Nicola Sturgeon and cabinet debate election fallout, but not indyref2

Scottish National Party Leader Nicola Sturgeon speaks to the media in Parliament Sq (Jack Taylor/Getty Images)

NICOLA STURGEON and her Cabinet have discussed the impact of the General Election on Brexit – but did not consider what effect the result of the vote would have on Scottish Government plans for a second independence referendum.

The First Minister and senior members of her team agreed there could now be “a substantial opportunity for alternatives to a hard Brexit” following the Conservatives’ failure to win an overall majority, a spokesman confirmed.

But when asked if the Scottish Cabinet had considered the impact of the election on its referendum plans, after the SNP lost 21 Commons seats, the spokesman said: “There was no discussion, no.

“There was a discussion of the outcome of the election in relation to Brexit, but no specific discussion of a referendum.”

The SNP leader has already pledged to “reflect carefully” on the election result and has conceded plans for a second vote on leaving the UK were “undoubtedly” a factor in the result.

Her spokesman insisted he was “not going to pre-empt the First Minister” on the issue.

He told journalists at a Holyrood briefing: “I’m not going to outline any position on independence or a referendum because it’s for the First Minister to do that, and she has indicated she will do that in due course.”

Pressed on why Ms Sturgeon is calling for amendments to be made to the UK’s Brexit plans in the wake of the election, but has not yet announced any change to her proposals for a second independence referendum, the spokesman said: “The fact remains the SNP won a majority of seats in Scotland, Theresa May and the Conservatives did not win a majority of seats in the UK, so there is a difference, there is a distinction to be drawn there.”

But the new group of 13 Scottish Tory MPs said the election was a “damning verdict” on the First Minister’s proposals.

In a statement, they said: “Unless we present a united front to the EU, Nicola Sturgeon will disrupt our negotiations. And unless she gets back to the day job, Scotland will continue to pay a high price.

“So she needs to end her denial, listen to what the people of Scotland have said and face up to the reality.

“She needs to look the Scottish people in the eye and tell them she has given up on a second independence referendum.

“Unless and until she does, she is putting her party ahead of her country – and we will not stand for it.”