London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Sep 29, 2025

Scottish politicians vote to back a second independence referendum

Scottish politicians have narrowly voted in favour of a motion calling for a second referendum on independence.
The MSPs at Holyrood have voted by 64 to 54 in favour of a fresh vote ‘so that the people of Scotland can decide whether they wish to be an independent country’.

Scottish First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, has insisted it is necessary as the only way that Scotland can be part of the EU.

She warned of the consequences of Brexit, saying: ‘Given what the Tories have in store, proposing a further decision on independence isn’t simply legitimate – it is necessary.’

Earlier this month Prime Minister Boris Johnson refused to allow a second vote, saying the one in 2014 was a once-in-a-generation poll.

But Ms Sturgeon accused UK government ministers of being ‘completely deaf to Scotland’s interests, needs and voices.’

She added that their vision of the UK post-Brexit was ‘driven on the part of some by jingoism and xenophobia.’

Wednesday afternoon’s vote now calls on the UK government to reach an agreement with the Scottish government on when and how a new ballot will happen.

Two-thirds of voters in Scotland voted Remain in the Brexit referendum but they will still leave the EU with the rest of the UK on Friday.

Ms Sturgeon said this was enough to demand another independence vote because there had been a major ‘material change in circumstances.’

The First Minister said: ‘We stand just two days from losing our EU membership and all of the rights that go with it.

‘In my view it is beyond doubt now that the only realistic way for Scotland to return to the heart of Europe and to ensure we get the governments we vote for is to become an independent country.

‘What should be beyond any democratic argument, in light of the material change in circumstances that Brexit represents, is that it must be Scotland’s choice to make.

‘And it must be for this Parliament, not Westminster, to determine when and on what basis an independence referendum should take place.’

Scottish Liberal Democrat Willie Rennie claimed the SNP had ‘learned nothing from Brexit’.

He added: ‘Their answer to leaving an economic and social union of 40 years is to leave another closer, more tightly integrated union too. They are a party of barriers and division, when we need unity and collaboration more than ever.

‘While the SNP debate independence, we are seeing health, education and the police struggling to get by. This is the true cost of the SNP’s independence obsession.’

Pro-UK campaign group Scotland in Union branded the vote in Holyrood an attempt to ‘distract’ from current ‘failing public services.’

Chief executive Pamela Nash insisted: ‘The vast majority of people in Scotland do not want a divisive second independence referendum. Scotland deserves better.’
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Trump Announces Intention to Impose 100 Percent Tariff on Foreign-Made Films
Altman Says GPT-5 Already Outpaces Him, Warns AI Could Automate 40% of Work
Singapore and Hong Kong Vie to Dominate Asia’s Rising Gold Trade
Trump Organization Teams with Saudi Developer on $1 Billion Trump Plaza in Jeddah
Manhattan Sees Surge in Office-to-Housing Conversions, Highest Since 2008
Switzerland and U.S. Issue Joint Assurance Against Currency Manipulation
Electronic Arts to Be Taken Private in Historic $55 Billion Buyout
Thomas Jacob Sanford Named as Suspect in Deadly Michigan Church Shooting and Arson
Russian Research Vessel 'Yantar' Tracked Mapping Europe’s Subsea Cables, Raising Security Alarms
New York Man Arrested After On-Air Confession to 2017 Parents’ Murders
U.S. Defense Chief Orders Sudden Summit of Hundreds of Generals and Admirals
Global Cruise Industry Posts Dramatic Comeback with 34.6 Million Passengers in 2024
Trump Claims FBI Planted 274 Agents at Capitol Riot, Citing Unverified Reports
India: Internet Suspended in Bareilly Amid Communal Clashes Between Muslims and Hindus
Supreme Court Extends Freeze on Nearly $5 Billion in U.S. Foreign Aid at Trump’s Request
Archaeologists Recover Statues and Temples from 2,000-Year-Old Sunken City off Alexandria
China Deploys 2,000 Workers to Spain to Build Major EV Battery Factory, Raising European Dependence
Speed Takes Over: How Drive-Through Coffee Chains Are Rewriting U.S. Coffee Culture
U.S. Demands Brussels Scrutinize Digital Rules to Prevent Bias Against American Tech
Ringo Starr Champions Enduring Beatles Legacy While Debuting Las Vegas Art Show
Private Equity’s Fundraising Surge Triggers Concern of European Market Shake-Out
Colombian President Petro Vows to Mobilize Volunteers for Gaza and Joins List of Fighters
FBI Removes Agents Who Kneeled at 2020 Protest, Citing Breach of Professional Conduct
Trump Alleges ‘Triple Sabotage’ at United Nations After Escalator and Teleprompter Failures
Shock in France: 5 Years in Prison for Former President Nicolas Sarkozy
Tokyo’s Jimbōchō Named World’s Coolest Neighbourhood for 2025
European Officials Fear Trump May Shift Blame for Ukraine War onto EU
BNP Paribas Abandons Ban on 'Controversial Weapons' Financing Amid Europe’s Defence Push
Typhoon Ragasa Leaves Trail of Destruction Across East Asia Before Making Landfall in China
The Personality Rights Challenge in India’s AI Era
Big Banks Rebuild in Hong Kong as Deal Volume Surges
Italy Considers Freezing Retirement Age at 67 to Avert Scheduled Hike
Italian City to Impose Tax on Visiting Dogs Starting in 2026
Arnault Denounces Proposed Wealth Tax as Threat to French Economy
Study Finds No Safe Level of Alcohol for Dementia Risk
Denmark Investigates Drone Incursion, Does Not Rule Out Russian Involvement
Lilly CEO Warns UK Is ‘Worst Country in Europe’ for Drug Prices, Pulls Back Investment
Nigel Farage Emerges as Central Force in British Politics with Reform UK Surge
Disney Reinstates ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ after Six-Day Suspension over Charlie Kirk Comments
U.S. Prosecutors Move to Break Up Google’s Advertising Monopoly
Nvidia Pledges Up to $100 Billion Investment in OpenAI to Power Massive AI Data Center Build-Out
U.S. Signals ‘Large and Forceful’ Support for Argentina Amid Market Turmoil
Nvidia and Abu Dhabi’s TII Launch First AI-&-Robotics Lab in the Middle East
Vietnam Faces Up to $25 Billion Export Loss as U.S. Tariffs Bite
Europe Signals Stronger Support for Taiwan at Major Taipei Defence Show
Indonesia Court Upholds Military Law Amid Concerns Over Expanded Civilian Role
Larry Ellison, Michael Dell and Rupert Murdoch Join Trump-Backed Bid to Take Over TikTok
Trump and Musk Reunite Publicly for First Time Since Fallout at Kirk Memorial
Vietnam Closes 86 Million Untouched Bank Accounts Over Biometric ID Rules
Explosive Email Shows Sarah Ferguson Begged Forgiveness from Jeffrey Epstein After Taking His Money
×