It took two referendums to get a final answer to the independence question. The people of Quebec had their first vote on whether to pursue secession from Canada in May 1980. The proposition was defeated, and by a chunky majority, but the idea did not go away, it lived to fight another day. The Parti Québécois would not lightly abandon its dream of independence. Pressure built for another referendum and a second was held 15 years later. The turnout was huge and the separatists did much better this time, but not quite well enough. Independence was again rejected. Though the margin of defeat was slim on the second occasion, that was that. Two and it was done. An argument that had consumed Quebec and roiled Canada for long and bitter years was finally put to bed. There has not been another referendum since.
This is something to remember when thinking about the likelihood, timing and consequences of a second vote on independence for Scotland. Nicola Sturgeon has just announced her bid for a fresh referendum in October 2023. Her opponents have greeted this with a mixture of scorn (haven’t we got too many other things to worry about?) and cynicism (it’s just a stunt to appease her activists and stoke grievances with London).
