Nicola Sturgeon's handling of the coronavirus outbreak has reinforced calls for Scotland’s independence from the United Kingdom, The Guardian reported. The newspaper writes that Sturgeon’s strategy, in contrast with that of Boris Johnson’s government, is helping the cause of a second referendum. Holyrood has been pushing for total elimination of the disease, unlike England and other parts of the UK, where authorities tried to curb the spread of the coronavirus. Sturgeon, who turned 50 today, has been supported and praised by scientists, who said that if such progress continues Scotland will eradicate the disease by the end of the summer.
"It is evident she is following the evidence closely herself. She is not just relying on people advising her. She is a bit like Angela Merkel. She is clearly spending a huge amount of time reading and absorbing material. I didn’t really hear that from the prime minister [Boris Johnson]", said Professor Linda Bauld, of Edinburgh University’s Usher Institute.
Sturgeon’s strategy also resulted in huge support from the public, with a new poll conducted by Panelbase this month showing that her party will enjoy a landslide victory during parliamentary elections next year. The same poll showed that 55 percent of those surveyed want Scotland to leave the United Kingdom and become an independent country.
Opponents of Sturgeon criticise her for political posturing and for her warning to close roads and the border with England in order to prevent new cases of the coronavirus appearing. Critics of the SNP leader also note that other small countries, like New Zealand, did a far better job in battling the disease.
“The first minister being a better communicator than Boris Johnson doesn’t mask the SNP’s catastrophic failures, and if the bar is to do better than Johnson then it is no bar at all. As we ease out of lockdown more gently a few days behind England, performance in both Scotland and Wales is now better than some parts of the UK, but that doesn’t excuse the fact that Scotland has one of the worst death rates in the world. It’s no comfort that England is doing worse and the figures in Scotland are certainly not something to celebrate given the tragic loss of life”, said Labour MP and shadow secretary of state for Scotland Ian Murray.
The death rate from the coronavirus is indeed worse than in any other country in the world – 22 percent, but this is blamed on deaths in care homes. So far 18,422 have contracted the disease and only 4,122 have died from the virus in Scotland. Sturgeon's supporters say small countries like New Zealand are independent states that do not depend on decisions coming from Downing Street.
"Like Wales and Northern Ireland it [Scotland] could not borrow to raise funds for lockdown and so was entirely dependent on what happens in the UK overall in regard to providing support for furlough. It had to wait for England to act, belatedly as it transpires", said Professor Linda Bauld, of Edinburgh University’s Usher Institute.
As for the second referendum on Scotland’s independence, experts and politicians say it is a question of when, not if. Ian Blackford, SNP’s leader in Westminster said Edinburgh’s coronavirus strategy which differs from the government of Boris Johnson has nothing to do with the party’s push for independence.
"We are not doing this to strengthen the case for independence. But I think people are reflecting on the leadership that has been given. There is a reaction to that leadership that is perhaps creating more of a confidence in independence. I think that everything that is going on is probably strengthening the case", said Ian Blackford.
In 2014, Scotland chose to remain part of the United Kingdom by a margin of 55 percent to 45 percent. However, two years later Britain voted to withdraw from the European Union in a referendum, where Scotland overwhelmingly voted to remain in the bloc. Sturgeon argues that since the circumstances have changed Edinburgh needs another referendum on independence from the UK. Last December, Sturgeon sent a letter to Boris Johnson requesting a second referendum, but the prime minister rejected the appeal.
