Scottish independence: Nicola Sturgeon refuses to rule out hard-border with England

The Scottish First Minister and Scottish National Party (SNP) leader pledged to be “frank and honest” over border controls after a second independence vote. She said she would discuss the prospect of a hard border at Berwick-upon-Tweed if Scotland left the United Kingdom – and subsequently joined the EU. But she insisted her plans would not be to blame for a hard border between England and Scotland – despite the idea being required if Scotland leaves the UK.

She also confirmed she will table a referendum request to Prime Minister Boris Johnson “within a matter of weeks”.

A Referendum Bill is currently being considered by MSPs.

But applying it to an independence vote would require the Prime Minister’s authority.

Mr Johnson is expected to say no to her request.

But Ms Sturgeon said the “situation is very fluid” - and that Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn could possibly be in power by the time she makes the request for a second referendum, dubbed indyref2.

But she warned Mr Corbyn not to “pick up the phone to me” and ask her to prop up a Labour minority Government if the party does not allow another referendum.

Speaking on the Andrew Marr Show on Sunday, Ms Sturgeon said she “will always be frank and honest with people in Scotland about the choices I am asking them to make.”

She also claimed MPs will reject any deal Boris Johnson brings back from Brussels - but denied that it would lead to the UK leaving the bloc without a deal.

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She told Mr Marr: “I don’t favour coalitions. We would favour a progressive–type alliance.

“But I say this to Jeremy Corbyn or any Westminster leader looking to the SNP for support: if you don’t accept Scotland’s right to choose at our choosing, don’t even bother picking up the phone to me.”

When Andrew Marr pressed Ms Sturgeon that a separate Scotland would require a hard border with England, she said “we need to see how things play out” in the future relationship between the UK and EU.

She added: “As that picture clarifies, I will be honest with the people of Scotland but that opens a situation where Scotland’s best interests depend on being independent and in charge of our own future. “And I don’t want borders - it’s not my policies that are putting borders anywhere.”

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Asked when she will table her official request to Mr Johnson, Ms Sturgeon continued: “We will do it the appropriate moment when the legislation is passing - it is likely to be over the next matter of weeks.

“It is coming soon.”

Mr Corbyn refused to dismiss another independence vote.

Speaking on Sky News’ Sophie Ridge on Sunday, the Labour leader said: “What I have said is we do not think independence is a good idea.

“We would not even countenance it in the early years of a Labour government.”

Over the weekend, a rebellion at the SNP conference in Aberdeen called for delegates to vote on a “plan B” for securing independence.

But the request was quashed and overwhelmingly rejected in a floor vote.

The proposed option, led by Chris McEleny, SNP councilor for Inverclyde, would let the party demand independence without a legally constituting referendum.

Mr McEleny argued the party should keep the plan B in reserve, as Mr Johnson is expected to reject Ms Sturgeon’s calls for a section 30 order – which would authorise a second referendum.

Meanwhile, Scottish Conservative interim leader Jackson Carlaw said: “Nicola Sturgeon’s acceptance that Scottish independence will most likely lead to a border with England is a dramatic shift.

“Up until now the nationalists have refused to accept this as even a possibility but they are can see they are fooling no one.”

And Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie said: “The mask has slipped.

“For Nicola Sturgeon any price is worth paying to break up the United Kingdom, even dividing friends and family with a hard border.”