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SOPHY RIDGE: The SNP is gathering for its autumn conference in Glasgow today, there are reports that they might be about to throw their weight behind a second Brexit referendum but with a significant caveat, so joining us now is the party’s leader in Westminster, Ian Blackford. Thank you very much for being with us on the show today.

IAN BLACKFORD: Good morning Sophy.

SR: Now you’ve said that the SNP could potentially support a second referendum on Brexit if there are guarantees around a second Scottish independence referendum, I mean that sounds a bit like an ultimatum, surely Brexit is too important to play politics with.

IAN BLACKFORD: Well we’re not playing politics with Brexit because, you’re right, it’s too important because it’s about jobs, it’s about prosperity and we know if there’s a hard Brexit if we’re outwith the single market and the customs union there is a very real threat to jobs in Scotland and indeed throughout the rest of the United Kingdom. [Inaudible] have told us that there is a threat to 80,000 jobs in Scotland, people on average will be £2,300 a year worse off through a hard Brexit so one of the things we’re seeking to do is to say to the Prime Minister that you must keep us in the single market and the customs union. People didn’t vote to become poorer and that’s our first objective in everything that we’re doing today. I firmly believe that there is a majority in the House of Commons to stay in the single market and the customs union and first and foremost we must make sure that that is on the agenda but we’re also making it clear to the Prime Minister that we will not support measures that take us out the single market and the customs union that will mean that people are at threat from losing their jobs and their livelihoods as a consequence of that but it’s also to remind the Prime Minister that we were told in our own referendum in 2014 that if Scotland stayed within the United Kingdom that our place in Europe would be secure. Now of course in the 2016 referendum Scotland overwhelmingly voted to stay within the EU by 62 to 38%, we can’t be dragged out of the single market and customs union against our will and what we are saying is if there is to be a People’s Vote then we need to make sure that our position is protected. We must have the right that if we are being dragged out of Europe, that if we’re being dragged out of the single market and the customs union, that we have that ability to determine our own future and of course as this conference takes place, there was a huge demonstration yesterday in Edinburgh, we’re talking about up to 100,000 people that marched in support of Scottish independence. There are polls out this morning that show that a majority of the Scottish people would support an independent Scotland in the likelihood of a hard Brexit so it is very clear that circumstances here are changing. I think people are expressing a very clear opinion that they want to have their rights as European citizens protected and we’ll make sure that ...

SR: Let me be …

IAN BLACKFORD: … over the coming months.

SR: Let me just get it clear then because you’re clearly saying there that you want to see the UK remaining as part of the single market. Now that, as far as I’m aware, is effectively off the table when it comes to the Brexit that Theresa May is trying negotiate so if the UK leaves the single market as expected are you saying you would then support a second referendum?

IAN BLACKFORD: Well what I am saying is that all our efforts in the short term will be about staying in the singles markets and the customs union. I don’t accept this is off the table, I do believe there is a majority in the House of Commons for that and I would say to each and every MP, I would appeal to every MP that be aware of what you’re voting for when it comes to that meaningful vote. Are you prepared to look at your own constituents and make them poorer as a consequence of this? Now I’ll be going to see Michel Barnier on 25th October, I’ll be going with other party leaders, I’ll be going with Vince Cable, with the Greens and with Plaid Cymru and we’ll be making that point, that we must make sure that they put that proposition of staying in the single market and the customs union strongly and I’ll be appealing to Labour and Conservative MPs to join that as well. Theresa May is suffering from the fact that she is beholden to her right wing Brexiteers in her own party, she should govern in the interests of all of the United Kingdom and not simply dance to the tune of her Brexiteers and recognise that the best interests of everybody are about staying in the single market and the customs union. Now if hypothetically we are not in a position that we can achieve that, then all options will be on the table. We haven’t been arguing for a People’s Vote but we’ll make it very clear that if there is to be such a thing that Scotland’s position must be protected. We will not and cannot be dragged out the single market and the customs union against our will. It is the expressed view and will of the Scottish people to stay in.

SR: We have been talking a lot about the situation in Northern Ireland and there has been a lot of speculation about bespoke agreement for Northern Ireland where perhaps Northern Ireland remains in the customs union or with better access to the single market . Is that something you could envisage happening for Scotland?

IAN BLACKFORD: Absolutely. If they are saying that there has to be a bespoke deal for Northern Ireland, and let me be absolutely clear, we must all do everything that we can to support the delivery of the Good Friday Agreement. Nothing that should happen out of Brexit should imperil the Good Friday Agreement but if it means that there is a bespoke deal for Northern Ireland there is no reason why the Prime Minister shouldn’t be looking at putting the same circumstances on the table for Scotland. If I can give you an example on that…

SR: A quick thought from you as well on this idea of a second independence referendum because I know it’s something of course that many SNP supporters would like to see. Now Nicola Sturgeon is yet to set out a timetable for that happening, if it is to happen in the future, can you give us any guidance on when we’re likely to know her plans and when you can see a second referendum happening, if it happens at all?

IAN BLACKFORD: Well what we have said is let’s see what’s going to happen with the Brexit process first. When we know what the outcome of Brexit is going to be then we’ll reflect on what the options are for Scotland but I would remind everyone that in the 2016 Scottish election the SNP won that election with a manifesto commitment that if there were a material change of circumstances that we reserve the right to call an independence referendum so that manifesto still stands and if the circumstances are right then of course the First Minister will reflect on that and the options that there are for the Scottish people but one of the things that we need to do over the coming weeks and months is talking about why Scotland should be independent, the fact that we want to deliver a prosperous and a fairer company, take Scotland away from the chaos that is Brexit and show them we can have a country that we can all be proud of, that can be a destination in Europe. So we’ll concentrate on that and at the same time, when it comes to the point that we know the Brexit destination, then we can have that discussion with the people of Scotland.

SR: Okay, Ian Blackford, thank you very much.