I'll Back IndyRef II If Scotland Is Hauled Out of the EU

Now that we've all just about recovered from last Thursday's Scottish Parliamentary Elections, it's time to take stock of where we are now. Much has been made of the Triumphant Tories' return after they became the most successful losers of the election - but since the SNP lost their majority at Holyrood, it's us Greens who have an opportunity to play Kingmaker.

Now that we've all just about recovered from last Thursday's Scottish Parliamentary Elections, it's time to take stock of where we are now. Much has been made of the Triumphant Tories' return after they became the most successful losers of the election - but since the SNP lost their majority at Holyrood, it's us Greens who have an opportunity to play Kingmaker.

Ruth Davidson's Tories campaigned vociferously against a second referendum under any circumstances in what was an ultimately successful attempt to attract more Blairite unionists to her cause. Does the Tories' relatively successful election mean a second independence referendum is off the cards? Tories might say so - but their assertion is remarkably naïve.

The biggest threat to the UK right now is Brexit. Polls show that Scotland is hugely in favour of remaining in the European Union. I believe a majority of Scottish voters are aware of the benefits - be they environmental, social, or economic - of being part of a political union with our continental cousins. Unfortunately, the UK's EU membership hangs in the balance ahead of the 23rd of June referendum. More Eurosceptic parts of the UK, particularly in some parts of England, threaten to nullify Scotland's pro-Europeanism.

Imagine we wake up on June 24th after a Brexit vote despite Scotland voting to remain. Scotland would be in the ludicrous position of being forced into leaving the European Union - especially when our Brexit would be handled by a government in Westminster which Scots actively voted against!

Surely Scotland cannot be removed from the EU under these circumstances. It is inconceivable that this hypothetical pro-Europe majority of Scots would accept their democratic will being overridden. The only way to square this circle - in my view - would be to hold another Scottish Independence Referendum. Should we allow Brexit as negotiated by the Tories at Westminster or should Scotland become an independent country, making its own choices?

I very much hope that the UK will vote to remain part of the EU on the 23rd of June. Unfortunately, given the car crash that has been the Remain campaign so far, I'm not so confident that the outcome of this referendum will be favourable to us.

Thankfully we still have a pro-independence majority at Holyrood to stand up for Scotland. If Scotland is to be pulled out of the EU against our democratic will, I would encourage our Green-SNP majority to hold a second referendum. The outcome of Indyref2 could be very different indeed.

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