Indyref2: Scottish independence referendum unlikely before 2024 - Gove

The last referendum in 2014 saw Scotland reject independence by 55% to 45%

Boris Johnson is unlikely to agree to a new referendum on Scottish independence before the next general election in 2024, Michael Gove has said.

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has called for a so-called Indyref2 by the end of 2023.

But Cabinet Office minister Mr Gove said he "can't see" that happening.

In an interview with the Telegraph, he said: "I think it's foolish to talk about a referendum now, we're recovering from Covid."

The 2014 referendum saw Scotland vote 55% to 45% to remain part of the UK.

But in May, Ms Sturgeon's Scottish National Party won a fourth consecutive victory in the Scottish Parliament election after standing on a manifesto pledge to hold a new independence vote.

The UK government has repeatedly dismissed calls for a fresh vote, saying that such referendums should be once in a generation and the current priority was to recover from Covid.

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Speaking to the Telegraph, Mr Gove was asked whether there was any circumstance in which Mr Johnson would grant a new referendum before the next election in May 2024.

"I don't think so," he replied - adding: "I think it's foolish to talk about a referendum now - we're recovering from Covid.

"It seems to me to be at best reckless, at worst folly, to try to move the conversation on to constitutional division when people expect us to be working together in order to deal with these challenges."

And pressed on whether it was his position that there will be no referendum before the next general election, he replied: "I can't see it."

Scottish-born Mr Gove is in favour of keeping the UK united

Mr Gove was also asked whether Mr Johnson was a help or hindrance at keeping the union together. Mr Gove said he was a "help" - and that it was a myth and "SNP mind game" that Mr Johnson does not go down well in Scotland.

Ms Sturgeon has been clear that for Scotland to actually become independent, the process must be both legally and internationally recognised.

She has previously said another referendum is "a matter of when - not if".

Ms Sturgeon's SNP won an emphatic victory in May's Holyrood election

In February, the government set up a new cabinet committee to "set the government's strategic agenda" for keeping the UK together, called the Cabinet Union Strategy Committee.

As well as a role in that, Mr Gove also leads a cabinet committee on delivering the government's policy across the union.

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