THE Scottish Greens have been accused of ignoring their own manifesto in a rush to hold a second independence referendum.
The Liberal Democrats said their rivals were “airbrushing” away their previous commitment only to back a referendum if there was majority public support.
A spate of recent polls has shown most Scots oppose a swift second referendum.
In September 2015, the Greens said the timing “should be determined by public appetite: Scotland should decide, when Scotland wants to decide.
"For example, a call for a referendum signed by up to 1m people on the electoral register”.
Its 2016 manifesto repeated the point: “If a new referendum is to happen, it should come about by the will of the people, and not be driven by calculations of party political advantage.
“In such a referendum the Scottish Greens will campaign for independence.”
However after Nicola Sturgeon announced her intention to hold a referendum between autumn 2018 and spring 2019, Green co-convener Patrick Harvie said his MSPs would vote with the SNP to secure a fresh ballot.
MSPs will hold hold a two-day debate next week on requesting a so-called Section 30 order from Westminster which would transfer the required referendum powers to Holyrood.
The First Minister opens the debate on Tuesday, with Brexit minister Michael Russell, deputy First Minister John Swinney and External Affairs Secretary Fiona Hyslop also speaking.
The LibDems pressed for two days of discussion to allow every MSP a chance to speak.
LibDem MSP Alex Cole-Hamilton said: “The Greens have advocated that 1m names on a petition should be the trigger for another independence referendum.
“Now it has been airbrushed without explanation. By any normal standards the Greens would be unable to vote for a Section 30 next week. I accept the Greens favour independence but by their own test they do not have mandate to vote for yet another independence referendum.”
A spokesman for the Greens said the manifesto “could not be clearer”, as it also said the party would campaign for independence if there was a referendum.
He said: “We suggested a ‘Citizens’ Initiative’ as one way of gauging future public support – we’ve never suggested the Scottish Parliament should be stripped of its right to take a view.
“If the LibDems haven’t noticed, we are in a very different place, with Scotland on the verge of being dragged out of the EU in spite of voting overwhelmingly to Remain.”
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