Is Nicola Sturgeon the key to a Final Say referendum?

Chief political commentator John Rentoul examines whether hopes of giving the public the Final Say on leaving the EU rest with the SNP

Nicola Sturgeon during the launch of the SNP Manifesto in Glasgow (EPA)

The word “referendum” appears 21 times in the Scottish National Party manifesto, which Nicola Sturgeon launched yesterday. Nineteen times it refers to the 2014 referendum on Scottish independence, or the future referendum on the same subject that the party wants to hold.

But the manifesto also says: “In a UK context, we will support a second EU referendum with Remain on the ballot paper.” This means SNP votes could be the key to Remainers’ hopes of a Final Say referendum.

The first step towards a new referendum would be for the Conservatives and the Democratic Unionist Party between them to lose seven seats compared with the 2017 election. That would give parties committed to a second EU referendum 322 seats, one more than the Conservatives and DUP on 321 combined.