Nicola Sturgeon slammed over ‘unacceptable and tasteless’ attempt to use Ukraine war to justify Scottish independence campaign with claim that invasion highlights importance of her country rejoining the EU
- Sturgeon suggested Ukraine war highlighted the importance of EU membership
- Said that Vladimir Putin’s invasion ‘cast new light on the realities of Brexit’
- Scottish Tory Donald Cameron said remarks were ‘unacceptable and tasteless’
Nicola Sturgeon was facing calls to apologise today for what critics said was an ‘unacceptable and tasteless’ attempt to use the Ukraine war to justify her push for Scottish independence.
The First Minister used a newspaper column to suggest that the Russian war of aggression against its smaller neighbour highlighted the importance of European Union membership.
Writing in the New Statesman she said that Vladimir Putin’s invasion ‘cast new light on the realities of Brexit and the particular challenges posed to Scotland and the rest of the UK by being taken out of the world’s biggest single market.’
‘Indeed, the events of recent weeks have underlined the importance of independent countries cooperating in supranational organisations such as the EU,’ she wrote.
‘And the Kremlin’s senseless invasion, a standing threat to the values embodied by liberal democracies everywhere, has also underscored the need for democratic nations to pursue our domestic politics with as much passion and vigour as ever. This is a time to stand up for, and demonstrate, the power of vital, robust democracies.’
It comes after several SNP figures including Westminster leader Ian Blackford have refused to slow their plans for a new independence vote because of the war.
Scottish Conservative constitution spokesman Donald Cameron said: ‘It is unacceptable and tasteless for the First Minister to make any sort of link between the war in Ukraine and Scottish independence.
‘It appears there is no issue that is beyond Nicola Sturgeon when it comes to pushing her endless obsession with breaking up the United Kingdom.
The First Minister used a newspaper column to suggest that the Russian war of aggression against its smaller neighbour highlighted the importance of European Union membership.
Writing in the New Statesman she said that Vladimir Putin’s invasion (Kyiv pictured above, today) ‘cast new light on the realities of Brexit and the particular challenges posed to Scotland and the rest of the UK by being taken out of the world’s biggest single market.’
Scottish Conservative constitution spokesman Donald Cameron said: ‘It is unacceptable and tasteless for the First Minister to make any sort of link between the war in Ukraine and Scottish independence.
‘It is astonishing that pushing the case for another referendum was at the forefront of the First Minister’s mind when writing about the truly horrendous situation in Ukraine.
‘The language used here by Nicola Sturgeon is wholly inappropriate and she needs to urgently apologise for this piece, given the continued tragic humanitarian crisis that is unfolding in Ukraine.’
Earlier this week Mr Blackford said the war in Ukraine should not result in plans for a second Scottish independence referendum being delayed.
He said Putin did not control the timing of a fresh vote on breaking up the United Kingdom amid calls for it to be postponed.
A poll last week for the Scotsman newspaper showed a majority of Scots wanted the SNP’s drive to hold a new vote – against the wishes of Westminster – postponed while war rages in eastern Europe.
But speaking on BBC Scotland’s Sunday Show at the weekend, Mr Blackford said: ‘Is anybody suggesting that Putin should determine the timeline for an independence referendum in Scotland?’
He added: ‘We fought an election last year, which the SNP won, we now have an agreement with the Greens, there’s a majority for independence.’
The SNP MP fought last year’s Scottish Parliament election on a manifesto which included a commitment to holding a second vote on independence.
Last weekend Boris Johnson faced an international and domestic backlash after comparing Ukrainian resistance to the Russian invasion to the UK’s Brexit vote.
Senior Tories and EU officials were among those who criticised the remarks made in a speech to the part faithful at the Conservative Spring Conference in Blackpool.
Addressing the event on Saturday the Prime Minister said it is the ‘instinct of the people of this country, like the people of Ukraine, to choose freedom’, with the Brexit vote a ‘famous recent example’.
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