AN SNP MP has challenged Boris Johnson over granting a section 30 order to allow a second independence referendum.
Angus Macneil, MP for the Western Isles, faced the Prime Minister at the Liaison Committee this afternoon.
He asked for a yes or no answer on whether Mr Johnson would grant the Scottish Government a section 30 order, which would give it the power to hold a second referendum.
However Mr Johnson said that based on his "understanding of human biology", a generation had not passed since 2014.
Mr Macneil said: "You’re not respecting democracy in Scotland, Prime Minister, but the good news is that poll after poll shows that Scotland wants to be independent.
"When will you agree to the Scottish Government's request for a section 30? Will you ever agree to the Scottish Government's request to a section 30 to hold an independence referendum?
Mr Johnson replied: "The Scottish Nationalist Party fought the referendum in 2014 very clearly on the understanding that it was a once in a generation event.
“It was something that I believe both Nicola Sturgeon and Alex Salmond said at the time in persuading people to cast their votes.
“They voted very substantially to stay in the union. I believe the union is a great and beautiful thing. Yes, I think we should keep it and I don’t think a generation has elapsed since 2014, from my understanding of human biology.”
The SNP MP replied "Is that a yes or a no?" to which the Prime Minster repeatedly said he did not believe a generation hd elapsed.
He replied: "It is a statement of the obvious that I don’t think a generation has elapsed.“
Mr Macneil said: "So it’s a no to a section 30 regardless of the wishes of the Scottish people and the polls?"
Boris Johnson replied: "It was said in 2014 that it was a once in a generation…." before he was cut off by an irate Mr Macneil, who argued: "It was not said. That was not said, clearly. That's not in the Edinburgh agreeement."
The committee chair joked that next time he would have to implement "a bit more social distancing" between the two politicians at future hearings.
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