THE PRIME Minister has reiterated his belief that it is 'not the time' for a second referendum in Scotland as the election campaign nears its close.
Boris Johnson was speaking during a campaign event in the West Midlands this morning, where he was asked about the probability of granting permission for another vote on the constitution if Scots returned a pro-independence majority of MSPs to Holyrood.
He told reporters that "most people in Scotland" do not want to have another referendum now.
It comes after an exclusive poll for The Herald found that 55 per cent of people did think there should be another referendum if a majority of independence-supporting MSPs were elected, however most of them said they should wait until the pandemic is over and the country has recovered before doing so.
READ MORE: Poll: Voters want recovery before holding second referendum
Mr Johnson said he would "wait and see what actually happens" at the polls tomorrow, when asked about a pro-independence MSP majority being elected, and described another vote on the constitution as "reckless and...irresponsible".
He said: "I think that most people in Scotland, most people around the whole of the UK, feel that this is not the time, as we’re coming forward out of a pandemic together, this is not the time to have a reckless, and I think irresponsible, second referendum."
“We had one only a few years ago – I think what most people want is to focus on the country and taking it forward and rebuilding our economy and getting people into work.
“That seems to me to be the priority.”
A poll for The Herald by BMG Research found that 32% of all voters did not want another referendum at all, while 38% said there should be one after the country has recovered from the health crisis.
A minority of people (17%) opted to have another vote immediately, while 13% were unsure.
Even among independence supporters, 53% wanted to wait until the pandemic was behind them, while 39% wanted to have a vote straight away.
Asked if Boris Johnson should allow another vote if the SNP returned an outright majority tomorrow, almost half (47%) believed he should give the go-ahead within the next five years, while 39% said he should not allow it before 2026 and 13% again were undecided.
Last night Nicola Sturgeon said she would not hold a 'wildcat referendum' during the BBC leaders debate, with Douglas Ross, the Scottish Tory leader saying he would boycott any such attempt at one.
Today the Lib Dems have confirmed they too would boycott a rogue vote, if it were held.
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