Can Johnson prevent indyref2?
22 March 2021 - If the SNP win a majority in the Scottish Parliament elections in May will Johnson agree to a referendum?
If the SNP win a majority in the Scottish Parliament elections in May, Nicola Sturgeon will declare they have a mandate for a second independence referendum. Boris Johnson has said he will refuse to allow one. But can he can really resist? Prof Aileen McHarg will explain the legal issues; James Forsyth the politics, and the need for an alternative offer; and Dr Alan Renwick the referendum process, if the Scots are to make a fully informed decision.
Speakers:
- Prof Aileen McHarg is Professor of Public Law and Human Rights at Durham Law School
- James Forsyth is political editor of The Spectator magazine
- Dr Alan Renwick is Deputy Director of the Constitution Unit and Associate Professor in British Politics at UCL
Chair: Prof Meg Russell, the Director of the Constitution Unit and and Professor of British and Comparative Politics at UCL
Useful Links:
James Forsyth, ‘A flat No to Nicola Sturgeon won’t save the Union’
Aileen McHarg, Blog on Pathways to Indyref2
Alan Renwick and the Constitution Unit's work on referendums: