Nicola Sturgeon has claimed Kezia Dugdale told her ‘in private’ that Labour should drop their opposition to a new vote on Scottish independence in the aftermath of the EU referendum.
In a stunning exchange as Scotland’s political leaders met in the final televised debate of the General Election, Ms Sturgeon twice described how the Scottish Labour boss had considered changing her position after Britain voted to leave the EU.
Asked by Ms Dugdale whether she understood why voters are angry at plans to hold a second poll on independence, the SNP leader said: “You used to agree with me on that Kezia.
“You and I spoke the day after the EU referendum and you told me then you thought the change taken by Brexit meant that you thought Labour should stop opposing a referendum.
“You’ve changed your mind but why should everybody else in Scotland be denied a choice?”
Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson asked the First Minister: “Did you just tell people you had a private conversation with Kez Dugdale last June where she said she was going to drop Labour’s opposition to independence?”
Ms Sturgeon replied: “She said that she thought Brexit changed everything and she didn’t think Labour could any longer go on opposing a second independence referendum.”
The SNP leader added that Ms Dugdale was “entitled to change her mind” on this, but added: “What I don’t think any politician is entitled to do is to deny the people of Scotland a choice over our own future.”
Just moments after the debate went off air, a spokesman for Scottish Labour rushed to deny the First Minister’s claims in the strongest terms.
“This is a lie from Nicola Sturgeon. It is insulting and demeaning to the office of First Minister,” they said.
“It is nothing but a final act of desperation from an SNP leader who knows the public has turned against her.”
Speaking during the debate, Ms Dugdale conceced that she had spoken on the phone with the First Minister after the EU referendum result.
But added: “The idea that I would do anything other than fight for us to remain in the UK is an absolute nonsense.”
Adam Tomkins, the Conservative constitution spokesman, called Ms Sturgeon’s claim a “bombshell revelation”.
He said: “Kezia Dugdale has spent this campaign claiming she opposes a second independence referendum, now we learn she’s been having private chats with Nicola Sturgeon about her support for it.”
More fiery exchanges came as each of the party leaders was given the opportunity to question their rivals – with the SNP, Labour and the Lib Dems all attacking the Conservatives over the so-called “rape clause”.
As part of UK welfare changes, women will no longer be able to claim tax credits for more than two children, with an exception to the rule being applied for women who conceived as a result of rape.
Ms Sturgeon said many people had been “appalled” by the policy, which she said would save £300 million from the benefits bill at the same time as the Conservatives spend £380 million on a tax cut for the richest 15%.
“You could use that money that is going to the richest to get rid of that two-child tax cap and the rape clause,” Ms Sturgeon said.
“Why don’t you ask your bosses in Westminster to make that choice and remove the rape clause once and for all?”
Ms Dugdale brandished the form that has to be filled in as she pressed the Scottish Tory leader on the policy.
She told Ms Davidson: “Your Tory Party is just as callous and heartless as it has always been, is it not?”
But Ms Davidson said: “This is about ensuring that people have had children in the very worst of circumstances get extra help.
“This is about limiting child tax credits to the first two children, but it means that for example people who have been raped aren’t affected by that, it means they get to have that extra help.”
Ms Dugdale told the audience: “The SNP have had 10 years. Nicola has been in power for 10 years now, our NHS is in crisis, we’ve got falling standards in schools. Bluntly that’s all been because she’s been so obsessed with independence and that’s why people are angry.”
Ms Davidson accused the SNP leader of going back on her word when she said in another debate last year that there would not be another referendum if public support for the move did not increase.
Ms Sturgeon replied: “Do you know what’s happened since that last STV debate? We’ve had another referendum where Scotland faces the prospect of being taken out of the EU against our will. That’s why my manifesto last year specifically addressed that point.
“People ask me to take it off the table. That would be me as one politician, deciding unilaterally that no matter how bad Brexit turns out to be, Scotland is locked into that without any alternative choice.
“I don’t think it is for any one politician, whether it’s me or Theresa May, to decide the future of this country. It is for the people of Scotland to decide.”