SNP urged to get on with Referendum for the good of Scotland

Ruth Davidson has joined David Cameron in urging the SNP to get on with holding the referendum on independence.

Ruth Davidson said:

"Last year's election result gave the SNP a mandate to hold a referendum, but it's clear that two thirds of Scots want a vote on independence to be held before 2014.

"Democrats from all parties, including the SNP, now agree that we must have a referendum with a single question on independence.

"And it must also be one organised by the Electoral Commission, so it's all fair and above board.

"All this constitutional uncertainty is damaging to the economy and the SNP should just get on with holding their referendum.

"It's simply staggering that a party, whose raison d'être is independence, is running away from this vote.

"If Alex Salmond truly cares about what is best for Scotland then he should stop his constant posturing and have the guts to let Scotland decide rather than wait just to suit his separatist agenda.

"The simple truth is that Scotland is better off in Britain and Britain is great because Scotland is in it. The people of Scotland agree.

"It is time to settle the issue once and for all so we can get on with the job of getting Scotland working again.

"Scotland wants a referendum, Scotland wants a single question and the only roadblock to having this vote is Alex Salmond.

"Let's not forget that he is not the only one who has a mandate from the Scottish people.

"In the 2010 General Election, more people voted for parties supporting the Coalition than Alex Salmond for First Minister in 2011.

"The UK Government has never disputed the fact that the future of the constitution is one for the Scottish people to decide upon.

"If the SNP had any democratic principles they would allow the Electoral Commission, which was judged qualified enough to organise the recent AV vote and Welsh referendum for more powers, to oversee a vote on independence for Scotland as soon as possible."

Ruth added: "There is nowhere in the SNP manifesto that states there will be a referendum in the second half of the parliamentary term and for the SNP to keep pedalling this myth is simply an insult to the electorate.

"Alex Salmond's commitment to holding an independence poll was a panic answer at a hustings event in Perth a week before the election.

"By this point, more than 400,000 Scots had cast their postal vote, unaware that the SNP were planning to postpone their vote for several years.

"Alex Salmond was running scared then from his policy and he still running away from the electorate with his continual refusal to name a date for the referendum."

An Ipsos MORI poll in December showed that 33% of Scots want a referendum on independence to be held immediately, while a further 31% want it to be held within the next two years.

429,432 postal votes were returned in 2011. Around 25,000 were rejected/spoiled.

http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/141614/SP-election-report-Final-Updated.pdf

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