Glasgow Southside MP insists Scottish democracy will not be denied despite not having legal power

The Supreme Court has judged Glasgow Southside MP and Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon that she doesn’t have the legal power to hold a second Independence Referendum.
Glasgow Southside MP Nicola Sturgeon insists Scottish Democracy will not be denied as she’s due to give a statement shortly.  Glasgow Southside MP Nicola Sturgeon insists Scottish Democracy will not be denied as she’s due to give a statement shortly.
Glasgow Southside MP Nicola Sturgeon insists Scottish Democracy will not be denied as she’s due to give a statement shortly.

Glasgow Southside MSP and Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon’s plan to stage her own Independence Referendum next year has been killed off for now after the UK’s highest court ruled she did not have the legal power.

The Supreme Court said the First Minister’s draft Referendum Bill would go beyond the powers devolved to Holyrood as the Union and the sovereignty of the UK Parliament are matters reserved to Westminster.

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Lord Reed of Allermuir, the court’s Scottish president, said a “unanimous” decision had been reached and it was “clear” that the proposed Bill would have more than a “loose or consequential” connection to the Union.

Ms Sturgeon is expected to hold a press conference in Edinburgh this morning at which she will set out her next steps. She had wanted to stage a vote on October 19th, 2023.

She has previously said her plan B is to use the next general election as a “de facto referendum”, arguing she could open independence negotiations with the UK Government if nationalist parties get more than 50 per cent of the popular vote.

However, this proposal has faced ridicule from constitutional experts, who have pointed out voters cast their ballots based on a range of issues in elections. It would also be unlikely to be recognised by the UK Government.

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Speaking on Twitter this morning, Sturgeon said, “While disappointed by it, I respect ruling of the UK Supreme Court - it doesn’t make law, only interprets it.

“A law that doesn’t allow Scotland to choose our own future without Westminster consent exposes as myth any notion of the UK as a voluntary partnership and makes case for Independence.

“Scottish Democracy will not be denied, today’s ruling blocks one route to Scotland’s voice being heard on independence - in a democracy our voice cannot and will not be silenced.”

Nicola Sturgeon is Scotland’s first female First Minister and the first woman to lead any of the devolved UK administrations.

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Born in Irvine in 1970 and educated at Greenwood Academy, she studied law at the University of Glasgow where she graduated with LLB (Hons) and Diploma in legal practice.

Before entering the Scottish Parliament as a regional MSP for Glasgow in 1999 she worked as a solicitor in the Drumchapel Law and Money Advice Centre in Glasgow.

She is currently MSP for Glasgow Southside having been, before boundary changes, MSP for Govan between 2007 and 2011.

In government she served as Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing between May 2007 and September 2012 and then Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure, Investment and Cities with responsibility for government strategy and the constitution until November 2014. Throughout this period she also served as Deputy First Minister of Scotland.

She became leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) on November 14, 2014 and was sworn in as First Minister on November 20, 2014.

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