Willie Rennie has rejected the notion that his party are ‘inconsistent’ after supporting a second referendum on Brexit but not Scottish independence.
The Liberal Democrat manifesto, launched by UK leader Tim Farron yesterday, says people should be offered a vote on the final deal to take the UK out of the European Union.
But the party remains strongly opposed to any future plebiscite on Scottish independence, leading some to question how Mr Rennie can support both positions.
Speaking on BBC Radio’s Good Morning Scotland programme, the Scottish Liberal Democrat leader said: “What we are saying with the Brexit vote is that it should be the first referendum on the deal.
“When we see the details the British people should have the final say on something so monumental.
“To be fair to the SNP in the 2014 referendum they produced a White Paper – it was repetitive, it was a bit boring – but people knew what they were rejecting when they rejected it.
“We did not have a White Paper in the European referendum last year so therefore it would only be right for when that detail is forthcoming for the British people to sign it off.”
He said the Conservatives, led by Theresa May, were “pursuing the extreme, hardest Brexit you could possibly imagine”.
“I don’t think that’s what people really voted for,” he said.
“That’s why I think the British people, not just Theresa May, not just the MPs, not just the Conservatives, should decide on whether that deal is good enough or not.
“Because the Conservatives will wave it through no matter how bad it is for our country, for jobs, for the NHS.”