7 Dec 2019
The Scottish Conservatives are today calling on Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson to categorically rule out offering her support for a SNP-Labour pact – which could lead to another independence referendum.
Scottish Conservative leader Jackson Carlaw said Ms Swinson needed to make clear that, in a straight choice, she would put the UK Union first, before a second EU vote.
The SNP has said it wants to enter into a pact with Labour after next week’s election – with Nicola Sturgeon demanding a second independence referendum as the price of her support.
But there are key questions over how LibDem MPs would act if a Labour and the SNP agreed to implement two referendums next year.
After Scottish LibDem leader Willie Rennie said that stopping independence was the most important issue in Scotland, the Scottish Conservatives are now calling on the Liberal Democrats to make clear they would do whatever necessary to block a Labour government that kept an independence referendum on the table.
Campaigning in Moray and Stirling, Mr Carlaw said today:
“I am calling on Jo Swinson to clarify her party’s position before we go to the polls on Thursday.”
“We need to hear clearly from the Liberal Democrats that they will never prop up a Labour – SNP alliance that is preparing to offer up a second independence referendum.”
“This is a key point of principle for Jo Swinson. The suspicion is growing that she is so obsessed with revoking Article 50 or having a second EU vote that she would allow a second independence referendum as a price worth paying.”
“She must make it clear. Will she block any Labour-SNP arrangement that would leave a second independence referendum on the table – or not?”
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