By Kathleen Nutt

Political Correspondent

A SENIOR Scottish Labour MSP has called for the option of “devo max” to be put to voters in Indyref2 alongside “yes” and “no” to independence.

Alex Rowley, a former deputy leader of the party, said a multi-option vote could help end a “stalemate” in Scotland and also allow his party to participate in the constitutional debate in a way distinct from the Conservatives.

He said a third option of “home rule” or “devo max” could be put on the ballot paper and called on the SNP to consider backing the move as a possible way forward.

His intervention comes days after the First Minister released the first in a series of papers setting out an updated case for independence with Indyref2 planned for October next year.

Boris Johnson has refused to agree to a new vote, leading Nicola Sturgeon to consider a process to hold one without the Prime Minister’s agreement, which was obtained ahead of the 2014 referendum.

Ms Sturgeon is expected to unveil a “route map” this month setting out how Holyrood can legislate for the new vote.

But many commentators are sceptical whether the referendum will take place as planned given a likelihood of a legal challenge to the bill.

“I take the view the constitutional stalemate Scotland finds itself in is not sustainable, results in poor government, rewards political parties for maintaining divisions, and we therefore have to find a way forward and settle the issue,” Mr Rowley told The Herald on Sunday.

“While it is difficult to see how the issue will be resolved without another referendum, it is clear that a large majority of the people of Scotland do not think that a referendum should be held next year. Indeed, I would argue the SNP don’t believe a referendum will take place next year and their announcement this week is more about stoking division to win a majority of seats in the next General Election.”

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar maintains the country should not be discussing independence at a time when Scots are facing acute problems related to rising inflation and the cost of living.

‘One-sided’ indy

HOWEVER, Mr Rowley argued it wasn’t enough for his own party to simply reject a new vote, arguing this stance benefited the Conservatives but put Labour at a disadvantage.

He added: “The ‘never’ approach settles nothing and allows for a one-sided version of what independence would mean to be sold to the people of Scotland.

“This tends to suit the Tories who harden their unionist stance in the hope of mopping up the unionist vote but does nothing to inform the debate while Scottish Labour remains in hope it will all go away.

“So let us not run from this debate but engage and in doing so, make clear no single party has ownership over the terms of the debate or the terms of how a future referendum is to be held, and what questions would be put to the people.
 
“The SNP seem to believe that there would be no place for the Electoral Commission in testing any question as they want a binary yes or no question, and say it was tested less than eight years ago.
 
“My own view is the option of ‘home rule’ must be considered as part of the debate but regardless the significant and material change since 2014 means the same binary choice is no longer on the table.

“The SNP are now proposing independence within Europe which means a hard border with England ...and that on its own means a different proposition from 2014.

“I keep hearing politicians talking about ending the division and healing the nation but you can do neither by telling 50 per cent of the population they are wrong.
 
“The way forward must be an open and civil debate that examines the issues and has all options on the table.”


HE said that the current “constitutional stalemate” had led to deep divisions in Scotland with wider policy debate wrongly framed by whether the party proposing an issue supported independence or the Union.

“For so many, the only issue that matters is whether you are for or against independence,” he said.

“In Scotland, we have a government that is failing on so many fronts and yet with half the population supporting independence and voting for the independence party regardless of their performance in government, they are guaranteed to win the largest amount of the votes and seats.”

A Scottish Labour spokesperson said: “At the election, Nicola Sturgeon promised that her priority would be our recovery from Covid. But, true to form, she has returned to the politics of division and pitting Scot against Scot.

“This is all a deliberate attempt to distract from her failures.

“Scottish Labour MSPs consistently highlight the failure of her government to use the powers they already have to address the cost-of-living crisis, the pressures on our health service, the lack of action on our growing educational attainment gap, and the failures in transport infrastructure.

“The next electoral contest in Scotland will not be a referendum – it will be a General Election. That is our opportunity for change.”

SNP MSP Rona Mackay said: “Alex Rowley needs to change this broken record. Scottish Labour made the same vow to Scotland in 2014 and then broke that promise.

“No-one can trust them to stick to their word this time.

“And no amount of constitutional tinkering would protect Scotland from the catastrophe of Brexit or the Tory-created cost-of-living crisis. The only way Scotland can escape corrosive Westminster control is with the full powers of independence.

“However, Alex Rowley clearly recognises Scotland’s right to choose its own future in a referendum so he should be demanding his boss Anas Sarwar dumps his Donald Trump policy of denying clear democratic election results delivered by the people of this country.”