ELECTION 2021: Second Indyref is 'height of irresponsibility'
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AS Liberal Democrats we know that people want to get their lives back, writes Liberal Democrat candidate for Banffshire and Buchan Coast Alison Simpson.
Nothing could make that harder than a row about an unclear future.
As we struggle with an incompetent Brexit and a pandemic that has taken lives, damaged our children’s schooling and devastated livelihoods, Nationalists – including the SNP – are busy fighting amongst themselves.
And still they’ve the cheek to seek support to press ahead with another referendum with no idea of what independence would mean or look like.
How can the party that can’t manage devolution have the neck to pretend it can lead Scotland to anywhere but a more divided and fragile place?
To plunge Scotland into the run-up to yet another referendum is the height of irresponsibility.
We should use our resources to support those sectors of the economy struggling with the Brexit fallout.
We must push Conservatives to respect devolution, not undermine it. We also need to know precisely how they plan to resolve the many difficulties arising from Brexit.
The SNP cannot explain how independence negotiations with the rest of the UK would go, how long they’d take or what final settlement may be achieved.
Even less can they predict what future relationship Scotland could have with the EU or - when we could even begin to discuss it.
How on earth could a hard border with England be managed?
Independence, if it is ever to work, must be thought through and enjoy overwhelming support in Scotland and goodwill from the rest of the UK.
We are light years away from that. Let’s put this argument aside.
A party vote for the Scottish Liberal Democrats will give us list MSPs for the north-east, helping stop a Nationalist majority – and the chaos that will inevitably follow.
Let’s reject chaos. Put recovery first.
