Scottish independence campaign should be separated from SNP, claims nationalist MP

SNP seat of Glasgow Kelvin but was removed following conversations with party bosses yesterday.It follows an interview she gave with a pro-independence newspaper in which she claimed Labour “respects the right” to have a referendum, and the “only quibble” in the party appears to be the timing of it.She added she would be honest about her stance on the vote if asked, but added: “It is not something I am going to be putting on my leaflets.”Anas Sarwar - who replaced Richard Leonard as Scottish

Savanta ComRes for the Scotland on Sunday newspaper indicates 52% to 48% in favour of the union.The poll is the first to be carried out since Nicola Sturgeon and Alex Salmond gave evidence to the Holyrood inquiry into the unlawful investigation of the former first minister.Carried out in the two days after the current First Minister appeared before the committee, the survey found 35% of respondents said the inquiry was making them less likely to vote for independence.Another 16% said the inquiry

Scottish independence referendum could take place "as early as late 2021", according to SNP MP Ian Blackford.The Westminster leader for the Scottish National Party said, however, that the first priority of the Scottish Government is tackling the Covid crisis.Blackford explained the "key" would be putting in place circumstances which would allow for an independence vote to be held.He said: "I want to see that referendum happen as quickly as is practically possible, I think it's in everybody's

Salmond and Sturgeon fall-out as another reason to not hold an independence poll.Rees-Mogg made his now regular attacks on independence while answering questions in the Commons.SNP MP Angus MacNeil asked: “If the Scottish people or indeed the Welsh people, given the polling in Wales this morning, were to vote for independence at the ballot box, would he respect that choice of the Scottish and indeed the Welsh people?”Rees-Mogg replied: “There was a referendum, he may have forgotten, in 2014 in

Tory chancellor will boast that the fund is part of a £57 million investment in Scottish business growth in Wednesday’s Budget statement.Sunak is also expected to announce up to £2 million to support jobs as the oil and gas industry moves into cleaner energy sources and a further £5 million for the Global Underwater Hub in Aberdeen, building on last year’s £1.3 million commitment.Get all the top Scottish politics news sent straight to your Inbox by signing up to our Politics newsletter.We cover

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exclusive poll published by the Record predicts the SNP will win 67 seats at May's election - just two more than is needed for an overall majority.But the rise in support for the Greens - who also back calls for an IndyRef2 - mean Unionist parties could be heavily outnumbered in the Scottish Parliament at a time when the constitutional question is dominating politics. According to the Survation poll of 1000 Scots, the SNP would have 67 MSPs, a gain of four on the 2016 election.

link!After learning that S Collins & Son had followed up its previous Scottish Butcher’s shop of the year coups in 2012 and 2017, senior partner of the Lindsaybeg Road shop, and third generation butcher, Stewart Collins said: “For an independent family-run butcher to win the high profile honour not once but three times is absolutely amazing, and a true testament to our craft skills, quality products and service.“I dedicate it to the entire 45-strong team, experienced and dedicated butchers and

Downing Street's Union Unit chief after Johnson's controversial visit to Scotland at the end of January.

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has accused the Tories of “chest beating unionism” and vowed to take on the SNP to win back lost voters.In an interview with the Record, Sarwar vowed to offer an alternative to the “Saltire waving” nationalism of the SNP and the “army tank driving” image of the Conservatives.He also called on Nicola Sturgeon to be clearer on dates for easing lockdown and said cops and teachers should be prioritised for the vaccine.Sarwar, a Glasgow MSP, defeated colleague

coronavirus in the last 24 hours.Figures released by the Scottish Government this afternoon reveal 572 new cases of the virus have been recorded overnight.The total number of cases in Scotland now stands at 202,084 with the total death toll at 7,131, of people who have tested positive within 28 days.There are 837 people in hospital with the virus and 78 are being treated in intensive care.The news comes as care home relatives prepare for the reintroduction of indoor visiting this week.Concerns

The SNP would fail to win a Yes vote in the wake of the Alex Salmond inquiry, a new poll has revealed.A bombshell survey found that the majority of people in Scotland no longer want to break away from the rest of the United Kingdom.It is clear evidence that the feud between First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and her former mentor now threatens to destroy their political dream.The Survation survey for the Sunday Mail revealed support for independence has dropped from 58 per cent in October to a 50/50

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All Under One Banner (AUOB) - a non-party volunteer group known for organising pro-independence events across the country - said today it had pulled the plug on its showpiece march on May 1.Previous independence marches in Glasgow have attracted tens of thousands of supporters, with a rally in January 2020 said to have been attended by more than 50,000.Smaller marches due to take place in Kirkcaldy and Arbroath in the spring have also been cancelled.It comes as both Scottish Labour and the

budget.Party strategists hailed the “fantastic news” as Scots prepare for an election in May.But the Tory opposition leader warned the focus is a damaging distraction during the pandemic and financial crisis.There is no date for a second referendum and Prime Minister Boris Johnson opposes all calls for another vote.First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has suggested one in the next parliamentary session, assuming an SNP victory in May.

Forward As One group, asking the court to declare Holyrood has the power to legislate for another vote.But after a two-day hearing in January, Lady Carmichael dismissed the case – ruling it was “plainly raised prematurely”, with the question of another referendum “also hypothetical, and may never come to pass”.Aidan O’Neill QC, for Keatings, reiterated the importance of an urgent disposal at a further hearing on Friday, which would allow an appeal to be heard in April.He referred to a statement

Get the Ayrshire stories that interest you straight to your inbox every day with our personalised newsletterThe upcoming Scottish Parliament election is a health and safety risk for East Ayrshire voters and council staff.That is the opinion of Kilmarnock councillor Tom Cook who has raised safety concerns about polls opening in the middle of a pandemic.Plans are underway for the Holyrood election to happen on Thursday, May 6.Conservative councillor Cook along with party colleagues believes the

is on course for a majority of seats at May's Holyrood election while support for independence has also climbed over the last 12 months.Carwyn Jones, who led Welsh Labour from 2009 until 2018, said this popularity was partly a response to the "English nationalist" outlook of the UK Government led by Johnson.He said it would be "very difficult to oppose" for the Prime Minister to oppose an IndyRef2 if the Nationalists won a majority as expected.And the former Welsh Assembly leader warned that

Yes vote ahead, but the gap with unionists has tightened. The Savanta ComRes poll, published by The Scotsman, put support for independence at 47%, compared with 42% for staying in the UK and 10% undecided.