Scottish MP brands continual talks of independence as 'bitter constitutional wrangling'

2 September 2020, 11:43 | Updated: 2 September 2020, 11:45

This Scottish Lib Dem MP has branded any conversations about Scottish independence as "bitter constitutional wrangling" after Nicola Sturgeon revealed new plans for a referendum.

Nicola Sturgeon has revived plans for a possible second Scottish independence referendum, pledging to publish draft legislation for a new vote before next May's Holyrood election

Scottish Liberal Democrat MP Christine Jardine told LBC's Nick Ferrari that the repeated conversation about Scottish independence is just "bitter constitutional wrangling."

"Those of us who don't want independence, we are not inclined to spend yet more time arguing about the constitution when Scotland's education, health, social care system are all struggling. That is what the people of Scotland deserve, that given attention."

Nick asked Ms Jardine to respond to a poll which has found 55% of Scots want to go independent.

Ms Jardine felt the country is understandably upset about Covid-19 and there was a "very hostile" feeling towards Brexit in Scotland which explains that result.

"The irony of the SNP is they argued to stay in the European Union on the basis that the rest of us want to stay in the United Kingdom, so they can't have it both ways," she said, "where do they want the power to be, do they want it to be in England or do they want it to be in Brussels?

"That is the question they can't answer."