'Get BACK to the day job!' MP shames Nicola Sturgeon over new Scottish independence threat
NICOLA STURGEON’S desperate bid for Scottish independence has been slapped down by a Labour MP who told her to “get back to the day job”.
MP shuns Nicola Sturgeon's Scottish independence bid
Heidi Alexander instructed the SNP First Minister to stop “issuing ultimatums”, after Ms Sturgeon announced she would trigger the second referendum process next week.
Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Ms Sturgeon said she would go to the Scottish Parliament because the country was being forced "into a hard Brexit".
But she was instantly rebuked by Lewisham East MP Ms Alexander.
Nicola Sturgeon was told to "get on with the day job" by Labour MP Heidi Alexander
Nicola Sturgeon needs to get back to the day job of things she is responsible for up in Scotland
Reacting to the statement on Daily Politics, she said: “I think Nicola Sturgeon is wrong to be issuing ultimatums, she’s right to be highlighting concerns about leaving the single market but in this period of economic instability, I don’t think a second independence referendum is what the country needs.
“If you look at opinion polls that were out this morning, for example, there are more people who are against a second Scottish referendum than are for it.
“I think Nicola Sturgeon needs to get back to the day job of things she is responsible for up in Scotland.”
The second independence referendum bid was announced moments before the broadcast of Daily Politics
Ms Sturgeon’s quest for independence has been spurred on by Theresa May’s promise to opt for a clean break from the European Union.
The prime minister has vowed to removed the UK from the bloc’s single market - a move strongly opposed by the Scottish First Minister.
Speaking to a room full of journalists, Ms Sturgeon upped the ante as she revealed plans to hold a referendum between Autumn 2018 and Spring 2019.
She said: “Right now Scotland stands at a hugely important crossroads. We did not choose to be in this position and I wish that we were not in this position but we are and the stakes are high. We must have a plan for the way forward.
“If I ruled out a referendum I would be forcing Scotland to follow UK into a hard Brexit.”
Sturgeon: Scotland will seek approval for second referendum
Although the move has been opposed by the UK Government, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said he’d be “absolutely fine” with a second vote.
But, Ms Alexander spoke out against her leader, saying: “Labour’s position is very clear, that we would be voting against a second referendum in the Scottish Parliament.
“There is a question about what happens going forward, should legislation come forward in the British Parliament? But in terms of the vote up in Scotland, we would be opposing the second referendum.”