General election: Johnson claims second Brexit and Scottish referendums would cost 拢155m and take nine months
The Conservative leader, launching his Scottish manifesto, said the only way Labour could form a government is with the SNP.
Tuesday 26 November 2019 17:00, UK
Boris Johnson has claimed it would cost more than 拢150m and take at least nine months for the UK to hold Brexit and Scottish independent referendums next year.
The prime minister said the only way Jeremy Corbyn could form a government is to join up with the SNP - who will demand a second Scottish independence referendum.
Launching the Tories' Scottish manifesto in North Queensferry, Fife, Mr Johnson said: "Do you think he's going to be in a position to refuse? Do you think he's tough enough? Do you think he'll stand up to Nicola Sturgeon?
"It didn't look like it to me last night.
"We don't want another referendum on Scotland because we don't want to destroy the most successful political partnership of the last 300 years."
He added that with Mr Corbyn's promised second Brexit referendum, the two votes would cost the UK £155m and take until September 2020 at least to hold.
The Conservatives have calculated a second EU referendum would cost £138m and another Scottish referendum would cost £17m.
Mr Johnson said Scotland remaining in the UK - and therefore leaving the EU - would benefit the country by £9bn.
The Scottish Conservative manifesto promises £3.3bn of funding for the NHS north of the border by 2023, as well as £1.4bn for Scottish education.
Pitching the Conservatives as the only party with Scotland's interests at heart, Mr Johnson said the Scottish Tories have negotiated a new deal for the oil and gas industry to encourage the use of low carbon technology.
He said they are cutting duty on whiAG百家乐在线官网, an industry which supports 42,000 jobs, and supporting Scottish agriculture with an extra £200m.
The prime minister said by leaving the EU the Tories will guarantee an end to fishing quotas, which would see Scotland become an "independent coastal state".
By leaving the EU, he said Scotland would get a funding boost of £3.1bn under the Barnett formula - which determines how much public expenditure is allocated to the UK's devolved governments.
SNP leader Mrs Sturgeon has claimed her party would prop up a Labour government in return for another Scottish independent referendum.
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She told the BBC on Monday night she believed a minority Labour government is more likely to be elected than the Tories - and said the SNP could provide support to Mr Corbyn.
The Labour Party has insisted it would not enter into a coalition with the SNP.
Former head of the civil service Lord Kerslake - who is advising Labour on preparations for government - told Sky News on Monday the party would instead form a minority government with support from other parties on big issues such as a vote of no confidence or backing a budget.
Shortly after Mr Johnson's speech, Scottish Labour tweeted: "No deals, no pacts, no coalitions.
"If Labour is returned as a minority government we will stand on our transformative programme and SNP MPs can either back it or put the Tories into power."
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