express– Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove dismissed Nicola Sturgeon’s plans for Scottish independence as he insisted Scottish constituencies voted against holding another referendum. The SNP fell one seat short of an overall majority in the Scottish parliament elections, securing 64 seats, but the final result still leaves Holyrood with a pro-independence majority. Boris Johnson has invited Ms Sturgeon for crisis talks on the Union.
Speaking to BBC’s Andrew Marr show, Mr Gove said: “When Nicola was asked during the campaign about Scotland’s drug deaths she said that the Scottish Government had taken their eye off the ball on this issue.
“We need to work together to deal with that problem.”
He added: “The second point to take to mind is the majority of people who voted in the constituencies voted for parties that were opposed to a referendum.”
Mr Gove said the UK and Scottish governments should “concentrate on the things that unite us” rather than “constitutional wrangling” over a second independence referendum.
Asked whether the Westminster government would block a second border poll, Mr Gove told Sky News’ Sophy Ridge On Sunday: “No, what’re working on doing at the moment is working together to deal with all the challenges that we face across the whole United Kingdom.
“If we get sucked into a conversation about referenda and constitutions then we are diverting attention from the issues that are most important to the people in Scotland and across the United Kingdom.
“I hope that what people want from a Holyrood government, and also from the Westminster government, is a commitment to work together on these issues.
“So, instead of concentrating on the things that divide, let’s concentrate on the things that unite and let’s concentrate on all of us to work together to serve the people that just vote for us.”
Referencing the SNP’s desire for a second referendum, Mr Gove added it was “a slightly skewed set of priorities to imagine that that is the most important issue” in the light of the pandemic recovery.
Pressed on whether the UK Government would look to block legislation from the Scottish Parliament pushing for a second referendum, Mr Gove said: “We are not going to go there.”
Asked whether there are any circumstances when the Prime Minister would agree to a second referendum on Scottish independence, Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove told Sky News’ Sophy Ridge On Sunday: “It’s not an issue for the moment.
Referencing the SNP’s desire for a second referendum, Mr Gove added it was “a slightly skewed set of priorities to imagine that that is the most important issue” in the light of the pandemic recovery.
Pressed on whether the UK Government would look to block legislation from the Scottish Parliament pushing for a second referendum, Mr Gove said: “We are not going to go there.”
Asked whether there are any circumstances when the Prime Minister would agree to a second referendum on Scottish independence, Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove told Sky News’ Sophy Ridge On Sunday: “It’s not an issue for the moment.
