Although most Scottish citizens opposed Brexit, the part of the country has to bear the consequences. The Scottish nationalists are now utilizing existing resentments of the population for an argument favouring a second independence referendum.

The Scottish National Party (SNP) is pushing ahead with its plans for independence from Great Britain. With a “roadmap” – they have now emphasized their demands. First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon announced that a “legal referendum” would be held after the pandemic. The prerequisite is that pro-independence parties receive a majority again in the regional election planned for May 6th.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson strictly rejects a new referendum and stresses that the question has been resolved for this generation. In its eleven-point plan, the SNP now writes that the British government in London had three options: Either it admits that the Scottish Parliament already has the power to call a referendum or officially approve the vote. Alternatively, they could try to challenge “the wishes of the Scottish people” in court, which the SNP would vigorously oppose.

It is certain that the SNP will be able to unite a majority of voters in the May election. At the moment, the nationalists are steadily rising in the polls and are thus heading for a record majority. In the last election, Sturgeon’s party won 63 of 129 seats in the regional parliament, but polls show that it can expect up to eight additional seats in May.

For months, a majority of Scots has also been in favour of independence from Great Britain. In a referendum in 2014, a narrow majority voted against it – at that time, however, Brexit was not in sight. In the 2016 referendum, most of the Scots then voted to remain in the EU. With the argument that Brexit sheds new light on the first referendum, Sturgeon and her party are now vehemently favouring a second referendum.

Meanwhile, the opposition said it was “inexcusable” that the SNP put its independence plans above everything in troubled times with thousands of corona deaths, the Labour Party argued.

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