Keir Starmer says Labour will oppose independence referendum even if Supreme Court approves another vote

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Keir Starmer has said Labour will continue to oppose a second independence referendum even if judges give the green light to another vote.The Labour leader said the Supreme Court will not decide the “political” question of whether there “should” be indyre2, adding that his priority will be the economy.The Court is currently considering whether Holyrood can organise a referendum on its own, after the UK Government refused a joint agreement.First Minister Nicola Sturgeon wants a vote to take place next October.Although legal observers believe it is unlikely judges will back the SNP-led Government, pro-UK parties have been asked what they would do if the decision went against them.In an interview with the BBC Sunday Show, Starmer said of the live case:“It's good the case has gone to court because I think it's better to have legal certainty, so we all know the basis on which we're operating.“All the court is going to be able to rule is, if it does rule in favour, is that there could or can be, [that] it's legally permissible to have a referendum.

That doesn't answer the political question, which is 'should there be a referendum'? So my argument remains the same.”Starmer, who also accused the SNP-led Government of “fifteen years of failure” in office, was asked whether continuing to oppose a referendum in these circumstances is “anti-democratic”.He replied: “Politics is about priorities.

And my priority would be to deal with the issues that are bearing down on people this evening as they look and see whether they can pay the bills.”Despite his anti-referendum view, Starmer also said the Union is a “voluntary” organisation that Scots are “not stuck in”.But he said: “I fundamentally reject the argument that the way you grow the