Scottish Prime Minister believes in another independence referendum

British Prime Minister Liz Truss disagrees. Sturgeon sees a blockade across London as proof that Scotland is part of a political system that does not respect Scottish democracy. His nationalist party (SNP) won a landslide victory in last year’s regional elections. She sees it as a clear mandate from the voter for a referendum.

Scotland has been part of the United Kingdom since 1707 and got its own parliament in 1998. However, all union-related matters remained with Parliament in London. The court will hear arguments next week on whether the Scottish Parliament has the power to legislate for an independence referendum. Sturgeon wants to hold the vote in October next year.

The last time Scotland held a referendum on secession from the UK was in 2014, when 55% of voters voted against independence and 45% for. In its arguments for a new plebiscite, the SNP points, among other things, to Brexit. The majority of Scots voted unsuccessfully in a 2016 referendum against the UK’s exit from the European Union.