Nicola Sturgeon brands Boris Johnson a COWARD amid referendum threat

Nicola Sturgeon branded Boris Johnson a coward today as she threatened to hold a fresh independence referendum without his permission – but faced a brutal backlash for pushing her separatist agenda during the coronavirus crisis.

The First Minister goaded that the PM ‘fears the verdict and the will of the Scottish people’ as she quoted the famous Robert Burns poem, saying he is a ‘wee, sleekit, cowrin, tim’rous beastie’.

‘He is frightened of democracy,’ she said.  

The jibes came as the SNP unveils an 11-point roadmap to splitting the UK, including a Catalonia-style wildcat vote that would effectively force a drastic response from the Prime Minister to stop it having legal effect. 

Ms Sturgeon is vowing that a referendum will be held if there is a pro-independence majority at Holyrood after May’s elections – where her party is on track to get a landslide.

Jubilant SNP MPs said they wanted to ‘focus on undermining the union’, even though all sides made clear the 2014 vote would settle the issue ‘for a generation’. 

The separatists lost that contest by 55 per cent to 45 per cent, but polls have been consistently showing that a majority north of the border would now vote to break away. A survey today suggested the margin could be 52 per cent to 48 per cent. 

Under the blueprint, Ms Sturgeon would demand that Mr Johnson agree to a ‘Section 30’ order that paves the way to a second independence referendum. 

The PM has pledged to refuse such a request. But for the first time, the SNP has said it will then hold a referendum anyway, forcing Mr Johnson to make it legal or take the Scottish Government to court to stop it.  

UK Government sources said it would be more likely to ignore a referendum, although that would lead to huge political fallout.

One added: ‘Most Scots would be appalled that at this point in the pandemic, when all efforts should be on vaccinating and dealing with economic recovery, the SNP would again be focused on a referendum. It would not be legitimate. It would be meaningless unless both sides engaged with it.’

Douglas Ross, Scottish Tory leader, said: ‘Most Scots will wonder why time, energy and resources are going into pursuing an illegal referendum when we are facing far bigger challenges.’  

The SNP’s Mike Russel, who will unveil the roadmap today, said: ‘The referendum should be held after the pandemic, at a time to be decided by the democratically elected Scottish Parliament. The SNP believes that should be in the early part of the new term.’  

A poll in the Sunday Times shows indicates a vote for independence would have the backing of the Scottish people and that a referendum should be held in the next five years

A graphic shows how experts forecast a landslide victory for the SNP in May's Scottish elections

A graphic shows how experts forecast a landslide victory for the SNP in May’s Scottish elections

Nicola Sturgeon (pictured on the BBC today) is unveiling an 11-point roadmap to independence, including a Catalonia-style wildcat vote that would effectively force a drastic response from the Prime Minister to stop it and save the UK

Nicola Sturgeon (pictured on the BBC today) is unveiling an 11-point roadmap to independence, including a Catalonia-style wildcat vote that would effectively force a drastic response from the Prime Minister to stop it and save the UK

SNP MPs said they wanted to 'focus on undermining the union further' despite the country being in the grip of coronavirus

SNP MPs said they wanted to ‘focus on undermining the union further’ despite the country being in the grip of coronavirus

Majority across UK think Scotland will be independent within 10 years

Voters across the UK believe Scotland is likely to become independent within the next decade – while more than half of those in Northern Ireland want a referendum on a united Ireland in the next five years, according to a series of polls.

The Sunday Times commissioned a series of surveys across the four nations of the United Kingdom to gauge attitudes towards the Union.

The findings highlight some of the difficulties facing Boris Johnson as he struggles to keep the country together following its departure from the European Union.

In Scotland, the poll found 49 per cent backed independence compared to 44 per cent against – a margin of 52 per cent to 48 per cent if the undecideds are excluded.

In Northern Ireland, 47 per cent still want to remain in the UK, with 42 per cent in favour of a United Ireland and a significant proportion – 11 per cent – undecided.

However, asked if they supported a referendum on a United Ireland within the next five years, 51 per cent said yes compared to 44 per cent who were against.

In Wales, where support for independence is traditionally weakest, 23 per cent still backed leaving the UK while 31 per cent supported a referendum.

Across all four nations, more voters expected Scotland to be out of the UK within 10 years than thought it would still remain.

In England, the margin was 49 per cent to 19 per cent, in Northern Ireland it was 60 per cent to 28 per cent, in Wales 49 per cent to 23 per cent and in Scotland itself 49 per cent to 30 per cent.

With crucial elections to the Scottish Parliament coming up in May, the poll found the SNP way ahead on 70 per cent – up seven points since the last elections in 2016 – while the Tories were down six points on 25 per cent, with Labour down five points on 19 per cent.

Panelbase polled 1,206 adults resident in Scotland between January 19-22. YouGov polled 1,416 English adults between January 19 and 20, and 1,059 people in Wales aged 16 and over between January 18 and 21. Lucidtalk polled 2,392 people in Northern Ireland aged 16 and over between January 15 and 18.

The plans emerged as a series of opinion polls confirmed fears that Scots were on course to vote to break away, and all four corners of the UK expect Scotland to become independent within ten years.

A Panelbase poll for The Sunday Times reported that independence campaigners would win by 52 per cent to 48 per cent.

Other similar surveys found that half of Scotland voters said they’d support holding a referendum in the next five years, compared to 43 per cent who wouldn’t.

