The people of Scotland must decide our country’s future - Angus Robertson
The principle that Scotland’s future should be determined by the people who live here was central to the first independence referendum in 2014.
Leaders of the Scottish Labour Party, Scottish Conservatives and Scottish Liberal Democrats signed a joint pledge at the time, stating that power lies with the Scottish people and that it is for the Scottish people to decide how we are governed.
That position was clear and straightforward. Yet in the years since, the same parties have stepped back from it. Instead of upholding the commitment made to the people of Scotland, pro-UK parties now argue that decisions about whether another referendum can take place should rest with Westminster.
Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney has reiterated that the right to decide is a matter of democracy. It is not a question of whether individuals support or oppose independence, but whether Scotland is treated as a nation entitled to make choices about its own future.
The Scottish Government has published a comprehensive series of papers that set out the opportunities available to an independent Scotland. As Constitution Secretary, I was proud to oversee their preparation and publication.
The papers cover areas such as the economy, currency, pensions, foreign policy and Scotland’s place in Europe. They provide evidence, case studies and analysis that allow people to make an informed choice.
I look forward to engaging with people across the country on these issues as we move toward the next election. The conversation will continue in communities, workplaces and households, giving people the chance to consider how Scotland is governed and what powers should lie with the Scottish Parliament.
Polling indicates that the SNP remains ahead in Scotland. This reflects support for the principle that decisions about Scotland’s constitutional future should be made in Scotland. People across the country are already questioning the approach of the Labour Party in office at Westminster. Many voters are looking instead to the party that continues to advocate for Scotland’s right to decide.
The right to decide is not about one political party or one electoral cycle. It is a matter of ensuring that democratic commitments are honoured. When the Better Together parties pledged in 2014 that Scotland’s future must be in Scotland’s hands, they recognised a basic principle of self-determination. That principle should not be abandoned, regardless of the current political balance at Westminster or Holyrood.
Keith Brown, Depute Leader of the SNP, has written to the leaders of Labour, the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats in Scotland, asking them to clarify their position. The question is whether they continue to support the principle they signed up to in 2014 or whether they now believe decisions about Scotland’s future should be taken elsewhere.
The debate about independence will continue, but the immediate issue is whether all parties in Scotland respect the right of the people to make their own choice. Agreement on that principle would allow the democratic conversation to move forward in a transparent and respectful way.
As the next election approaches, the people of Scotland will make a decision about who best represents their priorities. In every election, the very question of democracy and which party best upholds its principle is on the table. Consequently democracy and independence will be one of the key issues in that campaign, and so too will be the question of whether Scotland’s future should be determined here or decided for us elsewhere.