FM Sturgeon: 'Scottish Parliament Has Mandate For IndyRef2'

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon delivering aspeech at present seeking to outline how the Scottish gov't will seek a second independence referendum, in what is a notable escalation in the Scottish National Party's efforts to pursue separation from the United Kingdom.

• Scottish gov't document presenting the case for independence can be found here: https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/go...
• Sturgeon states that the second independence referendum (first unsuccessful vote held in 2014) 'must be lawful', although also implies that the Scottish gov't could proceed without UK gov't approval. Says she will present to Holyrood 'very soon' how a legal referendum could take place without a Section 30 order (the doc giving UK gov't approval) - unclear whether this is actually possible.
• Opinion polling shows 'no' to independence ahead in all recent polls, with the last 'yes' to independence lead recorded in February. Average 'no' lead in May (latest polling carried out) stood at 3.6%.
• From the UK gov't side there remains no legal impetus to allow another independence referendum, and given widespread unpopularity of PM Boris Johnson in Scotland recorded in opinion polls they would be very reluctant to grant one at present.
• Should Sturgeon proceed with a referendum without UK gov't approval it risks significant political division. Most recent European comparison of this situation would be Catalonia's illegal independence referendum in 2017 that the gov't in Madrid deemed illegal resulting in mass protests, arrest of individuals leading the referendum and long-term damage to relations.