Scottish Secretary Alister Jack has claimed the UK Government could refuse another independence referendum for forty years.
Jack told the BBC the position on indyref2 is “no for a generation”, which he defined as decades.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon tweeted:
“As we’re seeing across the Atlantic just now, politicians who rage against democracy don’t prevail. Let’s not dignify this rubbish. Instead let’s keep making and winning the case for independence. Power doesn’t belong to politicians - it belongs to the people.”
Recent opinion polls have shown independence is in the lead and the Scottish Government believes voters should be offered another referendum.
However, the UK Government has refused and next year’s Holyrood election looks like centring on indyref2.
Pro-UK parties oppose another vote on independence, but they have been asked to explain what will happen if the SNP wins a majority of seats based on an explicit promise of another referendum.
Jack told the broadcaster the focus should be on rebuilding the economy and giving business certainty.
Asked if the UK Government is saying no to indyref2 for the full term of the next parliament, Jack said:
“It’s no for a generation.”
Asked how long a generation is, he said: “Is it 25 years or is it 40 years? You tell me. But it's certainly not six years, nor 10".
Richard Lochhead, a Minister in the SNP Government, tweeted: "A willingness to ignore election results becoming a bit of a trend this week."