A Hollyrood seat forecast also projected the SNP extending their majority to 70 seats – seven more than the party had in 2016 – with the Conservatives and Labour each losing six and five respectively. 

Ms Sturgeon would consider such a victory to represent a mandate for a second referendum.  

But last night, opponents branded the SNP plans ‘reckless’ and ‘crass’ at a time when thousands of lives are being lost to Covid.

A banned Catalan independence referendum in October 2017 sparked intense clashes with police before Madrid imposed direct rule on the region.

It was considered Spain’s biggest political crisis since the rule of military dictator General Francisco Franco, who died in 1975 after more than three decades in power.   

Michael Gove, who has discussed the case for the Union with former Labour PM Gordon Brown, chaired a meeting of cabinet ministers last week to discuss the need to prevent such a move, according to reports. 

The proposals are to be discussed at a virtual SNP National Assembly today.

They state that if a pro-independence majority of SNP and Scots Green MSPs is elected in Scottish elections in May, the First Minister would demand that Boris Johnson agree to a Section 30 order that paves the way to a second independence referendum. 

A Section 30 order – part of the Scotland Act 1998 which allows Holyrood to pass laws normally reserved to Westminster – was granted by the UK Government ahead of the 2014 independence referendum. 

The Prime Minister has pledged to refuse such a request and hold the SNP to its promise of a referendum ‘once in a generation’.

Jackie Baillie, interim Scots Labour leader, said: ‘It is inexcusable that at this time of acute crisis the SNP seeks to put its plan for independence above everything else.’

But Michael Russell, Constitution Secretary in Ms Sturgeon’s government, said: ‘People in Scotland have the right to decide their future – not Boris Johnson.’ 

The roadmap states any attempt by the UK Government to challenge the legality of the referendum in the courts will be ‘vigorously opposed’. 

Mr Johnson has repeatedly stated his opposition to a second independence referendum.

As the roadmap document was published on Saturday, Mr Russell said: ‘I firmly believe that Scotland’s referendum must be beyond legal challenge to ensure legitimacy and acceptance at home and abroad.

‘This is the surest way by far to becoming an independent country.

‘The referendum should be held after the pandemic, at a time to be decided by the democratically elected Scottish Parliament. The SNP believes that should be in the early part of the new term.’

He continued: ‘Today I am setting out how I believe that right can be secured, and I welcome the discussion that will take place around this idea and others.

‘But what is absolutely not for discussion is the fact that if Scotland votes for a legal referendum on May 6 this year, that is what it will get.

‘The SNP Scottish Government will deliver such a referendum if re-elected and the proposals I am putting forward make that very clear.’

Around 1,000 party members are expected to take part in the SNP’s national assembly tomorrow, a policy forum chaired by deputy leader Keith Brown.

The SNP will tell Boris Johnson he will need to take legal action if he wants to stop a second Scottish independence vote as it revealed its 'roadmap to a referendum'. The Scottish Government's Constitution Secretary Mike Russell (pictured left with First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon) will present the 11-point document to the party's policy forum on Sunday

The SNP will tell Boris Johnson he will need to take legal action if he wants to stop a second Scottish independence vote as it revealed its ‘roadmap to a referendum’. The Scottish Government’s Constitution Secretary Mike Russell (pictured left with First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon) will present the 11-point document to the party’s policy forum on Sunday

Boris Johnson has repeatedly stated his opposition to a second independence referendum

Boris Johnson has repeatedly stated his opposition to a second independence referendum

Opposition parties accused the SNP of putting the push for independence ahead of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Sunday Times commissioned a series of surveys across the four nations of the United Kingdom to gauge attitudes towards the Union.

The findings highlight some of the difficulties facing Boris Johnson as he struggles to keep the country together following its departure from the European Union – and not just in Scotland. 

In Northern Ireland, 47 per cent still want to remain in the UK, with 42 per cent in favour of a United Ireland and a significant proportion – 11 per cent – undecided.

However, asked if they supported a referendum on a United Ireland within the next five years, 51 per cent said yes compared to 44 per cent who were against.

In Wales, where support for independence is traditionally weakest, 23 per cent still backed leaving the UK while 31 per cent supported a referendum.

Across all four nations, more voters expected Scotland to be out of the UK within 10 years than thought it would still remain.

In England, the margin was 49 per cent to 19 per cent, in Northern Ireland it was 60 per cent to 28 per cent, in Wales 49 per cent to 23 per cent and in Scotland itself 49 per cent to 30 per cent.

Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross tweeted: ‘When 100 per cent of our focus should be on recovering from the pandemic, the SNP are charging ahead with plans for another referendum.

‘We won’t let them get their way.’

Responding to the SNP’s document, the UK Government said the issue of Scottish independence had been settled ‘decisively’ in 2014.

A spokeswoman said: ‘People in Scotland want to see politicians across the UK working in partnership to focus on defeating coronavirus.

‘That remains the top priority of the UK Government, which has supported jobs and businesses across all four nations throughout the pandemic.

‘The Government is supporting the devolved administrations in their vaccination programmes, with the British Armed Forces helping to establish 80 new Covid-19 vaccine centres in Scotland.

‘The question of Scottish independence was settled decisively in 2014, when Scotland voted to remain part of the UK.

‘Now more than ever, we should be pulling together to strengthen our United Kingdom, instead of trying to separate it.’