Boris Johnson reiterates opposition to indyref2 in phone call with SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon
Boris Johnson told Nicola Sturgeon in a phone call on Friday night that he is still firmly opposed to a second Scottish independence referendum, according to Downing Street.
Sturgeon had called SNP’s election success, in which they won 48 seats, a clear mandate for indyref2 on Friday.
However, Johnson “reiterated his unwavering commitment” to the union during the call.
Read more: SNP landslide a clear ‘mandate for indyref2’ says Sturgeon
The Prime Minister insisted the result of the 2014 referendum “should be respected”.
Sturgeon argued that it was not “credible” to deny Scotland the right to choose its own future and indicated she would publish a paper next week with a case for a second referendum.
The two have agreed to hold further discussion at a later date relating to issues raised by the election result which saw the Conservatives claim an 80-seat majority while SNP won 48 of the 59 constituencies in Scotland.
It was 13 more seats than Sturgeon’s party had won two years ago as well as an 8.1 per cent increase in the total share of the votes to 45 per cent within Scotland.
The Tories in contrast lost seven of their 13 seats in Scotland.
A Downing Street spokesman said the Prime Minister and Scottish First Minister had discussed Brexit as well as indyref2.
“On Brexit, the prime minister said that he is now in a position to get this done in a way that allows the whole of the UK to move forward together, providing certainty for Scottish businesses and improving the lives of people right across Scotland,” he said.
“The prime minister made clear how he remained opposed to a second independence referendum, standing with the majority of people in Scotland who do not want to return to division and uncertainty.
“He added how the result of the 2014 referendum was decisive and should be respected.”
A spokeswoman for the First Minister said the call was “constructive” and that Sturgeon had “indicated she would be publishing a paper next week and the two leaders agreed to have a more detailed discussion in the near future over the issues raised by the election result”.
She added that Sturgeon had “made clear that it was not credible for the [PM] to deny Scotland the right to choose its future”.
The SNP leader is expected to ask for legal powers to hold indyref2 to be transferred to the Scottish Parliament through what is known as a Section 30 order.
However she has ruled out holding the referendum unless its legality was beyond doubt.