London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Feb 05, 2025

Next election will be independence vote - Nicola Sturgeon

Next election will be independence vote - Nicola Sturgeon

Nicola Sturgeon has said the SNP will use the next general election as an attempt to show a majority of people in Scotland support independence.

The first minister was responding to the Supreme Court's unanimous ruling she does not have the power to hold a referendum next year.

Ms Sturgeon said she respected the ruling, which she admitted was a "tough pill to swallow".

But she said the independence movement had to now find a new way forward.

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak welcomed the "clear and definitive ruling from the Supreme Court".

He told MPs: "The people of Scotland want us to be working on fixing the major challenges that we collectively face, whether that's the economy, supporting the NHS or indeed supporting Ukraine.

"Now is the time for politicians to work together and that's what this government will do."


A small group of independence supporters gathered outside the Supreme Court ahead of the ruling being announced

Ms Sturgeon had wanted to hold a referendum on 19 October next year but the UK government has refused to grant the formal consent that was in place ahead of the last referendum in 2014, when voters backed staying in the UK by 55% to 45%.

The Supreme Court ruled that the Scottish Parliament does not have the power to legislate on the constitution, including the union between Scotland and England, without that consent being in place.

Speaking to the media at a hotel in Edinburgh after the ruling was announced, Ms Sturgeon acknowledged that there would be a "real sense of frustration today in both the SNP and in the wider movement".

But she said that she believed this would be "short-lived", predicted that rallies planned for several towns and cities across Scotland on Wednesday evening would show the "strength" of the independence campaign.

Ms Sturgeon said her preferred route to independence was still through a referendum, but admitted that there was currently little prospect of Mr Sunak changing his opposition to a vote being held.

She said this showed that the UK was not a voluntary union, and accused the UK government of "outright democracy-denial", a position she predicted was "unsustainable".

The first minister added: "We must and we will find another democratic, lawful means for Scottish people to express their will", with the next general election being the most obvious vehicle for that.

She said the SNP would now begin the process of deciding precisely how a "de facto" referendum would work, with a special party conference to be hold in the new year.

The party will also launch a "major campaign in defence of Scottish democracy", she said.

The Conservatives and Labour have already rejected the idea of the election acting as a referendum, arguing that general elections are fought on a range of issues and not just the constitution.

The SNP won 45% of the votes in Scotland at the last general election in 2019 while winning 48 of the 59 seats.

Recent opinion polls have suggested that the country is essentially split down the middle on the independence question, but with a very narrow majority in favour of staying in the UK.


Nicola Sturgeon says the next election will be a "de facto" vote on Scottish independence


Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
European Union Proposes Reforms to 1951 Refugee Convention
China's humanoid robots poised to transform everyday living and spiritual functions.
Changes in US tariffs on Chinese products could affect consumers more significantly than they do China.
How Innovations in China's Humanoid Robots Ignite Fierce Competition with the US
Germany Experiences 34% Decrease in Asylum Applications During Migration Discussion
Experts Challenge Conviction of UK Nurse Lucy Letby for Baby Killings
AfD Chief Alice Weidel Enhances Global Standing Through Meeting with Viktor Orban
Nigel Farage's Reform UK Party Leads Poll Amid Growing Public Demand for Change
Conor Murphy Steps Down as Northern Ireland Economy Minister to Join Irish Parliament
Over 1 Million Face Penalties After Missing HMRC Self-Assessment Tax Deadline
Scottish Government Denies Plans to Ban Cat Ownership Amid Controversy
Bridget Phillipson Urges Parents to Prioritize School Attendance Amid Rising Absence Rates
Keir Starmer Advocates for Stronger UK-EU Security Partnership in Brussels
Six English Councils Granted Permission to Raise Council Tax Bills Above Cap Amid Financial Struggles
Keir Starmer Faces Growing Backlash Over Potential Approval of Rosebank Oilfield
AI Consciousness Raises Ethical Concerns, Say Experts
Families Urge NHS England to Release Full Report on Nottingham Triple Homicide
NHS Initiates Largest AI Trial for Breast Cancer Detection
UK Tightens Regulations on Online Sales of Weight-Loss Injections
Gambling Ads Shown to Parents on Baby Monitor App, Raising Concerns
Ancient Irish Rainforests at Risk Due to the Growth of Monoculture Plantations
EU Leaders Deliberate on Defense Strategy Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
EU Leaders Convene Important Summit on Defense in Response to Rising Tensions
Trump Directs Establishment of U.S. Sovereign Wealth Fund, Considers TikTok Purchase
Britain Considers U.S. Gas Imports in Response to Possible Trump Tariffs
French Prime Minister Bayrou Confronts Several No-Confidence Votes Regarding the 2025 Budget
Shutdown of USAID Headquarters in Light of U.S. Government Reduction Initiatives
President Trump Launches Establishment of U.S. Sovereign Wealth Fund with Possible TikTok Purchase
Investigation Launched Following Viral Video of Bodybuilder's Airport Prank
Cooling Blankets: A Remedy for Those Who Sleep Hot or Just a Marketing Ploy?
Trump Wins Again as Canada Agrees to Strengthen Border Security
Trump Seeks Rare Minerals from Ukraine in Exchange for U.S. Support
EU Leaders Reach Consensus to Increase Defence Expenditure in Response to Growing Security Threats
UK Business Confidence Declines Amid Economic Uncertainty, Lloyds Survey Shows
Abhishek Sharma's Century Secures India a 4-1 T20 Series Win Over England
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer will welcome German Chancellor Olaf Scholz for talks at Chequers.
Australian soccer sensation Sam Kerr confronts a racial abuse trial in London.
Lloyds and Barclays Bank Customers Experience Service Outages
Thames Water Seeks Court Approval for £3 Billion Rescue Plan Amid Crisis
UK Manufacturing Activity Contracts for Fourth Consecutive Month in January, PMI Shows
Ex-British Soldier Receives Sentence for Espionage on Behalf of Iran and Fleeing Custody
Emergency Crews Deployed on Santorini as Earthquake Swarm Raises Concerns
Wall Street Journal Criticizes Trump's Trade War with Canada and Mexico
Trump Freezes Tariffs on Mexico After Agreement on Border Security
Nearly 96% of New Cars Registered in Norway in January Were Electric
One Dead, Thousands Evacuated as Floods Hit North Queensland
Bart De Wever Appointed Belgium's New Prime Minister
Apple Abandons AR Glasses Project Amid Struggles with Technology and Market Demand
US Man Receives Photo Instead of Drill After Placing Order on Chinese Website
U.S. Clinical Trial Investigates Medication to Prolong Dogs' Lifespan
×