Edinburgh Scottish Prime Minister Nicola Sturgeon wants to hold a new referendum in London on the independence of the British part of the country, if necessary, without the consent of the central government. Sturgeon said at a news conference in Edinburgh on Tuesday. Although a referendum should be legal, the Scottish National Party (SNP) politician said he was faced with a British government that “respects neither democracy nor the rule of law”.
Sturgeon announced that she would therefore soon present a plan to circumvent the approval actually needed by London for another independence referendum. Sturgeon said the Scottish Parliament has an “incredible democratic mandate”.
Headwinds immediately from London: Prime Minister Boris Johnson believes “now is not the time to talk about a second independence referendum,” a spokesman said.
The regional government on Tuesday published the first of several documents to promote Scottish independence. The part of the country with around 5.5 million residents may be more successful financially outside the United Kingdom, hence the argument. Other documents on currency, taxes and spending, defence, social affairs and EU membership and trade are expected to follow shortly.
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According to Sturgeon’s current plans, a second independence referendum is to be held by the end of 2023 at the latest. In the first referendum in 2014, a majority of 55 percent of voters were against separation from the United Kingdom. However, the SNP and its coalition partner the Scottish Greens argue that leaving the EU has radically changed the situation.
The majority of Scots (62 percent) voted against Brexit. The Scottish Government is therefore committed to Scotland’s re-entry into the European Union.
More: These tasks await the election winner of Northern Ireland
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