LABOUR will "respect" today's Holyrood vote on a second referendum, Tom Watson has said, despite MSPs being expected to back an SNP timetable that could see a ballot before Brexit.
Just 24 hours after Jeremy Corbyn said a referendum before Brexit would be “an extremely bad idea", his deputy said Labour MPs would back it if that was what Holyrood wanted.
Mr Watson’s comments, made on a visit to Edinburgh yesterday, added to the impression of Labour confusion on the constitutional question.
Today’s vote, delayed by last week’s terror attack at Westminster, is on whether to request temporary referendum powers from Westminster to hold a new independence vote.
The text of the SNP’s motion says this “would most appropriately be between the autumn of 2018, when there is clarity over the outcome of the Brexit negotiations, and around the point at which the UK leaves the EU in spring 2019”.
Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale is vehemently against a second ballot at any time in the current parliament.
However earlier this month, and to her great discomfort, UK Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn told the Press Association that a second referendum would be “absolutely fine”.
Mr Corbyn modified his position over the weekend, adopting Mrs May’s position of querying the timing, rather than the principle, of another independence vote.
He told ITV’s Peston on Sunday programme: “The Scottish Parliament will make its decision this week on it. I do not think a second referendum in Scotland is a good idea.”
“Of course one has to discuss the question of the timing and the date of it.
“I would have thought during Brexit negotiations is an extremely bad idea because clearly there needs to be a position put forward where we know what the trade relationship could be in the future and what’s on offer, and the Scottish people also know what’s on offer.”
However Mr Watson said: "Obviously if it comes up in the Westminster parliament we will respect the decision of the Scottish Parliament.
"If the Scottish Parliament votes for it we will respect it.
“We just don't want this referendum. We don't think the country wants it either."
With Scottish Labour's poll numbers less than half their level at the 2012 local election, the SNP are predicted to make big gains across the country on May 4.
Asked if Labour would retain power in Glasgow, the Labour deputy leader said guardedly: "I don't know. I know they're running a fantastic campaign and have a charismatic leader in Frank McAveety.
“We all know what the political situation is, where we are in the polls. I'm not going to make any predictions. I'm very very proud of the team across Scotland who are fighting very hard and not taking anything for granted in very difficult circumstances."
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