FM Calls For New Independence Referendum On 19 Oct 2023

Lewis Goodall at the BBC tweets a thread on First Minister Nicola Sturgeon's statement to the Scottish Parliament on the issue of a second independence referendum. Select comments below:

• “[Sturgeon]: T"his Parliament has a clear democratic mandate…the UK govt regrettably is refusing to respect Scottish democracy.” Says she’s willing to negotiate with PM on terms of ref “but what I will never do is allow Boris Johnson to make a prisoner of Scottish democracy.”
• "FM says that lawfulness of referendum has to be established beyond doubt. Says referendum would be consultative but would still have standing, as per other referendums."
• "Nicola Sturgeon proposes a second independence referendum should be held in Scotland on 19th October 2023. Nicola Sturgeon says she’s asked Lord Advocate to refer to Supreme Court whether the referendum bill she’s proposing are reserved matters or not. She’s doing this to try and accelerate legal process."
• "Sturgeon says that if Supreme Court makes clear that Holyrood does not have power to even have a consultative referendum then it would make clear for all to see that [the UK] is not “a voluntary union of nations”- and “wouldn’t be the end of the matter, far from it.”
• "FM says if Supreme Court does say it’s not within Scottish Parl’ts remit next general election will be a de facto referendum and fought on basis of independence."