‘Put yourself in the shoes of a No voter’: Sturgeon delivers considered speech and holds out olive branch to May

NICOLA Sturgeon issued a rallying call to No voters yesterday to try to build her case for Scottish independence.

Addressing the SNP conference in Aberdeen, the First Minister acknowledged for the first time that many Scots will be “nervous and anxious, perhaps even resentful” at the prospect of another indy poll so soon after 2014.

But Miss Sturgeon urged her party faithful to “put ourselves in their shoes” as she tries to overcome sceptical voters and the UK Government.

Theresa May last week said “now is not the time” for another independence referendum but Miss Sturgeon again insisted there will be one, though she did issue an olive branch to the Prime Minister on the timing of the poll.

A Scottish parliament vote on whether Holyrood should ask for legal permission to hold a second referendum takes place this week and Miss Sturgeon said the will of Holyrood “must and will prevail”.

Still without a majority in favour of separation and the UK Government playing hardball over another referendum, Miss Sturgeon fired the starting gun on her bid to build popular support for both another poll and independence.

She said to SNP delegates: “Our job is not to talk to each other. It is to reach out to those not persuaded – to put ourselves in their shoes.

“To understand the hopes, fears and ambitions of all our fellow citizens. And to do what we can to establish common ground

“As Scotland’s government, we bear a special responsibility to offer a hand across these differences, to build consensus where we can.”

She continued: “After the terms of Brexit are clear, but while there is still an opportunity to change course, the people of Scotland will have a choice.

“There will be an independence referendum. But I also know that for every one of us who is full of excitement and anticipation, there will be someone else feeling nervous and anxious, perhaps even resentful.

“In the last few years it has been one big decision after another. You have been bombarded with statistics, claims and counterclaims.

“You might have had heated discussion with friends and family.

“Even though you may feel – like we do – that 2014 was a positive and vibrant exercise of democracy, you might not relish going through it all over again.

“I understand that.”

Miss Sturgeon raised what is likely to be another big issue of any future independence referendum – who lives in Scotland.

She said: “Of course people have concerns about immigration that need to be addressed.”

But she went on to say she would guarantee the right of EU citizens to remain Scotland and said the country was open to anyone else in the UK who wants to move here.

The SNP administration is expected to win the vote on asking for Holyrood to be given the power to hold a referendum and Miss Sturgeon called on the UK Government to respect the vote.

She said: “To stand in defiance of that would be for the Prime Minister to shatter beyond repair any notion of the UK as a respectful partnership of equals.

“She has time to think again and I hope she does.

“If her concern is timing then – within reason – I am happy to have that discussion.”

Responding to the speech, Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale said: “This was a speech from a First Minister who is out of ideas and obsessed by independence.

“Her attempt at wooing the majority of Scots who oppose her bid to leave the UK will fool nobody.

“The SNP still stands for division and grievance.

“If Nicola Sturgeon truly wants to listen to the people of Scotland, she will take the threat of a second independence referendum off the table.

“Thirteen mentions of independence or being independent, yet not one mention of poverty – the SNP’s priorities neatly summed up.”

More cash for mental health treatment and improving digital skills was also announced by Miss Sturgeon.

Jackson Carlaw MSP, Scottish Conservative deputy leader, said: “This is the week that Nicola Sturgeon gave up being First Minister and instead put her obsession with independence before the day job.

“This was a disappointing and negative speech. Nicola Sturgeon seems to be more interested in complaining about the UK government than talking up her own.

“The SNP spends so much time plotting games over separation, it now relies on other parties for policies – our plan calling for mental health workers in GP practices and A+Es was published barely three months ago.

“It is flattering that the SNP are catching up, but that does not mask the fact that the vast bulk of this speech was yet another rallying call for independence.

“We now have a part-time First Minister claiming to speak for Scotland, but in fact pursuing her own narrow agenda to the detriment and against the wishes of ordinary Scots.”