Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson has said Prime Minister David Cameron would be wrong to block a second vote on Scottish independence.
In an interview with the Guardian, Ms Davidson said if proposals for a second referendum are included in the SNP’s manifesto for the Scottish Parliament elections next year and it then goes on to win another majority, it would be a political blunder to deny one.
Her stance puts her at odds with Prime Minister David Cameron, who said after the general election that a second vote on Scotland’s constitutional future is “not remotely on the cards” and September’s vote to remain in the UK had been “decisive”.
But the leader of his party in Scotland has now said denying Scots a second vote despite the promises of Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon that last year’s vote was a “once in a generation” event would backfire on unionist politicians.
She said: “If the SNP puts in its manifesto that it has an intention to hold a second referendum, and if it wins an outright majority, I think it does have a mandate to hold one.
“I actually don’t think, in the longer term, Westminster saying ‘No, you cannae’ will play well in Scotland and I think that would damage the unionist cause.”
But Ms Davidson said the SNP may be reluctant to risk a second independence referendum so soon after the first and polls would need to show 60% support for leaving the UK before the possibility is put to voters.
“If you have two referenda very close together, if you lose the second one, even by a whisper, then it’s over, “ she added.
“I think the SNP would be very mindful of that.”
Ms Davidson, who was raised in Lundin Links in Fife and attended Buckhaven High School, also said Nicola Sturgeon is a superior first minister to her predecessor at Bute House.
“Nicola is a better politician than Alex Salmond,” she said. “We’re not buddies or anything like that but I find her a straighter person to deal with.”
The Tory leader also said she would campaign for the UK to remain in the EU and the independence referendum had changed her mind about lowering the voting age to include 16 and 17-year-olds.
“I’m a fully paid-up member of the ‘votes at 16’ club now, for every election.
“I thought 16 and 17-year-olds were fantastic during the referendum campaign. I can’t tell you the number of hustings and public meetings I did and some of the younger members of the audience were the most informed.”