Sunday, 3 Aug 2025
America Age
  • Trending
  • World
  • Politics
  • Opinion
  • Business
    • Economy
    • Real Estate
    • Money
    • Crypto & NFTs
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
    • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Travel
    • Fashion / Beauty
    • Art & Books
    • Culture
  • Health
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
Font ResizerAa
America AgeAmerica Age
Search
  • Trending
  • World
  • Politics
  • Opinion
  • Business
    • Economy
    • Real Estate
    • Money
    • Crypto & NFTs
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
    • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Travel
    • Fashion / Beauty
    • Art & Books
    • Culture
  • Health
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
Have an existing account? Sign In
Follow US
© 2024 America Age. All Rights Reserved.
America Age > Blog > World > UK top court rules against Scottish independence vote plan
World

UK top court rules against Scottish independence vote plan

Enspirers | Editorial Board
Share
UK top court rules against Scottish independence vote plan
SHARE

LONDON (AP) — The U.K. Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that Scotland does not have the power to hold a new referendum on independence without the consent of the British government. The judgment is a setback for the Scottish government’s campaign to break away from the United Kingdom.

The top court ruled that the Scottish Parliament “does not have the power to legislate for a referendum on Scottish independence.”

Supreme Court President Robert Reed said the five justices were unanimous in the verdict, delivered six weeks after lawyers for the pro-independence Scottish administration and the Conservative U.K. government argued their cases at hearings in London.

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said she was disappointed but would “respect” the judgment. But, she said on Twitter: “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 & makes case for (independence).”

Independence supporters plan to rally outside the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh and at other sites later Wednesday.

The semi-autonomous Scottish government wants to hold a referendum next October with the question “Should Scotland be an independent country?”

The U.K. government in London refuses to approve a vote, saying the question was settled in a 2014 referendum that saw Scottish voters reject independence by a margin of 55% to 45%.

The pro-independence government in Edinburgh wants to revisit the decision, though, arguing that Britain’s departure from the European Union — which a majority of Scottish voters opposed — has radically changed the political and economic landscape.

Sturgeon argues that she has a democratic mandate from the Scottish people to hold a new secession vote because there is an independence-supporting majority in the Scottish Parliament.

During Supreme Court hearings last month, Dorothy Bain, the Scottish government’s top law officer, said the majority of Scottish lawmakers had been elected on commitments to hold a fresh independence referendum. She also said a referendum would be advisory, rather than legally binding — though a “yes” vote would create strong momentum for Scotland to break away.

U.K. government lawyer James Eadie argued that power to hold a referendum rests with the U.K. Parliament in London, because “it’s of critical importance to the United Kingdom as a whole,” not just Scotland.

The Supreme Court justices agreed. They said it is clear that “a Bill which makes provision for a referendum on independence – on ending the sovereignty of the Parliament of the United Kingdom over Scotland – has more than a loose or consequential connection with the sovereignty of that Parliament.”

Reed stressed that the court was “not asked, and cannot be asked, to express a view on the political question of whether Scotland should become an independent country.”

Polls suggest Scots are about evenly split on independence — and also that a majority of voters do not want a new referendum anytime soon.

Scotland and England have been politically united since 1707. Scotland has had its own parliament and government since 1999 and makes its own policies on public health, education and other matters. The U.K.-wide government in London controls matters such as defense and fiscal policy.

Sturgeon has said that if her government loses the court case, she will make the next U.K. national election a de-facto plebiscite on ending Scotland’s three-century-old union with England. She has not given details of how that would work.

Share This Article
Twitter Email Copy Link Print
Previous Article Report: Explosion near Syrian capital kills Iranian colonel Report: Explosion near Syrian capital kills Iranian colonel
Next Article Kurdish forces preparing to repel Turkish ground invasion Kurdish forces preparing to repel Turkish ground invasion

Your Trusted Source for Accurate and Timely Updates!

Our commitment to accuracy, impartiality, and delivering breaking news as it happens has earned us the trust of a vast audience. Stay ahead with real-time updates on the latest events, trends.
FacebookLike
TwitterFollow
InstagramFollow
LinkedInFollow
MediumFollow
QuoraFollow
- Advertisement -
Ad image

Popular Posts

watch the NHL on-line without spending a dime

TL;DR: Reside stream the NHL without spending a dime on Laola1 and Prime Video. Entry…

By Enspirers | Editorial Board

Russia and Far-Right Americans Find Common Ground With Ukraine War

When Victoria Nuland, an under secretary of state, was questioned in the Senate this month…

By Enspirers | Editorial Board

Prosecutors and Defense Duel in Closing Arguments of Sussmann Trial

WASHINGTON — Prosecutors and a defense lawyer put forward starkly opposing views on Friday in…

By Enspirers | Editorial Board

Oh, Brother: The Not-Quite-Tell-All Books by Presidential Sisters

In her 1921 biography about her brother Theodore Roosevelt, Corrine Roosevelt Robinson saw no harm…

By Enspirers | Editorial Board

You Might Also Like

Dangerous males drawback: Gareth Ward and Mark Latham go away NSW parliament in unchartered territory
World

Dangerous males drawback: Gareth Ward and Mark Latham go away NSW parliament in unchartered territory

By Enspirers | Editorial Board
In wartime, demonstrations in Ukraine can by no means be greater than a peaceable protest
World

In wartime, demonstrations in Ukraine can by no means be greater than a peaceable protest

By Enspirers | Editorial Board
Wong criticises Israel’s conduct in Gaza in closed-door assembly with Israeli ambassador
World

Wong criticises Israel’s conduct in Gaza in closed-door assembly with Israeli ambassador

By Enspirers | Editorial Board
Maryland boy dies after being trapped in storm drain as rains drench east coast
World

Maryland boy dies after being trapped in storm drain as rains drench east coast

By Enspirers | Editorial Board
America Age
Facebook Twitter Youtube

About US


America Age: Your instant connection to breaking stories and live updates. Stay informed with our real-time coverage across politics, tech, entertainment, and more. Your reliable source for 24/7 news.

Company
  • About Us
  • Newsroom Policies & Standards
  • Diversity & Inclusion
  • Careers
  • Media & Community Relations
  • WP Creative Group
  • Accessibility Statement
Contact Us
  • Contact Us
  • Contact Customer Care
  • Advertise
  • Licensing & Syndication
  • Request a Correction
  • Contact the Newsroom
  • Send a News Tip
  • Report a Vulnerability
Terms of Use
  • Digital Products Terms of Sale
  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Settings
  • Submissions & Discussion Policy
  • RSS Terms of Service
  • Ad Choices
© 2024 America Age. All Rights Reserved.
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?