AN interview in which Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross insisted the UK is a voluntary Union has been described as “almost hilarious”.
Following yesterday’s Supreme Court ruling on indyref2, Ross said it was an “opportunity for both our governments to work together”.
He said the country was going through “really challenging times” and that opinion polls showed the “vast majority” of Scots did not want another referendum.
This comes as a new poll found half of Scots would vote for the SNP at the next General Election if doing so meant leaving the Union.
Ross then said it was “not true” when it was put to him that the majority of Scots put in place pro-independence politicians at the last Holyrood election.
Speaking on BBC’s Good Morning Scotland, he was asked, if the Union was voluntary, then how does Scotland go about leaving.
Ross said: “Well of course it’s voluntary and I’ve given you the clearest example that we live in a voluntary Union because just eight years ago we were given the opportunity to have our say on this issue.
“It’s a massive issue and the people of Scotland decided that they wanted to remain part of the United Kingdom.
“Of course, back then there was consensus among the political parties that there was an opportunity to have a referendum.”
Following on from yesterday’s ruling, hundreds of Scots turned out at rallies across the country to protest the decision.
Speaking at an event in Edinburgh, Nicola Sturgeon told the crowd: “The United Kingdom is not a voluntary union of nations.”
Ross continued: “If I can just say, you know, I think everyone would say that 2011 and the period between 2011 and the referendum in 2014 was very different to what we have now in terms of the vote and the consensus amongst the political parties.
“Right now, where I hope we can get consensus is there is a consensus for us to work together, to deliver on the big challenges that we are facing, to get to work on crucial issues that really impact families across Scotland right now.
“Some won’t be able to go to work because they’re looking after their kids because teachers are striking for the first time in 40 years.
“These are the issues that the Scottish Government and the First Minister could be focused on, that we know over the next few weeks and months Nicola Sturgeon is going to be discussing with her nationalist supporters how they can circumvent the rules and the judgment of the Supreme Court, I think that’s the wrong priority right now.”
SNP MP Pete Wishart slammed Ross for the interview. He wrote on Twitter: “Douglas Ross almost hilarious on #bncgms. Every election the Scottish Conservatives have contested since 2014 has been on the single issue of ‘stopping a 2nd indyref’ and they lost every one decisively.”
Wishart then added: “Geez. I bet he’s glad that’s over. The Unionists seem to be imploding on what they thought was going to be their ‘finest hour’… They just can’t concede that this is no longer a voluntary union.”
