Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSP; Scottish Gaelic: Ball Pàrlamaid na h-Alba, BPA) have today backed a Government motion calling for the Scottish Parliament (Scottish Gaelic: Pàrlamaid na h-Alba) to have the power to hold another independence referendum. MSPs voted by 64 to 54 in favour of the Government’s motion, with no abstentions that argued “a referendum should be held so that the people of Scotland can decide whether they wish it to become an independent country”. Scottish Labour, Lib Dems and Tories voted against the motion, once again demonstrating their opposition to respecting Scotland’s right to self-determination. Nicola Sturgeon First Minister of Scotland and leader of the Scottish National Party has requested a section 30 order from the UK government, as part of Scottish Government plans to hold a referendum before the end of this year. However, this now brings them into conflict with the British (Westminster) parliament. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said he will not authorise such a referendum. Nevertheless, the Scottish First Minister is scheduled to set out the “next steps” in the “campaign to secure Scotland’s future as an independent nation” on Friday. In a rebuke to the British PM she has made it clear: “it must be for this Parliament, not Westminster, to determine when and on what basis an independence referendum should take place.”
Posted by Alastair Kneale, Director of Information Celtic League (29 January 2020)
