Nicola Sturgeon's referendum dream delivered hard blow as Labour's Ashworth savages plan
NICOLA STURGEON saw the Labour backtrack from its softening position on a new referendum on Scottish independence as frontbencher Jonathan Ashworth said his party would not support plans to break up the union.
Scotland: Independence not supported by Labour says Ashworth
Nicola Sturgeon had witnessed the Labour Party take on what appeared to be a softer stance on Scottish independence in the run up to the general elections in December. Labour had signalled it would be willing to consider a new referendum to secure SNP votes should those be needed to prop up a Corbyn Government after the vote. But any hopes the First Minister might have had to bring the Opposition to her side was dashed as shadow Health Secretary Jonathan Ashworth warned his party would never support plans to break up the union.
Speaking to Sky News, Mr Ashworth said: "The Labour Party is a United Kingdom party and we’ve always believed, since our founding days, that we are stronger together.
"We are better together because people here in Leicester have more in common with the people of Lothian.
"There will be obviously Scottish elections next year and we’ll be campaigning for a Scottish Labour Government in the Scottish Parliament."
Asked whether his party could campaign for a new independence referendum in Scotland, the Labour fronbencher said: "We are not a pro-independence party, we are a party that believes in the strength of the union of Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
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"Our policy is not to support an independence referendum, and we won’t be campaigning for an independence referendum.
"We will be campaigning to keep the union together."
Nicola Sturgeon earier this year issued an official request to Prime Minister Boris Johnson for permission to hold a new independence referendum but was rebuked.
The First Minister however saw public support for her Government surge throughout the coronavirus crisis, with latest polls showing a growing support for independence six years after Scotland first voted to remain part of the UK.
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But despite the growing support, Conservative councillor Tony Miklinski warned independence could cost Scots as much as £2,000 each year.
Mr Miklinski argued the loss of a £12 billion subsidy Scotland currently benefits from could leave the nation struggling to balance the books.
Speaking to Express.co.uk, the Scottish Tory said: “We would lose the £12billion a year subsidy that every Scottish person, man, woman and child benefits to the tune of £2,000 per person per year.
"Once that disappears there is a gap in the balance that has got to be achieved from somewhere."
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Mr Miklinski added: "The employment prospects would shrink as companies retreated from Scotland as many have said that they would, Scottish financial services in particular.
"The UK dependent would have to close, we would be left with an austerity programme that would make the Greece experience look like a walk in the park."
And a new survey carried out by Survation found independence is still trailing behind other key issues across Scotland.
The research found 44.27 percent were concerned about the economy, 25.92 percent said their top concern was poverty and inequality, and 21.46 percent said the most important issue was Brexit and the EU.
Only 14.8 percent of Scottish people were concerned about ripping Scotland from the UK, in comparison to the 57.2 percent of people who were concerned about the health and the NHS.