The SNP has wasted its time in government by not doing more to achieve Scottish independence, Alba’s Holyrood leader has warned.
During a heated exchange in Holyrood, Ash Regan criticised her former party, claiming there had been a lack of action on the constitution.
“Papers can be produced by anyone,” she said, when Minister for Independence, Jamie Hepburn pointed her to the government’s Building a New Scotland series.
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Alba, the party led by former first minister Alex Salmond, has proposed holding a referendum on whether Holyrood should have the power to “legislate and negotiate for independence”.
Last year, the party said Ms Regan, their only MSP, would introduce a member’s Bill to consult the people of Scotland on extending the powers of the Scottish Parliament.
During questions in parliament, she asked Mr Hepburn why the government were unwilling to do this.
The Minister said the Scottish Government's desire was to “hold a referendum on Scottish independence that would lead to Scottish independence rather than the referendum on the powers of the Scottish Parliament short of that.”
He said that the “Building a New Scotland series of prospectus papers… set out the positive case for independence as an alternative to the broken Brexit Britain now in recession, supported by the Tories, Labour and Liberal Democrats.”
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Ms Regan was scathing. “This will be 10 years since the independence referendum, 10 years of a majority government.
“With respect, Minister, papers can be produced by anyone.
“What the independence movement wants at this point is action.
“Time is of the essence and the government should embrace the opportunity to give Scots the power to tell the world that they want the Scottish Parliament to negotiate for and legislate for independence.
“And if they don't, this entire five-year parliamentary term will have been wasted.
“Perhaps the minister can enlighten us, what is the point of a pro-independence majority if it is not used to pursue independence?”
Mr Hepburn insisted that was “exactly what we're doing.”
He added: “And with respect to Ms Regan, we don't even have a draft proposal with the consequential consultation, let alone a final proposal before this parliament, but I have said if that emerges we will give it full consideration.
“But of course, the manifesto, which I stood on which she stood on as well, said that we should have a referendum. We have that mandate. That should be respected.
“But also set out that we take forward the work that we're taking through the building a new Scotland series of prospective papers.”
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The Minister said had brought four debates to this chamber based on the paper, and that Ms Regan had not taken part in any of them.
“The good news is she and all members of this place will have the opportunity to do so in the future because we're going to continue taking forward that work,” Mr Hepburn added.
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