UK reject Scotland's bid for independence vote

The British government has rejected any bid from Scotland to hold a new referendum on independence from the UK just before the Scottish parliament voted to back First Minister Nicola Sturgeon’s bid to hold a referendum in late 2018 or 2019, once the terms of the UK’s exit from the European Union have become clearer.


Reacting to a vote in the Scottish parliament earlier on Tuesday, Britain says it will not be entering into negotiations on the Scottish government's proposal to hold a new independence referendum.

"It would be unfair to the people of Scotland to ask them to make a crucial decision without the necessary information about our future relationship with Europe, or what an independent Scotland would look like," it added.

The vote as widely expected, gives Sturgeon a mandate to seek permission from the British parliament in London to press forward with preparations for a referendum.

Her bid for a vote on secession from the UK, won by 69 to 59 votes in Scottish Parliament, just one day before British Prime Minister Theresa May will triger the Brexit process from the European Union.

In 2014, Scotland voted against independence in a referendum, but Sturgeon argues circumstances have changed since then because the UK as a whole voted to leave the European Union while Scotland voted strongly to remain in the bloc.

The motion, put forward by Sturgeon, passed by 69 votes in favour and 59 votes against in the Scottish parliament.

Nearly two-thirds of Scottish voters opted to stay in the bloc during the Brexit referendum in June, 2016.

Reuters