Scotland's Sturgeon puts UK on independence warning: We want a referendum soon

[webfact]

Scotland's Sturgeon puts UK on independence warning: We want a referendum soon

By Guy Faulconbridge

 

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon attends First Minister's Questions in the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh, Scotland, Britain, September 17, 2020. REUTERS/Russell Cheyne/Pool

 

LONDON (Reuters) - Scottish leader Nicola Sturgeon said an independence referendum that could wrench apart the United Kingdom after Brexit should take place in the earlier part of the devolved parliament's next term, which begins next year.

 

If there was another referendum and if Scots voted out, it would mark the biggest shock to the United Kingdom since Irish independence a century ago - just as London grapples with the impact of Brexit.

 

The pro-independence Scottish National Party leader said she anticipates that a vote will take place "in the earlier part" of the next Scottish parliament, which begins next year.

 

"The referendum for a whole variety of reasons should be in the earlier part of the next parliament," Scottish First Minister Sturgeon told the BBC.

 

Scots voted 55-45 percent against independence in a 2014 referendum but both Brexit and the British government's handling of the COVID-19 crisis have bolstered support for independence among Scots.

 

The past 14 opinion surveys have shown that Scots support independence. Those surveys show support ranging from 51-59% though views on independence have been volatile over previous years with most polls in 2017-2019 showing Scots opposed to breaking up the United Kingdom.

 

Sturgeon's Scottish National Party (SNP) is expected to perform strongly in elections to the Scottish parliament in May. The SNP will argue that winning that election would be a mandate for another independence referendum.

 

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said the 2014 independence referendum was decisive and a once in a generation event, so should be respected. His government says there should not be another independence referendum in the near future.

 

But if Sturgeon wins the May 6 Scottish election, Johnson will have a difficult choice: refuse a referendum and thus allow Scottish discontent to simmer or allow a referendum which could break apart the union he says is so dear to him and his party.

 

The nations of Britain have shared the same monarch since James VI of Scotland became James I of England in 1603 and a formal union created the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707.

 

Today, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland includes England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

 

The United Kingdom as whole voted 52-48 to leave the EU in a 2016 referendum: England and Wales voted to leave but Scotland and Northern Ireland voted to stay.

 

(Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge; editing by Sarah Young and Jon Boyle)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-11-27

 

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[WineOh]

Here they go again....

 

Didn't they just have one?

Now she doesn't like the result and wants another?

 

She's almost as bad as the brexit remainers.

 

You don't always get what you want in a Democracy, Nicola! 

[melvinmelvin]

the good Mr BJ has some handfulls now,

 

Ireland/UK border

deal with EU

funny Biden and deal/border view

jocks leaving the ship

 

just to mention a few, capable or not? we'll see

 

[vogie]

Anything to divert attention from the mess she is making with the Scottish economy, education and covid. Only the UK can split the UK up, not a one horse party.

[NanLaew]

Time for Johnson and Starmer to get behind their respective north of the border franchises and stop this infernal woman sucking the air out of the room.

[luckyluke]

11 minutes ago, vogie said:

Only the UK can split the UK up

Did know that.

Thought the United Kingdom was the same as the European Union. 

[robblok]

1 minute ago, luckyluke said:

Did know that.

Thought the United Kingdom was the same as the European Union. 

Strange Brexiteers wanting freedom but not respecting the Scots to want the same. Double standards anyone ?

[vogie]

1 minute ago, luckyluke said:

Did know that.

Thought the United Kingdom was the same as the European Union. 

Not in the slightest, the UK is classed as one country, we all share the same monarch etc.

[luckyluke]

1 minute ago, vogie said:

we all share the same monarch etc.

All members of the E.U. have the same European presidents, etc.

 

But they also have their own king or president, government, laws and legislations,

freedom of choice to stay or leave the E.U..

 

 

[vogie]

Just now, luckyluke said:

All members of the E.U. have the same European presidents, etc.

 

But they also have their own king or president, government, laws and legislations,

freedom of choice to stay or leave the E.U..

 

 

Rest assured Luke, one day you will have your own good Queen Ursula from the royal house of von der Leyen, you already have your own anthem and currency. Just for example Scotland couldn't have left the EU by itself because it belongs to the island nation of the United Kingdom, where-as at the moment any one of the remaining 27 other nations that make up the EU can in theory leave. But that will not always be the case, slowly but surely you are being consumed by the mighty federal state of the EU, you will be locked in with no one to turn to soon.

[luckyluke]

2 minutes ago, vogie said:

Rest assured Luke, one day you will have your own good Queen Ursula from the royal house of von der Leyen, you already have your own anthem and currency. Just for example Scotland couldn't have left the EU by itself because it belongs to the island nation of the United Kingdom, where-as at the moment any one of the remaining 27 other nations that make up the EU can in theory leave. But that will not always be the case, slowly but surely you are being consumed by the mighty federal state of the EU, you will be locked in with no one to turn to soon.

 

Your personal speculations are interesting to read.

Just like all other ones ( positive or negative ) related to the future of the E.U..

In fact similar of the guesswork of what will happens to the U.K., starting next year.

[LennyW]

She needs to <deleted>, we had a referendum, the result was to remain as part of the UK - end of, it's not the best of three, wish she would just disappear!

[ukrules]

They may get another referendum as soon as 2050 or perhaps 2060, once in a lifetime is the phrase used so even that would be early.

 

This is merely a distraction, don't fall for it. She's doing a terrible job and attempting to divert attention.

[melvinmelvin]

24 minutes ago, ukrules said:

They may get another referendum as soon as 2050 or perhaps 2060, once in a lifetime is the phrase used so even that would be early.

