Britain’s Supreme Court has ruled that the Scottish Parliament cannot unilaterally hold an independence referendum on whether to break away from the United Kingdom without the UK government’s consent, dashing hopes for the independence campaigners that will be welcomed by Westminster’s pro-union establishment.
The ruling of the British court unanimously rejected the Scottish National Party’s (SNP) attempt to force a vote in October 2023 since it did not have the consent of the British parliament.
The court evidently sided with the British government, which came up with the argument that on “fundamental matters”, like the fate of the union, the power is held by the British Parliament sitting in the Palace of Westminster in London.
After the Courts ruling, First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon, who had been driving for the next year’s referendum, issued a statement saying she respected the Supreme Court, but that it “doesn’t make law, only interprets it.”
Sturgeon took to Twitter saying that “a law that doesn’t allow Scotland to choose our own future without Westminster consent exposes as myth any notion of the UK as a voluntary partnership & makes case for Indy,” the shorthand for a second referendum.
“Scottish democracy will not be denied,” she said. “Today’s ruling blocks one route to Scotland’s voice being heard on independence — but in a democracy, our voice cannot and will not be silenced.”
Second Referendum
The British government, under premier Boris Johnson, Liz Truss, and now Rishi Sunak, has been faced with a second referendum this time by the Scottish parliament.
The first referendum was allowed by the British government in 2014, in which a majority of Scots chose to remain in the United Kingdom, by 55% to 45% votes.
The independence demand became complicated when only two years later when in Brexit vote (June 2016) the Scottish citizens strongly backed remaining in the European Union, by 62% to 38%.
SC Ruling is clear and definitive – PM Sunak
Addressing the House of Commons on Wednesday, Prime Minister Sunak called the court ruling “clear and definitive,” and said the Scottish leadership should pivot to more-pressing challenges, such as helping the economy and fixing the National Health Service.