Nicola Sturgeon quizzed on Scottish border by Guru-Murthy

When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Sometimes they’ll include recommendations for other related newsletters or services we offer. Our Privacy Notice explains more about how we use your data, and your rights. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Ms Sturgeon is readying for Holyrood’s May elections in the hope that it will help her push an Indyref2 on to the agenda. Should her Scottish National Party (SNP) secure a majority, she has said she will go ahead with a second independence referendum. Mr Johnson, meanwhile, has repeatedly refused to entertain the idea.

The Scottish First Minister earlier this month claimed Mr Johnson would allow a second referendum if the SNP win, however.

In a televised debate this week, she urged UK voters to punish Mr Johnson over the “stench of sleaze” around the Government.

Yet, it could be Ms Sturgeon who is punished if historical votes are anything to go by.

Scotland lost its first independence referendum in 2014 while Alex Salmond – now leader of the Alba Party – was Scottish First Minister.

In the run-up to the vote, then-SNP Westminster leader Angus Robertson travelled to Canada to consult with Parti Québecois politicians.

The Parti Québecois have failed twice in trying to break-away from Canada, first in 1980, and later in 1995, although considerably narrowed the margin in the second vote.

Pro-UK figures sought similar advice from Canadian federalists on how to deal with a separatist outfit like the SNP and prevent a breakaway in 2014.

Although the vote was based on myriad factors, the advice then-Prime Minister David Cameron received might in part be to credit for the end result.

JUST IN: Time for honesty, Nicola! Chilling economic reality of independence

Mr Johnson might similarly seek the help of Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau should he wish to thwart Ms Sturgeon’s attempts if she secures her majority next week.

Mr Trudeau is in the unique position of having a father, Pierre Trudeau, who had a hand in preventing both Quebec independence ballots.

Despite this, many Québécois still want to become independent.

It would see a swathe of eastern Canada become sovereign.

DON’T MISS

Emotional tribute to ‘funny and kind’ boy, 15, killed in ‘hit and run’ [REPORT]
Kate Hoey branded Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal ‘betrayal’ of UK  [INSIGHT]
‘Bring back National Service’ calls after youths attack pensioner [ANALYSIS] 

Parti Québecois’ leader, Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, told Express.co.uk that he believed Canada and Westminster “collaborated” to carry out a campaign of “fear” in Scotland’s first vote.

He said: “The similarities of the arguments of the first referendum in Scotland and Quebec’s vote are obvious, there are techniques to induce fear into the population.

“The playbook that was used in the 1995 vote has been communicated to England and has been used during the first Scottish referendum.

“That’s where it’s interesting: we know in Quebec for sure that during a second referendum people are more aware of the fact that fear is used as a technique to influence the vote.”

He believes the technique of fear subsides in a later vote.

It is true that the campaign against Quebec independence lost momentum the second time round.

In 1980, it was defeated 59 to 40 percent compared to 50 to 49 percent in 1995.

Meanwhile, polls for independence in the run-up to Holyrood’s election have consistently found just over half of Scots being in favour of independence.

Although Mr St-Pierre Plamondon admitted that such sentiment could easily change the night before the ballot.

The most recent poll commissioned by Lord Ashcroft found the Yes and No camps in a “statistical dead heat”.

The 2,000 people poll found that support for the Union remains on a knife edge, with 51 percent backing the UK compared to 49 percent in favour of independence, once don’t knows are excluded.

It also found 49 percent are likely to vote SNP in the constituency ballot in the upcoming Holyrood election – giving Ms Sturgeon’s party a three-seat majority.

Source: Read Full Article