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Lib Dems could work with other parties to boost case for the union

04 Aug 2022 2 minute read
Scottish independence rally 2018. Picture by Azerifactory (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Alex Cole-Hamilton, the Edinburgh Western MSP, has vowed to fight “tooth and nail” to stop a second referendum on Scottish independence, as he insisted First Minister Nicola Sturgeon’s heart is not in the fight for another vote.

That could see him partner with fellow pro-union parties such as Labour or the Conservatives.

The move could be similar to The Vow – which saw former UK party leaders David Cameron, Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg collaborate to develop a pro-union strategy ahead of the 2014 referendum.

The Scottish Government plans to stage a second referendum on independence on October 19, 2023, depending on the outcome of a Supreme Court ruling on the legality of the vote.

It has been opposed by Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who has said a Section 30 order, which would grant the powers to hold a referendum, would be refused.

Fight

Mr Cole-Hamilton said: “First of all I hope there’s not going to be a referendum. I will fight tooth and nail to stop it happening because it gets in the way.

“I will always make the case for Scotland’s positive future in a reformed United Kingdom.

“I recognise there are problems with the status quo but we don’t solve those problems by getting rid of that union.

“Of course I’ll stand shoulder to shoulder, as I have done particularly with people like Mr (Anas) Sarwar and the Labour Party, to make a strong case for a more positive vision in a reformed United Kingdom.”

He also took aim at the First Minister’s reasons for announcing her plans for another referendum.

He said: “We need our Government to focus on the issues that matter to people.

“I don’t even think Nicola Sturgeon’s heart is really in this anymore.

“She’s announced this plan as red meat to her base to keep everybody marching.”


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Fi yn unig
Fi yn unig
2 years ago

Oh yes i remember ‘The Vow’ by Cameron, Miliband & Clegg. It had to be renamed ‘The Lie’ after Scotland was dragged out of the EU against its’ will. So what lies will be told in this ‘fighting tooth and nail’ exercise? Well the Lib Dems can afford to say they’ll take Scotland back into the EU because they’ll never have enough people in power to deliver that and they may well be extinct in Scotland post Independence so they have little to lose. I do hope they have the decency to stand down and not be involved in an… Read more »

One of the two witnesses
One of the two witnesses
2 years ago

Lib Dems could sell independence supporters down the river

Glwyo
Glwyo
2 years ago

“could”

Lmao

Peter Cuthbert
Peter Cuthbert
2 years ago
Reply to  Glwyo

We need to know if that is the ‘National’ Lib Dem position or just the local Scottish version. If it is National then the Welsh Lib Dems need to own up to the policy and we can add them to the list of parties on the ‘Do not vote for’ list. We should not forget that they sold out under Clegg so may well do it again if not stopped by the ballot box. Such a pity we don’t have a Socialist facing Labour Party any more.

Quornby
Quornby
2 years ago

There is no “case for the union” will someone please tell the Liberal Thingys?

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