Na h-Eileanan an Iar SNP MSP Alasdair Allan tonight voted in favour of giving the Scottish people a choice over the future of their country, in a future independence referendum. 

The motion agreed to in the Scottish Parliament this evening gives the Scottish Government a mandate to seek an order under section 30 of the Scotland Act to allow the Scottish Parliament to legislate on a future referendum on the question of Scottish Independence.

Alasdair Allan MSP commented:

“Scotland stands at a crossroads. The next two years will determine what kind of country Scotland will be. The people of Scotland must be offered a choice between the hard Brexit currently being pursued by the Tory Government and becoming an independent country.

“The Scottish Government offered a big compromise which would reluctantly mean Scotland leaving the EU if we could stay in the Single Market. However, the UK Government has refused to listen even to this compromise.

“We have now set out a plan to protect Scotland’s interests and, when the options are clear, give the people a choice. We will do all we can to protect Scotland’s interests during the UK’s negotiations to leave the EU. When the terms of Brexit are known we will give the people the choice over the direction Scotland should take – while there is still an opportunity to change course. Before people make that choice the Scottish Government will set out the challenges and opportunities of independence. In particular, it will set out how to secure our relationship with Europe, build a stronger economy, a fairer society, and forge a genuine partnership of equals across these islands.”