Scotland must have choice over future

Author (Corporate)
Series Title
Series Details 13.03.17
Publication Date 13/03/2017
Content Type

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced on the 13 March 2017 that Scotland would seek a second referendum on independence once the terms of Brexit were known

The people of Scotland must be offered a choice between a hard Brexit and becoming an independent country, she said in a speech. She confirmed plans to seek Scottish parliamentary approval later in March 2017 to begin discussions with the UK Government on the details of a Section 30 order to enable a second independence referendum to take place before the spring of 2019

On a day when the UK Government was expected to see the European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill pass through its final stages in Parliament and be adopted, and thus allow the government to trigger the UK’s formal process to exit from the European Union, the First Minister said that, despite Scotland voting by 62% to 38% to remain in Europe, the UK Government ‘has not moved even an inch in pursuit of compromise and agreement’ since the Brexit vote.

In addition, the First Minister said the UK Government had ruled out membership of the European Single Market ‘with no prior consultation’ and warned of real economic damage caused by the UK leaving the single market.

Outlining how the democratic mandate for holding another referendum is ‘beyond doubt’, Ms Sturgeon said that the UK Government must stand by the position it took in 2014 that an independence referendum should be, in their words, ‘made in Scotland, by the people of Scotland.’

The First Minister added that there must be clarity on the implications of Brexit for Scotland – and clarity about independence – before the choice was put to the country. She therefore proposed that a referendum take place between the autumn of 2018 and the spring of 2019, when the shape of the UK’s Brexit deal would become clear.

In a response the United Kingdom Prime Minister Theresa May accused Nicola Sturgeon of creating more 'uncertainty and division'. In the 14 March 2017 she said 'this is not a moment to play politics or create uncertainty and division. It is a moment to bring our country together; to honour the will of the British people and to shape for them a brighter future and a better Britain'.

On the 16 March 2017 Theresa May said that there should not be a Scottish independence referendum before Brexit and said that 'now was not the time'.

On the 14 March 2017 the Scottish Government cabinet agreed that the independence referendum should be ‘made in Scotland’, as it was in 2014.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said 'It should be up to the Scottish Parliament to determine the referendum’s timing, franchise and the question' ... There should be no strings attached, no blocking mechanisms applied and no Downing Street diktat – Scotland’s referendum must be made in Scotland'.

For further information on Scotland after the EU Referendum held in June 2016 click here.

For further information on the referendum on Scottish independence held in September 2014, and subsequent developments on the topic click here.

Source Link http://news.gov.scot/news/scotland-must-have-choice-over-future
Related Links
ESO: In Focus: Brexit - The United Kingdom and the European Union http://www.europeansources.info/record/brexit-the-united-kingdom-and-the-european-union/
Scotland: Government: Background information to the First Minister's announcement on the 13 March 2017 http://cdn.prgloo.com/media/download/7573c811be1d45d19750391847251f75
EUObserver, 13.03.17: Scotland seeks new independence vote before Brexit https://euobserver.com/uk-referendum/137218
EurActiv, 13.03.17: Scotland seeks second referendum amid Brexit doubts http://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/news/scotland-seeks-second-referendum-amid-brexit-doubts/
Politico, 13.03.17: Scotland pushes for independence post Brexit http://www.politico.eu/article/nicola-sturgeon-calls-for-second-scottish-independence-referendum/
BBC News, 13.03.17: Scottish independence: Nicola Sturgeon to seek second referendum http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-39255181
The Guardian, 14.03.17: Independent Scotland 'would have to apply to join EU' https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/mar/13/independent-scotland-would-have-to-apply-to-join-eu-commission-says
The Conversation, 13.03.17: Scotland heads towards a second independence referendum http://theconversation.com/scotland-heads-towards-a-second-independence-referendum-74491
The Conversation: Tag: Indyref2 http://theconversation.com/uk/topics/indyref2-27414
The Conversation, 13.03.17: Scotland and a second independence referendum: what is the legal situation? http://theconversation.com/scotland-and-a-second-independence-referendum-what-is-the-legal-situation-74468
BBC News, 14.03.17: Scottish independence: Sturgeon says Holyrood 'must shape' plans for vote http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-39263613
Conservative Home, 13.03.17: Watch: May – 'The tunnel vision that the SNP have shown today is deeply regrettable' http://www.conservativehome.com/video/2017/03/watch-may-the-tunnel-vision-that-the-snp-have-shown-today-is-deeply-regrettable.html
Conservative Home, 13.03.17: Andrew Lilico: Yes, let’s have a second Scottish independence referendum – after Brexit http://www.conservativehome.com/platform/2017/03/andrew-lilico-yes-let-scotland-have-a-second-independence-referendum-after-brexit.html
Euro|Topics: Debates, March 2017: Scotland planning new referendum http://www.eurotopics.net/en/175993/scotland-planning-new-referendum
Blog: Institute for Government, 14.03.17: Once more unto the breach: A second independence referendum https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/blog/once-more-unto-breach-second-independence-referendum
Blog: UCL: The Constitution Unit, 14.03.17: A second independence referendum in Scotland: the legal issues https://constitution-unit.com/2017/03/14/a-second-independence-referendum-in-scotland-the-legal-issues/
Blog: EU Law Analysis, 14.03.17: Scotland, the EU and ‘indyref2’: the legal issues http://eulawanalysis.blogspot.co.uk/2017/03/scotland-eu-and-indyref2-legal-issues.html
Blog: EuroppBlog, 14.03.17: Indyref2: A bold but unsurprising move from Nicola Sturgeon http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/2017/03/14/indyref2-bold-move-sturgeon-scotland/
Scotland: Government: News, 14.03.17: Referendum must be ‘made in Scotland’ http://news.gov.scot/news/referendum-must-be-made-in-scotland
Blog: Verfassungsblog, 13.03.17: Once More unto the Breach? An Independent Scotland, Europe, and the Law http://verfassungsblog.de/once-more-unto-the-breach-an-independent-scotland-europe-and-the-law/
Politico, 16.03.17: May rejects Scottish government plan for independence vote http://www.politico.eu/article/may-rules-out-2nd-scottish-independence-referendum/
BBC News, 16.03.17: Scottish independence: Referendum demand 'will be rejected' http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-39293513
EurActiv, 16.03.17: May: ‘Now is not the time’ for Scottish independence vote http://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/news/may-now-is-not-the-time-for-scottish-independence-vote/
EUObserver, 16.03.17: May to Scotland: 'Now is not the time' for referendum https://euobserver.com/uk-referendum/137269
Deutsche Welle, 17.03.17: Scottish nationalists take on London over Brexit http://dw.com/p/2ZMWR
SNP: Speech, 18.03.17: Nicola Sturgeon’s address to SNP Spring Conference 2017 https://www.snp.org/nicola_sturgeon_s_address_to_snp_spring_conference_2017
The Guardian, 18.03.17: Will the SNP’s policy revamp get Scottish swing voters to say yes? https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/mar/18/sturgeon-snp-policy-revamp-swing-voters-independence
The Conversation, 17.03.17: Nicola Sturgeon is playing great politics with indyref2 but victory still long way off https://theconversation.com/nicola-sturgeon-is-playing-great-politics-with-indyref2-but-victory-still-long-way-off-74784

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