Zack Polanski: ‘Outrageous’ that pro-independence parliament would not secure referendum

Zack Polanski has criticised Wes Streeting for his comments relating to Scottish independence, accusing the UK health secretary of acting like “Westminster owns Scotland”.

The leader of the Green Party of England and Wales (GPEW) was visiting Glasgow to lend support to the Scottish Greens’ Holyrood election campaign.

At a press conference alongside Scottish co-leaders Gillian Mackay and Ross Greer, Polanski said the refusal to hold a referendum if there is a pro-independence majority in the Scottish Parliament in May would be “outrageous” and “undemocratic”.

The SNP is aiming to win a majority in this election, with leader John Swinney arguing this is the only route to secure a fresh vote on the constitution.

But several polls have shown the party is likely to fall short of winning the 65 seats it would require for that majority. However, the polls indicate there could be a pro-independence majority due to the presence of Green MSPs.

The UK Government has repeatedly ruled out holding another referendum, even if an SNP or pro-independence majority was returned in May.

In an interview with LBC earlier this month, Streeting said ministers would “absolutely not” allow one to go ahead because the country had had “enough of chaos”. “We’re not having one,” he added.

In the press conference today, Polanski said: “Who the hell does Wes Streeting think he is? The way that he spoke about Scotland recently as if Westminster owns Scotland, as if you need to bring out your begging bowl and ask for permission.

“If there is a pro-independence majority in two weeks’ time, then I think that should be case done because ultimately that is the people of Scotland, in a democratic election, voting for people who are not hiding their want and desire for independence, who are being very vocal about their want and desire for independence for Scotland.

“And the idea that there’ll be a democratic election in Scotland where the majority of people vote for parties that want independence and then Wes Streeting or any Labour minister, certainly the prime minister, would turn to Scotland and go, ‘we know what you want but you can’t have it because we’re not giving you permission’ – that is outrageous. It’s, crucially, undemocratic. But also, I think it reveals the real, quite frankly, sinister attitude that this Labour Westminster government have had towards Scotland and the people of Scotland, and about their basic rights to determination.”

He went on to argue that people would only get “more resentful, more angry, more frustrated” if the request for a referendum was ignored.

And he said ultimately that would be against the UK Government’s interests. “I can’t see why a UK prime minister would want to keep a country in a union who had demonstrated so clearly with votes that they didn’t want to be in that union anymore,” he added.

The Scottish Greens and GPEW have drawn closer in recent months since Polanski’s election.

It follows a strained relationship for several years due to differing positions over trans and women’s rights, leading the Scottish party to sever ties with its counterpart in 2022. That decision was reversed earlier this year.

GPEW has enjoyed a significant bounce in the polls in recent months, which Polanski put down to “resentment and anger at the Labour government”.

The Scottish Greens have been polling well in the run up the election on 7 May – but the surge has not been as strong north of the border.

Polanski said the Scottish party was confident but not complacent about returning a record number of MSPs, possibly double figures. “That’s pretty impressive under any measure,” he added.