UK facing constitutional shock in Scottish and Welsh elections – Stephen Flynn

Katrine Bussey, Press Association Scotland Political Editor

The UK is facing a “constitutional shock” in key elections in Scotland and Wales this week that could see Sir Keir Starmer unseated as Prime Minister, SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn has warned.

If Thursday’s elections for Holyrood and the Senedd see the SNP and Palid Cymru be successful, Mr Flynn said that the UK Labour leader “is not going to be in office come the end of next week”.

The SNP is already on course for what would be a record fifth consecutive election win at Holyrood on May 7 – while Plaid Cymru is aiming to unseat Labour from power at the Senedd for the first time in devolution.

Mr Flynn – who himself is running for Holyrood – predicted: “There is going to be a constitutional shock on these isles next Thursday when the Scottish National Party hopefully win in Scotland, Plaid Cymru hopefully win in Wales as well.”

The SNP is hoping for a majority win at Holyrood on Thursday, saying this can be the key to unlocking the party’s demands for a second independence referendum.

Speaking on Sky News’s Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips programme, Mr Flynn recalled how the 2014 referendum came after his party’s 2011 majority victory at Holyrood which “broke the electoral system here in Scotland”.

The SNP MP insisted: “History is on our side in that regard so if next Thursday we break the electoral system in Scotland once again… then I would expect the people of Scotland to be given a say over their own future, as is right in any democratic society.”

Sir Keir, however, and other senior Labour politicians at Westminster have already indicated they will refuse demands for a fresh vote on Scotland’s future to take place.

But Mr Flynn claimed the UK Government “won’t” be able to refuse a second independence referendum.

Speaking on this issue he insisted: “You’re telling me that Keir Starmer saying no means something – Keir Starmer is not going to be in office come the end of next week.”

While he added that the Prime Minister “might survive for a few weeks” after Thursday’s elections – which also include local council elections in England – he added that Sir Keir “loves a u-turn if he does somehow manage to stay in office”.

Mr Flynn said: “The Westminster establishment, I am afraid, aren’t quite ready or aware of what is about to happen.

“Because they cannot continue to deny that democracy exists on these isles for the Scottish people and indeed potentially for the Welsh people as well.”

‘Fresh start’

As well as arguing a majority win for the SNP “delivers us the opportunity of a fresh start with independence”, he added that by backing his party voters could ensure Scotland has the “stable, strong leadership of John Swinney in this very chaotic world”.

His comments came as he insisted that the UK was “broken beyond repair”.

Mr Flynn said: “We should be able to transform our society and people’s lives and not have to rely on broken Brexit Britain which is going to potentially have Nigel Farage in charge.

“Scotland has a very positive future in front of it, but it can only achieve that by voting for the SNP.”