UK Health Secretary Wes Streeting has ruled out a second Scottish independence referendum after the election, stating that “this country’s had enough of chaos”. In an interview with LBC on Sunday, Streeting said: “We’re not having one.”
Streeting cited a series of recent crises as reasons for denying another vote, including the financial crash, Tory austerity, Brexit, the war in Ukraine, the war in Iran, and the Covid pandemic. “I think this country has had enough of chaos,” he added.
Pro-independence parties have strongly criticised the comments. SNP Depute Leader Keith Brown accused Labour of “sticking two fingers up at Scottish voters” and “arrogantly seeking to deny democracy”. He argued that “it will not be Wes Streeting, Keir Starmer or any other Westminster politician who decide Scotland’s future – it will be the people of Scotland”.
Scottish Greens candidate Patrick Harvie described the remarks as showing “complete contempt for Scotland and our democracy”. He said that “Scotland’s future isn’t up to Wes Streeting or Keir Starmer, it is up to the people who live here”.
