Davidson: Brexit Vote 'Broke' UK Politics, Dreads Another Referendum

Former Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson believes that the Brexit vote, along with the Scottish independence referendum, fundamentally altered and damaged UK politics, leading her to dread the prospect of another such vote on Britain's relationship with Europe.

Davidson, who was a prominent figure in the Remain campaign during the 2016 EU referendum, suggested that while another vote on European ties might occur in the distant future, it is unlikely in the immediate years ahead. She expressed concern that any move to rejoin the EU without a public mandate could embolden the Scottish National Party (SNP) to demand secession from the UK, potentially leading to the country's dissolution.

Speaking at an event for the Prosper UK think-tank, Davidson did not rule out a return to frontline politics in a future Conservative government. She noted that she is already involved in party activities and would answer if called upon.

Her remarks follow Labour leader Andy Burnham's recent conference speech, in which he indicated a willingness to explore closer ties with the EU and potentially propose another referendum in a future manifesto. Davidson cautioned against the idea of a parliamentary majority being sufficient to rejoin the EU, arguing that it would create a precedent for the SNP to pursue independence without a further referendum, given their own majority in the Scottish Parliament.

Davidson stated that she personally found the experience of navigating referendums to be detrimental, creating divisions within the political landscape. "I genuinely hated this idea of pushing people into two tribes on a single question and pitting them against each other," she said.

She emphasized that the country faces significant economic and societal challenges that require attention before engaging in further constitutional debates. "I think we have really deep economic and some societal problems to fix first, and then we start to do this," Davidson commented. "We don’t have the luxury of tearing ourselves apart over the constitution for the next few years. We have to get our finger out of our a****, get back out there, get Britain working, and then maybe you can have that conversation."

During the same event, Davidson and former West Midlands Mayor Sir Andy Street discussed reforms to the pension triple lock.