Members of the Scottish Parliament held a debate on Scottish independence this afternoon, despite public sector services being “on the brink of collapse”. The debate, entitled: “People’s Right to Choose – Respecting Scotland’s Democratic Mandate”, saw Scotland’s Constitution Secretary Angus Robertson says the UK Government has been “undermining and systematically dismantling devolution”.
“People look to the Scottish Parliament to tackle the things that matter most to them.
“Instead, we have a nationalist government which thinks the most important thing is to break up the UK.
“It may be a new year, but by prioritising its tired old arguments on independence, the Scottish Government is once again exposing its narrow-minded and self-serving agenda.”
Speaking ahead of the debate, Angus Robertson, Scotland’s Constitution Secretary said the Scottish Government remains “willing to engage” with the UK Government on the issue of a second referendum.
In November 2022, it was revealed the Scottish Government has spent up to £1.5million to pay civil servants working on putting together the case for independence, despite the country being under increasing pressure as a result of the cost of living crisis.
Ms Sturgeon’s latest independence paper, published in November 2022, set out the financial case for an independent Scotland, saying that the UK Government “cannot be trusted to act in Scotland’s interests”.
Speaking about the paper, the SNP leader said “independence is now essential” in order to “prevent further economic damage being inflicted by Westminster Governments”.
The First Minister claimed that Brexit has made the UK even more “ill-equipped to cope with events like the cost of living crisis”.
But Lord Offord of Garvel, a Liberal Democrat peer, called on the SNP to get “on with the job at hand” rather than focussing on independence, which he dubbed an “embarrassing distraction”.
