It would be foolish for the UK government to stand in Scotland’s way having already disregarded the 62 percent who voted to Remain earlier this year. Patrick Harvie MSP

The Scottish Green Party has welcomed the government’s newly published draft bill on independence. The Greens argue that the option of an independence vote is needed given the 62 percent Remain vote in Scotland, with the Westminster government refusing to show flexibility in allowing Scotland to forge its own relationship with Europe.

Scottish Greens played a prominent role in the 2014 independence referendum and also backed a remain vote in 2016. The party’s co-convener said it would be “foolish” for the Westminster government to block a fresh independence referendum.

Patrick Harvie MSP said:

“Several months after the EU referendum, we’re still none the wiser as to what Brexit will look like or fully mean for the UK. The Westminster government’s inability to acknowledge the overwhelming mandate for Remain in Scotland, or demonstrate any kind of flexibility the union could take in the individual UK nations’ forging relations with Europe, shows that independence is quickly becoming the most realistic option for Scotland to shape its own partnership with the European Union.

“Evidently the referendum results in 2014 and 2016 can no longer sit side by side because the UK that Scotland narrowly voted to remain a part of two years ago no longer exists. Every opportunity must be explored to keeping Scotland in the European Union and that now includes the option of an independence referendum. It would be foolish for the UK government to stand in Scotland’s way having already disregarded the 62 percent who voted to Remain earlier this year.”