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| Sturgeon: independence may be best for Scotland amid Brexit upheaval | Sturgeon: independence may be best for Scotland amid Brexit upheaval |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Independence may offer Scotland the greatest stability as the rest of the United Kingdom faces upheaval and unpredictability after voting to leave the EU, Nicola Sturgeon has said. | Independence may offer Scotland the greatest stability as the rest of the United Kingdom faces upheaval and unpredictability after voting to leave the EU, Nicola Sturgeon has said. |
| Scotland’s first minister described the barriers to protecting her country’s interests while remaining in the UK as “substantial”. | Scotland’s first minister described the barriers to protecting her country’s interests while remaining in the UK as “substantial”. |
| Addressing an Institute for Public Policy Research event in Edinburgh, Sturgeon said she feared the UK government was pursuing a “hard rather than a soft Brexit” that would result in a future outside the single market, with only limited access and significant restrictions of free movement. | |
| Acknowledging that independence was not a simple solution after Scotland voted by 62% to remain within the EU in last month’s referendum, she said: “I don’t pretend that the option of independence would be straightforward. It would bring its own challenges – as well as opportunities. | Acknowledging that independence was not a simple solution after Scotland voted by 62% to remain within the EU in last month’s referendum, she said: “I don’t pretend that the option of independence would be straightforward. It would bring its own challenges – as well as opportunities. |
| Related: Nicola Sturgeon attacks 'shameful' failure of UK government over Brexit – live | Related: Nicola Sturgeon attacks 'shameful' failure of UK government over Brexit – live |
| “But consider this: the UK that we voted to stay part of in 2014 – a UK within the EU – is fundamentally changing. The outlook for the UK is uncertainty, upheaval and unpredictability. | “But consider this: the UK that we voted to stay part of in 2014 – a UK within the EU – is fundamentally changing. The outlook for the UK is uncertainty, upheaval and unpredictability. |
| “In these circumstances, it may well be that the option that offers us the greatest certainty, stability and the maximum control over our destiny is that of independence.” | “In these circumstances, it may well be that the option that offers us the greatest certainty, stability and the maximum control over our destiny is that of independence.” |
| She reaffirmed that in the period before article 50 is triggered Scotland must explore options “that would allow different parts of this multi-national UK to pursue different outcomes”. | She reaffirmed that in the period before article 50 is triggered Scotland must explore options “that would allow different parts of this multi-national UK to pursue different outcomes”. |
| “That means the nations that voted to leave can start figuring out what Brexit actually does mean, while others, like Scotland, can focus on how to retain ties and keep open channels we do not want to dismantle,” she said. | “That means the nations that voted to leave can start figuring out what Brexit actually does mean, while others, like Scotland, can focus on how to retain ties and keep open channels we do not want to dismantle,” she said. |
| But Sturgeon said the barriers to achieving such a solution were “substantial”, saying: “Even if we can agree a position at UK level, we would face the task of persuading the EU to agree it.” | But Sturgeon said the barriers to achieving such a solution were “substantial”, saying: “Even if we can agree a position at UK level, we would face the task of persuading the EU to agree it.” |