The prime minister argues that the Brexit outcome will not be clear enough by then for Scots to make an informed judgment on whether the union is worth preserving. Ms Sturgeon raises legitimate objections to the way the prime minister has unilaterally crafted a Brexit agenda to the taste of ultra-Eurosceptic English Tories, ignoring the majority view of Scotland. Ms Sturgeon calculates that a hard Brexit presented as Westminster dictating terms to a captive Scotland will stoke support for independence. Yet she had little choice but to reject a second referendum while negotiations last. The prime minister should be aware when rebuffing the SNP that, on the terms of a Brexit, Nicola Sturgeon articulates concerns that resonate on both sides of the Scottish border.

Source: The Guardian March 16, 2017 19:18 UTC