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Added on the 23/11/2022 12:02:07 - Copyright : France 24 EN
The Scottish government cannot hold a second referendum on independence without approval from the British parliament, the United Kingdom's top court ruled on Wednesday, dealing a hammer blow to nationalists' hopes of holding a vote next year. Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, leader of the pro-independence Scottish National Party, had announced earlier this year she intended to hold an advisory vote on secession next October, but that it had to be lawful and internationally recognised.
The President of Britain's Supreme Court, Lord Robert Reed, announces the court's ruling that the Scottish Parliament cannot unilaterally legislate for a referendum on Scottish independence without the backing of the Westminster-based government of the United Kingdom, in a set-back for the Scottish National Party and those supporting a repeat of the 2014 Scottish independence referendum. SOUNDBITE
Scottish independence supporters in Edinburgh feel "angry and disappointed" after the UK Supreme Court ruled that a second independence referendum could not be held without the consent of the British government.
The United Kingdom's top court ruled on Wednesday that the Scottish government cannot hold a second referendum on independence without approval from the British parliament, dealing a hammer blow to nationalists' hopes of holding a vote next year. In 2014, Scots rejected ending the more-than 300-year-old union with England by 55% to 45%, but independence campaigners have argued the vote two years later for Britain to leave the European Union, which the majority of Scottish voters opposed, has materially changed the circumstances. FRANCE 24's Bénédicte Paviot reports from London.
Britain's top court was hearing whether Scotland’s semi-autonomous administration can organise an independence vote without the London government’s consent.
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