Opinion Matrix: How can Nicola Sturgeon get indyref2 next year?

Its leader said that six years on from a deeply devisive Scottish independence debate, Nicola Sturgeon's claim a second referendum "must happen next year" will "doubtless fill as many people with dread as others with optimism".

The paper hoped for a more civilised debate next time adding: "However Sturgeon's speech to her party conference offered hope for those fearing a descent into what she called 'crude populism' of Donald Trump and co. 'That is not for us. That is not who we are,' she said. The SNP would win independence not by 'demonising those who disagree, and plastering lies on the side of a bus. We will win by inspiring and persuading'.

"The Union and independence arouse strong passions in many of us, but it is important to remember that we all live together in this small country and each of us has a democratic right to our own opinion. We should all try to disagree agreeably."

Scottish Daily Mail

The paper turned on Nicola Sturgeon for having her "lifelong crusade to break up Britain" as her "only true priority" while neglecting to unveil any new plans to improve school performance or tackle the attainment gap.

"While she spent most of her 45-minute speech banging on about separation, she actually provided no new detail about her proposals and failed to answer concerns about the impact of a hard border with England or a separate currency," the paper's editorial said.

"Instead, she reheated her announcements that she will demand the power to hold a referendum by the end of the year - and still got a standing ovation from the fervent Nationalists in the audience.

"Outside the SNP bubble, however, much of the rest of the country will be far from impressed."

The National

Kathleen Nutt's analysis said that the "crucial stumbling block" to a second Scottish independence referendum next year is that Nicola Sturgeon needs the agreement of her "biggest opponent" Boris Johnson - and he won't give it.

"She once again underlined her position that the 'Westminster refusal is not sustainable'," observed Ms Nutt. "But despite the FM's attempt to move the debate on to Westminster's refusal - questions will persist about what she will do? How will she respond to Johnson's rejection of a Section 30 order request? And does she have an alternative route to achieve independence?"

The Scottish Sun

Its editorial said that if there was any doubts about Nicola Sturgeon's plans for the coming General Election, she swept them aside in her conference speech by saying it would be a referendum on a second referendum.

The tabloid's leader said a Brexit Scotland did not vote for, a Government the country did not vote for and a Prime Minister "nobody voted for" have all conspired to create a "perfect storm" for the SNP.

"That storm looks as if it will hit in the next few months," its editorial said.

"We've yet to see who will be left standing and what wreckage it will leave in its wake when the skies finally clear again."

The Times

The paper preferred to plug its investigation that found that councils have been told to copy the techniques of the British Cycling team by identifying "marginal gains" to boost their budgets. Their analysis revealed "huge gulfs" in the quality of schools, housing and roads in local authorities across Scotland.

Its leader said: "Postcode disparities should be an incentive to improvement. Collectively local authorities should serve as a 'hive mind', drawing inspiration from different approaches. To maximise their capacity to do that, however, they must also be free to experiment. That means reducing, not increasing, their dependence on central government both in terms of funding and in being able to settle their own priorities.

"Instead local government has become a branch of central government, albeit one that is operated at arm's length. Councils are forced to assume responsibility without having the power to set their own priorities. That reduces their scope for innovation and, consequently, their ability to learn from and be inspired by each other."