Currently, Scotland is not allowed to hold an independence referendum without permission from the government in London. This was determined by the British High Court after the Scottish Government brought the case. The British Prime Minister now does not want to hold a referendum on secession from the United Kingdom.
“Everything is very clear”
Scotland gained its own parliament in the 1990s, but all matters relating to the British Union remained in the hands of Parliament in London. In recent weeks, the court has considered whether the Scottish Parliament has the power to legislate for a non-binding referendum on independence. But this is not the case, as five judges unanimously decided that the consequences of this vote must be taken into account.
Read also | Will Scotland hold an independence referendum?
“It was very clear,” UK correspondent Leah van Beechoven says of the case. “The Scottish Government cannot call a referendum on its own, it must be decided by Parliament in London. That was stated in the law which the Scottish Parliament also signed at the time. These kind of matters, constitutional issues, are decided in the British Parliament in London, not the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh.
Sturgeon feels strong
Scottish Prime Minister Nicola Sturgeon said she was “disappointed” but respected the judicial decision. She believes the ruling is actually an argument for independence. “The ruling blocks one way for Scotland’s voice to be heard on independence, but in a democracy our voice cannot and will not be silenced.” Sturgeon now wants to make the 2024 parliamentary elections an effective referendum.
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“As far as Sturgeon is concerned, this is an act of aggression,” Van Beechoven explains. She will tell her supporters that London does not allow them to decide their own future. She hopes there will be more interest in this issue. Sturgeon hopes that a major victory for Scottish nationalists within two years will increase pressure on London to the point that a second referendum is inevitable.
cooperation
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak welcomed the “clear” statement issued on Wednesday morning. “I think Scots want us to work on solutions to the big challenges we face collectively,” he said. He calls for cooperation, as does Alastair Jack, the British Minister for Scotland. According to Jack, the Scots “want their governments to focus their attention and resources on the issues that matter most to them”, such as rising energy and healthcare bills.
Read also | “Independence referendum next year”
Sturgeon wanted the advisory referendum to be held on 19 October 2023. It is not clear whether Scotland will vote for independence. According to recent opinion polls, the number of supporters hovers around 50 percent. In the 2014 referendum, approved by London, 55% voted against secession from the United Kingdom.
Britain’s exit from the European Union
Sturgeon and her Scottish National Party (SNP) believe circumstances have changed because of Brexit, and therefore a new referendum is justified. A majority of Scots voted against the United Kingdom leaving the European Union in the 2016 Brexit referendum.
