SNP all over the place on whether they can call a second IndyRef
The SNP said during the Scottish Independence Referendum that it was a "once in a generation" opportunity to change Scotland's status.
After the referendum they have been twisting on the hook they thus impaled themselves on about whether they can call another one.
Alex Salmond who originally made the "once in a generation" comment went back on it almost as soon as he lost the referendum and for this reason and money others, does not deserve to have anyone believe a single word he says.
Nicola Sturgeon tried very hard while the SNP were setting their manifesto for the coming Scottish elections, to keep happy her hardline supporters who want another referendum, without making any promises which would force her to call one if she was likely to lose it.
Two days ago she made a speech which appeared to suggest that she would like to call a second referendum appeared to suggest that the SNP would support another referendum - prompting Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson to suggest that if the SNP did try to do that, David Cameron should tell Nicola Sturgeon to "Take a hike".
However, when you look at the fine print of the SNP manifesto and of Nicola Sturgeon's speech it does not give a clear mandate for them to demand anything of the sort
Sturgeon says that public opinion needs to change first, then the SNP need to gain a mandate to call another referendum by winning an election with a manifesto commitment to do that, then they need to win the second referendum.
And their 2016 Holyrood manifesto does not include a clear commitment to call a second indyref. Which appears to mean they cannot do it in the term of the forthcoming Scottish parliament without a clear pretext - such as they might claim a Brexit vote on 23rd June would provide (but only if they think they can win.)
Either the SNP are all over the place and don't know what they are doing, or the talk of a second referendum is largely smoke and mirrors. Or both.
After the referendum they have been twisting on the hook they thus impaled themselves on about whether they can call another one.
Alex Salmond who originally made the "once in a generation" comment went back on it almost as soon as he lost the referendum and for this reason and money others, does not deserve to have anyone believe a single word he says.
Nicola Sturgeon tried very hard while the SNP were setting their manifesto for the coming Scottish elections, to keep happy her hardline supporters who want another referendum, without making any promises which would force her to call one if she was likely to lose it.
Two days ago she made a speech which appeared to suggest that she would like to call a second referendum appeared to suggest that the SNP would support another referendum - prompting Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson to suggest that if the SNP did try to do that, David Cameron should tell Nicola Sturgeon to "Take a hike".
However, when you look at the fine print of the SNP manifesto and of Nicola Sturgeon's speech it does not give a clear mandate for them to demand anything of the sort
Sturgeon says that public opinion needs to change first, then the SNP need to gain a mandate to call another referendum by winning an election with a manifesto commitment to do that, then they need to win the second referendum.
And their 2016 Holyrood manifesto does not include a clear commitment to call a second indyref. Which appears to mean they cannot do it in the term of the forthcoming Scottish parliament without a clear pretext - such as they might claim a Brexit vote on 23rd June would provide (but only if they think they can win.)
Either the SNP are all over the place and don't know what they are doing, or the talk of a second referendum is largely smoke and mirrors. Or both.
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