The Prime Minister indicated to the Daily Express newspaper that the constituent countries of the United Kingdom would not have to agree before an EU exit went ahead.
“We put forward in our manifesto the clearest possible pledge of an in-out referendum by the end of 2017. That has now been backed in a UK General Election and I believe I have a mandate for that,” he told the newspaper.
“They didn’t give Orkney and Shetland an opt-out, or the Borders an opt out [during the Scottish independence referendum] so this is a UK pledge, it will be delivered for the UK.”
Mr Cameron’s assertion is a rejection of calls from Scotland’s first minister Nicola Sturgeon, says she wants a “lock” to be put on Britain’s EU exit.
Under such an arrangement, England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland would all have to vote to leave the European Union for the UK to quit the block.
Ms Sturgeon has said a situation where the UK left the European Union against Scotland’s wishes could lead to another independence referendum.
“If there was an in-out referendum, and clearly with a
majority Tory government that must be on the horizon, and Scotland voted
to stay in the EU and the rest of the UK voted to come out, I think
there would be significant opinion in Scotland that we had to re-look at
the issue of independence,” she told Sky News earlier this month.
“But I actually want to have an arrangement to stop that happening,” she added, a reference to her triple-lock deal.
Recent surveys conducted by all pollsters have found a strong plurality of voters in favour of staying in the European Union.
The latest survey by YouGov found that 45% would vote to stay and 36% would vote to leave. The polls are volatile, however. In January and February two surveys by Opinium and TNS-BMRB respectively found people voting to leave.
“We put forward in our manifesto the clearest possible pledge of an in-out referendum by the end of 2017. That has now been backed in a UK General Election and I believe I have a mandate for that,” he told the newspaper.
“They didn’t give Orkney and Shetland an opt-out, or the Borders an opt out [during the Scottish independence referendum] so this is a UK pledge, it will be delivered for the UK.”
Mr Cameron’s assertion is a rejection of calls from Scotland’s first minister Nicola Sturgeon, says she wants a “lock” to be put on Britain’s EU exit.
Under such an arrangement, England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland would all have to vote to leave the European Union for the UK to quit the block.
Ms Sturgeon has said a situation where the UK left the European Union against Scotland’s wishes could lead to another independence referendum.
“But I actually want to have an arrangement to stop that happening,” she added, a reference to her triple-lock deal.
Recent surveys conducted by all pollsters have found a strong plurality of voters in favour of staying in the European Union.
The latest survey by YouGov found that 45% would vote to stay and 36% would vote to leave. The polls are volatile, however. In January and February two surveys by Opinium and TNS-BMRB respectively found people voting to leave.
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