 

This is merely a distraction, don't fall for it. She's doing a terrible job and attempting to divert attention.

who's lifetime? Madonna bussed off yesterday

Methusalem enjoyed a rather lengthy one, had to bite the dust in the end though

 

lifetimes are like rubbers - stretchy

 

[WineOh]

1 hour ago, robblok said:

Strange Brexiteers wanting freedom but not respecting the Scots to want the same. Double standards anyone ?

I am no brexiteer but I don't agree with a 2nd referendum on Scottish independence within the space of 5 years..

 

What happens when Sturgeon loses yet again?

another one 6 months down the line??

 

It's a load of pish. The Scottish people voted and they voted to remain part of the UK.

End of.

[vogie]

6 minutes ago, melvinmelvin said:

who's lifetime? Madonna bussed off yesterday

Methusalem enjoyed a rather lengthy one, had to bite the dust in the end though

 

lifetimes are like rubbers - stretchy

 

The average lifetime of a human is 79 years, that would make the next referendum 2093, sounds fair to me.

ps. Did you mean Maradona?

[melvinmelvin]

19 minutes ago, vogie said:

The average lifetime of a human is 79 years, that would make the next referendum 2093, sounds fair to me.

ps. Did you mean Maradona?

yes, I did, wow some slip of the keyboard that was, her upper hangouts blurred my vision

[Rookiescot]

Its ironic.

All those shouting for no referendum for another 500 years or so have completely missed the point.

If a referendum had been given two years ago there was a very good chance vote NO would have won again and that would have killed calls for independence off.

If the devo max had been delivered after the last referendum as promised then that would have killed calls for independence off.

Instead what we got was the rise of English nationalism and Brexit.

Support for the union has utterly collapsed. Can anyone see any way it will recover? I cannot. Polls show a massive lead for the SNP at the next Holyrood elections and a massive lead for independence. Surely the will of the people will have to be respected?

 

[sammieuk1]

Wait for the pubs to open and ask them again ????

[Rookiescot]

28 minutes ago, vogie said:

The average lifetime of a human is 79 years, that would make the next referendum 2093, sounds fair to me.

ps. Did you mean Maradona?

 

You cling to this throw away remark as if its gospel.

When Johnson said he would rather be dead in a ditch than ask for an extension then asked for an extension anyway are you suggesting he caries out some form of ritual suicide? In a ditch?

If not why not?

[Mavideol]

1 hour ago, vogie said:

Anything to divert attention from the mess she is making with the Scottish economy, education and covid. Only the UK can split the UK up, not a one horse party.

Only the EU could split the EU and yet the UK did manage to get out and that's called democracy, Scotland wants to have their own laws and their own say so on their own matters, the UK has to understand that (that's what they claimed when wanting to leave the EU)  Scotland has the same rights, let them be, same as Ireland did on May 3rd 1921, fair is fair and it should work both ways or only the UK has the right wanting to have their own laws

[melvinmelvin]

1 hour ago, vogie said:

Not in the slightest, the UK is classed as one country, we all share the same monarch etc.

 

useful lass this queen is,

"we all" share her , not sure who you refer to by "we all"

she is shared quite widely, not only by pommies, she pops up on paper satang many places in the world

 

monarch my here and monarch my there, even net door to WhiteHouse and Trump

 

if all should go down the drain with Brexit maybe there is a biz opportunity in renting her out as queen/monarch/head of state

rapid action required though - next in line issue might not command the same expenditure by those in want

 

[Mavideol]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

His government says there should not be another independence referendum in the near future.

it's like asking for a divorce, if one of the parties is not happy, he/she has the right to ask for a divorce.... Scotland not happy with the UK actions, they have the right to ask for a divorce and be on their own

[Mavideol]

1 hour ago, vogie said:

Not in the slightest, the UK is classed as one country, we all share the same monarch etc.

some monarch and yet completely different ways of governing or seeing the future or looking ahead... you have double standards and that's not good

[vogie]

6 minutes ago, Rookiescot said:

 

You cling to this throw away remark as if its gospel.

When Johnson said he would rather be dead in a ditch than ask for an extension then asked for an extension anyway are you suggesting he caries out some form of ritual suicide? In a ditch?

If not why not?

You are insulting the only man that can give you independence, say nice things about Boris and you may get your wish.????????????

[Mavideol]

1 hour ago, luckyluke said:

All members of the E.U. have the same European presidents, etc.

 

But they also have their own king or president, government, laws and legislations,

freedom of choice to stay or leave the E.U..

 

 

you are correct and that's  called/known as Democracy, it appears the UK doesn't know what that is

[Rookiescot]

5 minutes ago, vogie said:

You are insulting the only man that can give you independence, say nice things about Boris and you may get your wish.????????????

 

I did not insult him. I asked you to explain your hypocrisy that one politicians remarks are somehow written in stone but another's is not.

Do please explain your rational behind such thinking.

[fangless]

I suggest the English hold a Referendum if they want rid of NI, Wales and Scotland and see the massive YES vote that would result.  All three are a huge financial and political drain on England.

Good riddance to the three of them and see how they survive on their own.

[fangless]

Scotland want to be independent - from what?  They want to keep the pound, the Queen and stay in the EU.  

How is that independence?

[Rookiescot]

2 hours ago, vogie said:

Anything to divert attention from the mess she is making with the Scottish economy, education and covid. Only the UK can split the UK up, not a one horse party.

 

There is currently a court case going through the Scottish courts to question if we even need Westminsters permission to hold a referendum or even if the Scottish parliament could simply dissolve the union on its own.

I need to add this court case is not supported by the SNP. Its an individuals action.

Truth is though there was no referendum to take us into the union so does it need one to take us out.