Nicola Sturgeon claims independence referendum 'goalposts being moved' amid reports of Liz Truss rule change

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Nicola Sturgeon has accused Liz Truss of being prepared to “move the goalposts” on an independence referendum, amid reports that the new Prime Minister will consider changing the rules on how to run a future vote.

The SNP leader reacted furiously to reports that the Truss campaign team is mulling over legislation which would require more than half of the Scottish electorate to vote for independence, rather than just a majority.

According to the Sunday Times, Tory ministers are considering new legislative hurdles even if the Supreme Court determines that a referendum without the consent of the UK Government is unlawful.Sturgeon said the “desperate suggestion is proof positive that the independence arguments are winning”.

She tweeted: “Only those who fear losing feel the need to change the democratic goalposts.”Under the proposals, a referendum would require evidence for more than a year that at least 60 per cent of voters in Scotland want a new vote.Crucially, if ministers agreed to allow a vote to go ahead, at least 50 per cent of all of Scotland’s electorate would be required to vote to leave the union before the change would be passed.The plan echoes the 40 per cent rule introduced late in Labour’s 1978 Scottish devolution referendum legislation that required the proposal had to be approved by 40 per cent of the total registered electorate, as well as a simple majority.In the event, a majority of 51.6 per cent voted in favour of devolution, but the 1,230,937 backers on represented only 32.9 per cent of the registered electorate, so the plan for a Scottish Assembly did not go ahead. To sign up to the Daily Record Politics newsletter, click here. New independence poll finds less than 40% back Nicola Sturgeon's 'de