Boris Johnson says Scottish referendum should be 'once in a generation' thing

UK PM Boris Johnson made a statement on Wednesday that will surely not go well with supporters of Scottish independence from the UK. Johnson said on Sunday that another Scottish independence referendum should not take place for a generation. He was talking on BBC's Andrew Marr show.

"Referendums in my experience, direct experience, in this country are not particularly jolly events," he said.

"They don't have a notably unifying force in the national mood, they should be only once in a generation," he added.

Referendum for Scottish independence was held in 2014. Scotland had voted to remain in the UK.

However, in light of Brexit, demand for Scottish independence has risen again. Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has repeatedly made public comments of displeasure against Brexit. Although she had called the 2014 referendum a once in a generation vote, she has recently said that Scotland would like to be part of the European Union.

Recent polls have shown consistent support for independence, boosted by rows between London and the devolved governments over the handling of the coronavirus pandemic.

"For too long, successive UK governments have taken Scotland in the wrong direction, culminating in Brexit. It's no wonder so many people in Scotland have had enough," Sturgeon wrote on her party's website on Saturday.

"We didn't want to leave and we hope to join you again soon as an equal partner," she added, in a message to the EU.

Johnson has ruled out holding another vote, but Sturgeon will likely claim a mandate and heap pressure on the prime minister should her party perform well in upcoming local elections.

When asked why it was fair to hold a referendum on EU membership but not another on Scottish independence, Johnson told Marr: "The difference is we had a (European) referendum in 1975 and we then had another one in 2016.

"That seems to be about the right sort of gap."

(With AFP inputs)