Will Scotland Leave the UK?

Originally Posted by jfman

In fairness it's not like if they announced it last week, or next week, it'd be any further up the running order. The news cycle is full of Coronavirus and the Scottish Government are taking a reasonable action at a reasonable time.

Err no, they’re using a very convenient ladder to get themselves out of a deep hole of their own making. They have spent the last 12 months ramping up the rhetoric about a referendum in order to prevent their movement fracturing, while a referendum is the last thing Sturgeon actually wants as long as the polls remain basically unchanged from 2014. They have always needed a pretext to back down that doesn’t leave the SNP leadership looking weak. For them, the present crisis is perfect cover.

[jfman]

Originally Posted by Chris

Err no, they’re using a very convenient ladder to get themselves out of a deep hole of their own making. They have spent the last 12 months ramping up the rhetoric about a referendum in order to prevent their movement fracturing, while a referendum is the last thing Sturgeon actually wants as long as the polls remain basically unchanged from 2014. They have always needed a pretext to back down that doesn’t leave the SNP leadership looking weak. For them, the present crisis is perfect cover.

I'm not disputing that this crisis is more important or that it has got them out of a hole. Just "a good day to bury bad news" implies they're somehow being devious about it or attempting to be selective about their timing.

Everyone but the most extreme pro independence person would accept this is the right thing to do at the right time. And as you rightly point out - will allow the appetite of the Scottish public to be tested in the Scottish Parliament elections.