Boris Johnson has hinted there could be a second vote on Scottish independence, telling MPs Scots will be “right in the future” to vote to stay part of the UK.
The prime minister said the SNP’s “sheer incoherence” on the consequences of independence would result in union supporters winning a future referendum.
His comments came in response to a question from Glasgow MP David Linden, who asked why polls pointed to sustained indy support.
More than a dozen polls taken this year have revealed there is now majority support among Scots for breaking away from the UK.
Mr Johnson said: “The people of Scotland voted in 2014 by a substantial majority to remain in the UK.
“I believe that was the right decision and I believe that were they ever to be asked in the future, the same question again, I believe it would be the same answer.”
PM invited to ‘take a bow’
SNP MP Pete Wishart followed up the question by cheekily thanking the prime minister for driving up independence support, and telling him to “take a bow”.
He said: “The prime minister didn’t quite answer the question on why support for independence is so high, so maybe I can tempt him with a couple of reasons.
“Firstly, the leadership of the first minister, which Scots contrast with him. Then there’s his crazy chaotic Brexit, a Brexit that Scotland didn’t vote for.
SNP MP David Linden asks why 15 polls have shown majority support for Scottish independence.
PM: The people of Scotland voted in 2014 by a substantial majority to remain in the UK, I believe that was the right decision'
Linden: Bye pic.twitter.com/il40iNRUvq
— Dan O'Donoghue (@MrDanDonoghue) December 9, 2020
“But it’s also down to him personally, he is probably the biggest single recruiting sergeant that we have and for that, we mightily thank him.
“So can I ask him, on behalf of all of us who want to see an independent Scotland, could he, please, take a bow and accept our many thanks?”
‘They’ll be right in the future to stay’
Mr Johnson responded: “I’m delighted to accept the thanks of Mr Wishart, but if I may say, I think it’s really thanks to him, to the Scottish National Party, that we’ve been able to keep our wonderful United Kingdom together.
“It’s the sheer incoherence of their position, their refusal to address the tough questions on what breaking up the UK really means, the impact on our budgets, on our economy, the impact on Scotland, or the impact on our whole country.
“It’s their manifest inability to explain what they actually mean that meant the people in Scotland voted in 2014 to remain part of the UK, they are right then, and they’ll be right in the future to stay.”