#ONCE MORE UNTO THE BREACH SPEECH PLUS#

The pro-independence camp will want to present voters with a choice between staying part of ‘Brexit Britain’ and an independent Scotland remaining in ‘Europe’. Sturgeon’s announcement to ask for another independence vote only makes sense before the backdrop of Brexit. This includes EU citizens, who might become an important factor in this referendum.

#ONCE MORE UNTO THE BREACH SPEECH PLUS#

In 2014 the electorate was identical with that of the Scottish Parliament elections plus young voters under 16. Moreover, that legislation would also need to determine the franchise. Nicola Sturgeon suggested that the date should be towards the end of the Brexit negotiation process, which means some time between the autumn of 2018 and the spring of 2019. Once a section 30 order has been adopted, the Scottish Parliament would need to legislate on the exact ramifications of a referendum. If Westminster refuses to grant another referendum, this may cause resentment in Scotland (the Scottish nationalists will certainly interpret a refusal as another piece of evidence that Scotland’s wishes are being ignored) if Westminster concedes, there is a real risk of the UK’s Union breaking up given that a recent poll produced a 50-50 tie between supporters and opponents of independence.

What is politically important, however, is that Sturgeon has kicked the ball firmly into Westminster’s court. Whether this backing is forthcoming is currently unclear. This means that the Scottish Government would need the backing of the UK Government and Parliament for such a move. According to schedule 7 of the Scotland Act, such an order must be approved by a resolution of both the House of Commons and the House of Lords as well as by the Scottish Parliament. The section 30 order would grant the Scottish Parliament the powers under the UK devolution settlement to call another independence referendum. Internally, mirroring the procedure resulting in the 2014 vote, the Scottish Government will seek an Order in Council under section 30 of the Scotland Act 1998. This blog post will briefly outline some of the legal obstacles on the way, both internal and external. The Scottish people should be given a right to decide – once the terms of Brexit are known – whether to stick with the UK and leave the EU or pursue the route of independence and stay within ‘Europe’. Indeed, on Monday she announced that she would ask the Scottish Parliament to allow her to agree with the UK Government on another independence referendum. The EU referendum of 23 June 2016, where 62% of Scottish voters opted to remain in the EU, but 51% of the overall UK electorate voted to leave, changed this perception. In the words of the Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, another independence referendum was ‘firmly back on the table’.

When Scotland voted to remain part of the United Kingdom on 18 September 2014, many people thought that the question of Scottish independence had been settled for at least a generation.

Once more unto the breach speech