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SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford paused his speech in the House of Commons to scold Andrew Bowie MP for heckling him. Mr Blackford said: “I don’t think if the honourable member for West Aberdeenshire was back in school he would behave the way he was behaving in this house. He really ought to calm down.”<\/p>\n
Mr Bowie later took to Twitter to reply as he wrote: “I think I just triggered the SNP, and it’s only 3 hours in to the new session.”<\/p>\n
He added: “I know the below is humorous but it proves something.<\/p>\n
“Ian Blackford’s ridiculously over the top reaction shows the SNP don’t like people pointing out the truth that the First Minister misled the people of Scotland when she said recovery was her only priority, not independence.”<\/p>\n
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Mr Blackford told the Commons: “Last Thursday, the people of Scotland turned out in record numbers, the highest turnout that we have seen at a Scottish parliamentary election, to re-elect the SNP Government for a fourth consecutive term.<\/p>\n
“They turned out to support that message of hope and change so brilliantly characterised by our First Minister. It was an election that broke nearly every record in the book and it is a result that will continue to reverberate.<\/p>\n
“That electoral earthquake now opens the democratic path that will shape Scotland’s future.<\/p>\n
“And let’s be clear – that future will be in Scotland’s hands and it will be the people’s choice and nobody, nobody else.”<\/p>\n
He continued: “The promise that we made to the people of Scotland was if they voted for us in that election, if they delivered a majority for independence in that parliament, that nobody, not the Prime Minister and certainly not (Conservative MP Andrew Bowie) will stop the people of Scotland having a democratic choice.”<\/p>\n
Mr Blackford added that the Conservatives have to “recognise what happened”.<\/p>\n
He added: “There is a mandate for an independence referendum and let me put this House on notice – it’s the people of Scotland and our Parliament that will determine when that independence referendum will take place.”<\/p>\n
Mr Blackford accused Conservative MPs of “mocking” such remarks.<\/p>\n
DON’T MISS<\/strong><\/p>\n Scotland POLL: Should independence referendum be refused for decades?<\/span><\/span> [POLL]<\/strong> However, Downing Street has refused to be drawn on issues relating to Scotland’s future, insisting the focus must be on tackling coronavirus<\/p>\n The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “Throughout the recent elections all party leaders across the UK said Covid recovery should be our shared priority and that’s what the UK Government is going to be focusing on.”<\/p>\n Ms Sturgeon has always stated a second vote on Scotland’s place in the UK would not take place until the immediate health crisis of coronavirus has passed.<\/p>\n With the Tories doing well in local English elections, including winning the Westminster constituency of Hartlepool in a byelection, Mr Blackford argued that “England and Scotland are on different political paths”.<\/p>\n
SNP warning: Public spending in Scotland 30% higher than in England<\/span> <\/strong><\/span>[INSIGHT]<\/strong>
George Galloway perfectly dismantles Sturgeon’s independence dream<\/span> <\/span>[ANALYSIS]<\/strong><\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/cdn.images.express.co.uk\/img\/dynamic\/139\/590x\/secondary\/Scottish-elections-2021-results-3046455.jpg?r=1620747428075\")
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