Nigel Farage slams 'Eurofanatic' Nicola Sturgeon over 'moonshine' independence referendum

Nigel Farage has criticised Nicola Sturgeon after her announcement calling for a second Scottish independence referendum.

The former UKIP leader attacked the Fist Minister over her take on what "independence" means.

Speaking on his LBC show on Monday 13 March, he said: "She doesn't want to leave the European Union, she doesn't want to leave the single market, she is a Eurofanatic and a question that never seems to be asked is 'why is that party called the Scottish National Party?' – she doesn't want Scotland to be an independent nation.

"She does not want independence from this referendum at all, she wants to be part of a Europe that is rapidly becoming a United States of Europe."

It comes after Mr Farage described the possibility of a second referendum as being "moonshine" in the run up to the EU referendum.

He told the Scottish Herald "With oil at 45, 50 bucks a barrel, it's moonshine. The Scottish people would not buy into that and the SNP know that too."

Mr Farage then continued to rant about being "independent" within the European bloc.

"I simply can't understand how this word 'independence' can be used by Sturgeon – how is it independent to share your fish with the rest of Europe?" he asked.

"How is it independent to have virtually all of your laws made somewhere else? How is it independent to have your own courts overruled? How is it independent to have to sign up to join the Euro? How does any of this work? How does she get away with it?

"Tell me that it's consistent to talk about independence and be part of the European Union. I'll tell you what, if you convince me of that then I'll take you out for the best dinner you've ever had because I think it's literally impossible."

On Monday, the First Minister caught Westminster off-guard by calling for a second Scottish independence referendum.

On Monday evening, Theresa May got her Brexit bill passed by the House of Lords, paving the way for her to trigger Article 50.

Sturgeon said: "If Scotland is to have a real choice, when the terms of Brexit are known but before it is too late to choose our own course, then that choice must be offered between the Autumn of next year 2018 and the spring of 2019."

The comments come after an Ipsos MORI poll for STV News, of more than 1,000 respondents between 24 February and 6 March, found that Scottish people likely to vote were split 50/50 on the independence issue. Scots voted 55% against splitting from the rest of the UK in 2014.