British Supreme Court: No to Scottish independence referendum

Status: 11/23/2022 2:36 p.m

The British Supreme Court has ruled against a second independence referendum in Scotland. The government in Edinburgh reacted disappointed, but wants to accept the decision – at least for the time being.

In June, Scottish Prime Minister Nicola Sturgeon promised a new referendum on her country’s independence. But now the British Supreme Court – the country’s highest court – has put a stop to these plans. However, the Scottish government does not want to deviate completely from its goal.

“The Scottish Parliament does not have the power to legislate for a referendum on Scottish independence,” Supreme Court President Robert Reed summed up the decision. A referendum could “either strengthen or weaken the democratic legitimacy of the Union and the UK Parliament’s sovereignty over Scotland,” Reed said. The decision on a referendum thus affects the whole country and is therefore outside the power of the Scottish regional parliament. The power to call a referendum rests solely with the British Parliament.

The court is thus following the British government’s stance, which clearly rejects another referendum on Scottish independence.

Sunak sees final decision

For British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, the Supreme Court’s decision represents a “clear and final verdict”. Like former British Prime Minister Theresa May, Sunak warned that the Scottish ruling party, the SNP, should finally give up its “obsession” with an independence referendum. Instead, the focus must be on working together to solve fundamental problems such as the economic difficulties and the ailing NHS health service.

When directly asked by several SNP MPs how far he could in good conscience speak of a voluntary union when he denied Scotland the right to a democratic decision in an independence referendum, Sunak did not answer directly.

Sturgeon wants to acknowledge decision

Sturgeon said he was “disappointed” with the decision. On Twitter she wrote:

A law not allowing Scotland to choose our own future without Westminster’s consent debunks any notion of the UK as a voluntary partnership and strengthens the cause of independence.

However, the head of government had already announced in advance that she intended to accept the Supreme Court’s ruling. However, Sturgeon also announced that he wants to make the next British general election a quasi-referendum and then completely focus the election campaign of her Scottish National Party (SNP) on the goal of a new vote. She will now discuss details with her party. In the Scottish Parliament, the SNP and the Greens, who also support detachment from London, have a majority. Sturgeon called another referendum a vital step to help Scotland escape “the Brexit catastrophe” and a government it didn’t vote for.

Return to EU as a goal

In June, Sturgeon had sought a possible referendum for October 19, 2023. She justified another referendum with the fact that a majority in Scotland had rejected Brexit and campaigned with the aim of wanting to make an independent Scotland a member of the EU again.

The Scots had already voted in 2014 to leave the kingdom that had been shared with England and Wales for three centuries. At that time, around 55 percent voted to remain in the UK. In the vote on Brexit, a majority of around 62 percent in Scotland voted against leaving the EU.

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