, or even membership of the EU.
Boris Johnson, who has the final say on whether or not to authorize this referendum, strongly opposes it, believing that such a consultation can only happen “once in a generation”. “This government has no respect for democracy,” Nicola Sturgeon said. “We have a Prime Minister with no democratic authority in Scotland and no moral authority anywhere in the UK. »