SCOTTISH Labour’s two leadership contenders must answer the “basic question” of how Scotland can democratically leave the United Kingdom, the SNP have said.
Keith Brown, the party’s deputy leader, challenged Joe Fagan and Michael Marra ahead of the leadership ballot closing at 5pm on Thursday and the new leader being announced on Saturday.
Brown accused both men of failing to set out how Scots could opt to leave the UK.
Earlier this week, Fagan said he would not “stand in the way” of a second independence referendum but said he did not support it and would not push for it.
He insisted his position was “clear”, saying: “I don’t support independence and I don’t support an independence referendum.
“I think there’s another question around what are the circumstances in which it is legitimate to have one, and I think that’s the debate that seems to be preoccupying people just now.”
Meanwhile, Marra has previously said there is a “route” to a second referendum through “creating a settled will of the Scottish people”.
But he said comparing Scotland to Northern Ireland – which has a legal trigger for a referendum – was “dangerous”.
Brown said the two leadership contenders still had questions to answer.
He said: “The door to Scotland’s independence has been kicked wide open and it is for all political parties to engage and provide the Scottish public with a clear understanding of their position.
“Michael Marra and Joe Fagan have so far failed to answer a very basic question – how do the Scottish people exercise our democratic right to decide our own future?
“As we saw in Wales this week, there are First Ministers across these islands that support constitutional change – three of the four nations on these islands are led by pro-independence First Ministers. Westminster’s time is coming to an end.
“The question of this Parliament is how and when the people of Scotland choose to leave Westminster behind – Joe Fagan and Michael Marra can engage with that reality and, like Andy Burnham, recognise it is for the people of Scotland to decide how they can democratically choose to be an independent nation in the EU.”
Earlier this month, the Prime Minister said a vote on Scottish independence could be held if there was a “clear consensus” north of the Border for it, but a letter later sent to John Swinney said a referendum remained “off limits”.
The First Minister has pushed for a referendum to be held within the next five years.
The SNP leader met with the leaders of Plaid Cymru and Sinn Fein during a landmark summit in Cardiff where they signed a landmark memorandum of understanding demanding that the UK Government allow them to hold referendums on independence.
During the press conference in Cardiff, Swinney predicted Burnham would be the last Prime Minister of the UK.
Fagan and Marra were approached for comment by the Press Association.
