By Ben Kerrigan -
Nicola Sturgeon, the Scottish Prime Minister, faces opposition in her push for Scottish Independence, according to Scottish politicians and a you-gov poll.
Business figures, including CBI Scotland head, Sir Ian Mcmi9llan and former Scottish Enterprise chief executive, Jack Perry, told the Scotman newspaper that they were concerned about Sturgeon’s initiative for independence.
They claimed a referendum will add uncertainty to Scotland’s future at a time when small and large businesses are looking for stability. Instead they advocated a more important need for the Scottish government to focus on improving their education system and improving the NHS. Their comments came in the wake of an announcement by Nicholas Sturgeon to launch a new initiative urging Scots to decide if they want to have their destiny in their own hands or leave it in the hands of others. She said the option of independence would be a ”big decision”, in the wake of the Brexit referendum outcome, saying there were many issues to weigh up, but that it was right to keep the option on the table. She noted the case had not yet been won.
She said every poll since the Brexit vote had shown support for independence was higher than when voters backed staying in the Uk by 55% to 45%. However, Sturgeon failed to note the recent marginal opposition to independence indicated in two recent polls, with 46% and 47% support for independence in two respective polls- the difference of 53 and 545 respectively , showing opposition to independence.
Scotland’s first prime minister said the UK has changed since Brexit and that support for independence had grown. Her initiative and campaign which appears to be saddled with opposition, may have led to launch of ”the biggest listening exercise in our party’s history”, scheduled to run from now until St.Andrew’s day on Nov.30 . Speaking at an assembly of the party’s Mp’s, MEP’s in Stirling, she said we want to understand in detail how people feel now about Europe, Brexit and independence. We want to know the concerns that people have and the questions they want answered. We want to build if we can have a consensus on the way ahead”. She plans to send all 120,000 members of the SNP a pack of survey cards, with her Parliamentarians asked to hold one town event each to engage with directly with their constituents.
Critics insist that Scots do not wish to revisit the division and controversy that attended the UK referendum, and would rather stay in the UK than face an uncertain future by leaving the UK. They have also said that the 15 bn public spending should act as a ”reality check” for those calling for a referendum.
UK prime Minister, Theresa May, has already expressed disapproval of any pursuit of Scottish independence, and met with Sturgeon shortly after the Brexit vote to address her desire for a second referendum. That meeting appears to have bore little fruit considering Sturgeon’s continued push for a referendum. Scotland voted decisively in favor of staying in the EU, but EU chiefs have been reluctant to discuss an avenue for involving the Scots in a separate deal from the UK, insisting on dealing solely with the UK government with respect to any potential deal. So Nicolas Sturgeon still faces staunch opposition in her bid to achieve Scottish independence, and the historical listening exercise she plans to hold will probably reveal a lot more.