ITV’s Peston skewers Sturgeon over ‘irrelevant’ independence point: ‘Why vote SNP?!’

Nicola Sturgeon grilled by Peston on ‘irrelevant independence’

The SNP leader appeared on ITV’s Peston ahead of the Scottish elections next months, amid the points up for discussion was the amount of money Nicola Sturgeon’s party were offering the NHS in the event they form the next Scottish Government. Mr Peston pointed out that, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies, the amount of health spending being pledged in the SNP manifesto is actually less than that being offered in England, leading the ITV presenter to ask: “Why vote SNP?!”

Ms Sturgeon replied by suggesting Peston was “comparing apples and pears.” 

She claimed the comparison was like for like as the SNP manifesto spending commitments were set until 2026, unlike England where NHS funding has only been forecast up until 2023.

The SNP leader insisted the amount promised by the Scottish Government on health in the upcoming election was only the “minimum” and added that additional funding for the NHS north of the border could become available via the Barnett Formula.

She said: “The SNP commitment is effectively the backstop, the minimum.

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Robert Peston asks Nicola Sturgeon ‘why vote SNP?!’ during interview clash (Image: ITV)

“If the UK government allocates more to health then the operation of the Barnett Formula if that means more to the Scottish Government then all of that will go to health.”

Mr Peston fired back that this was an “irrelevant point” because, he argued, in an independent Scotland, the Barnett funding model would be ditched.

He said: “Some would say that was an irrelevant point in the sense that in your ideal world there would not be a Barnett consequential.

“Because you would be independent.”

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Nicola Sturgeon is grilled by Robert Peston on the ‘irrelevant point’ of Scottish independence (Image: ITV)

Earlier in the interview, Ms Sturgeon had labeled her party’s 2021 Scottish election manifesto as the “boldest” and “most transformative” on offer to voters.

She said: “The SNP has put forward a manifesto in this election that is the boldest, perhaps most transformative programme any party has put before the Scottish people in a Scottish parliament campaign.

“And then when the crisis is over, we should have the opportunity to decide whether we become independent or not.

“Because in terms of the long-term recovery, you know we have to be able to decide what it is we want to recover to, what kind of country we are seeking to rebuild, and whether we allow that to be one in the image of Boris Johnson and his band of Brexiteers, or whether we want that to be a country founded on the values that the majority of people in Scotland support.”

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Nicola Sturgeon Profile (Image: EXPRESS)

Meanwhile, setting out a timeline for a second Scottish independence referendum Ms Sturgeon said: “I don’t propose having a referendum in this moment.

“I mean, I have said quite clearly if I’m re-elected as First Minister my overriding priority is the same as it has been for the past 12 months – to steer the country through the remainder of the pandemic and then to kick-start and drive the recovery.

The SNP hopes to secure a “super majority” in Holyrood at the election next month.

Supporters of Scottish independence believe a majority for the Greens, SNP and Alba in the Scottish Parliament would strengthen calls for a second vote.