Boris Johnson takes his fight against Scotland’s independence to Scotland

He highlighted how his government helped distribute vaccines across the UK, including Scotland, faster than anywhere in the EU, and has provided funds to support public services and subsidize thousands of jobs since the crisis began.

But most Scots now favor independence over the partial autonomy they now have, according to a series of opinion polls, encouraged in part by the perception that the Scottish government handled the pandemic better than the London government. The change foreshadows what may be the biggest crisis the Johnson administration has faced since leaving the EU.

Scottish leader Prime Minister Nicola Sturgeon benefited from strong approval ratings, in part thanks to his clear message about the dangers of Covid and his willingness to close deals and schools to keep infection and mortality rates lower than in other parts of the UK

Johnson said the independence debate was an unnecessary distraction and that an earlier vote in 2014, in which Scots chose to stay with the United Kingdom, should be considered a unique event in a generation.

“I think endless talks about a referendum without any clear description of what the constitutional situation would look like after that referendum is completely irrelevant to the concerns of most people,” he said when visiting a new vaccine factory in Livingston, east of Glasgow. “In fact, we don’t know what this referendum is going to achieve.”

Britain’s former Treasury chief, George Osborne, said earlier this month that no UK leader wants to be the prime minister who will see Scotland leave the 300-year union with England. Its natural resources, universities and exports are an important part of the UK’s economy and cultural traditions.

Scotland’s departure would also damage the UK’s image at a time when he is trying to assert himself as an influential voice on the global stage after leaving the bloc.

However, the problem is not going away. Many who voted to stay in the UK in 2014 have changed their minds and are in favor of independence. Michael Sturrock is among them. He launched a website called NoToYes to attract other voters who are thinking of changing sides.

“It’s about our democratic right to make that choice,” said another pro-UK convert, Mark McGeoghan.

The next critical point comes in the May elections for the Scottish parliament. The Scottish National Party of Sturgeon appears to be on track to secure the majority of seats and has promised to hold a referendum.

But London’s refusal to participate presents a puzzle: how to issue a legal and binding vote that appeases the most restless members of your party and at the same time satisfies the EU, where members like Spain care about their own movements independence and can oppose an independent Scotland by returning to the bloc.

Mrs. Sturgeon tried to incite Johnson to consent to another vote for independence, citing Scotland’s national poet Robert Burns over the weekend, calling him a “shy and shriveled bug.” Johnson’s comments on Thursday suggest that this had little effect.

Your party’s current alternative plan is to propose a referendum to the Scottish Parliament after the May elections and see if the Johnson government agrees or presents a legal challenge. Ultimately, this could end up in the UK Supreme Court, which rules on constitutional issues between Scotland and the rest of the UK, said Aileen McHarg, a professor at Durham University and a specialist in constitutional law.

“This shows the Scottish leadership’s determination that, regardless of how an independence referendum is reached, it will be done through some legal, consensual or judicial process,” she said. “They are well aware that if they took another approach and applied to the EU, that process would be vetoed.”

If the court decides that Scotland can hold a referendum, it would be more difficult for Johnson to object.

It may be the last dice roll for Scotland’s independence movement, however, at least until there is a change in sentiment in London. People familiar with Sturgeon’s thinking say his main strategy is to embarrass the UK to allow another independence referendum, guaranteeing a long term vote at the polls in May – something Johnson is eager to avoid.

Write to James Hookway at [email protected]