Douglas Alexander appeared on the BBC’s Sunday Show after taking over from Ian Murray who was unceremoniously sacked in a sudden Government reshuffle on Friday.
The East Lothian MP repeatedly refused to confirm how Scotland could leave the Union, saying that Scots had decided to stay in the 2014 election.
Alexander, who previously served as Scottish secretary from 2006 to 2007, said that voters “really don’t see independence as a priority”.
He said: “When I saw yet another document on independence produced by the Scottish Government in recent days I thought, this is really a core-vote strategy from a party that doesn’t want to talk about health, about education, about ferries, about justice, about, tragically, drug deaths. Issue after issue, they’ve got nothing to say and so they’re trying to change the conversation back to their obsession with the constitution.”
Asked whether Scotland was in a voluntary union, Alexander said: “That was shown in 2014 in a free, fair election. 84.7% of the Scottish electorate, if I recollect it […] chose in the largest-ever franchise in Scottish and UK history to choose by a clear 10-point difference to stay within the United Kingdom.”
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He added: “The constitutional framework that was in place in 2014 remains in place today. There was a choice we made our choice and frankly, those who argue the case for independence, it’s up to them to explain their case, we’re still waiting for answers on pensions, on currency, on any number of issues. Frankly as Scottish Labour, we’re going to be getting on with the job.”
Host Martin Geissler highlighted that polls showed that most Scots back independence, to which Alexander replied: “Look at the salience of independence in the opinion polls. Even when some of the headline, horse race numbers are difficult for Scottish Labour, independence is coming down the agenda, not going up the agenda.”
He added: “The Scottish people can make their choice ultimately in the Holyrood elections in 2026, as to whether they want a party that is dedicated to independence but has abjectly failed to govern the country well or whether they can have a new direction with the Scottish Labour party.”
SNP MSP Kenneth Gibson said: “Scotland has a right to decide our own future – it really is time for Unionist politicians to stop denying democracy, and outline under which circumstances a referendum could take place.
“But what Douglas was right about is that the people of Scotland will have the chance to have their say in 2026 – and as recent opinion polls show, it won’t be a good showing for Labour, if they continue to deny Scottish democracy.”