SCOTTISH Labour will not set out the democratic route to Scottish independence this summer, Jackie Baillie has insisted.
The deputy leader was probed on whether Sir Keir Starmer or Anas Sarwar would set out the lawful route to indyref2 - just after we reported that Starmer would not grant a Section 30 order if he became Prime Minister.
Speaking on the BBC’s Sunday Show, Baillie claimed it was unlikely that the Supreme Court would allow a ballot on independence to go ahead and that it wasn’t the priority of Scottish voters.
Last week, the Lord Advocate referred the referendum Bill to the UK’s highest court in a bid to establish the legality of Holyrood holding its own constitutional vote.
BBC journalist Martin Geissler asked Baillie: “Will your party make it crystal clear over the summer how Scotland has a legal route to independence if it wants to? And will Anas Sarwar or Sir Keir Starmer say this is the process by which Scotland can legally choose its own future?”
The deputy leader replied: “No, because that's not the priority facing the people of Scotland. That's not what the people of Scotland want us to do, and to be frank with you the Lord Advocate is already saying that the Scottish Parliament don't have the power to do it.”
The Dumbarton MSP added that she would anticipate the Supreme Court “being unlikely to say that we can go ahead”.
She continued: “So Nicola Sturgeon in a last roll of the dice is saying that the general election will be some de facto referendum. Experts in politics have just rubbished that claim and people are going to be voting on so much more.
“They want to get rid of the Tories from government. They want decency and honesty back in politics. Keir Starmer, who I remind you and your viewers, was not charged because he was not guilty of any wrongdoing. It's such a contrast to Boris Johnson.
“And indeed, some of the other Tory contenders who really laughed at people during Covid when they had serial parties. I mean, you couldn't have a more stark contrast.”
Geissler then pointed out that UK Labour leader Starmer got “Brexity” during a speech at the Irish Embassy last week where he set out a five-point plan to “Make Brexit work”.
Asked if she agreed with Starmer’s stance, Baillie said: “Look, I campaigned really hard for us to stay within the European Union.
“Let me point out to you though, that the SNP are late comers to this. They in fact spent more in their Orkney election than they actually did on contesting and he's offering…”
Geissler interrupted to say it appeared Starmer was “embracing” Boris Johnson’s version of Brexit.
Baillie said: “No, no. Look, let me just be very clear about this - we know that Brexit has damaged the country, it's damaged Scotland.
“But we know that tearing Scotland out of the UK will cause infinitely more damage. Now, whether I like it or not, the overwhelming majority of the population in the UK voted to leave Europe.
“We have a responsibility to make sure that the damage that's being done is mitigated. We need to stop people suffering and businesses suffering as a result of that.”
The BBC journalist then said that Starmer can’t win both Scotland and the red wall seats with the same message - particularly on Brexit - and asked if the Labour leader was prioritising the north of England over Scotland with his speech earlier in the week.
Baillie said: “No, I think he's prioritising the whole country and making sure that we stop the damage that's happening to all parts of the UK as a consequence of this. We do need to make it work whether we like it or not, that's where we currently are.
“The SNP’s obsession with independence would cause much worse damage, and I think that's the thing people need to realise. At the end of the day, I want a government that will act in the interest of all of the people and that's what Keir Starmer is trying to do.
“That's not what the SNP will do.”
