Post by Admin on Dec 18, 2019 18:48:18 GMT
A second referendum on Scottish independence should be held in 2020, Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon says.
The SNP's goal is for Scotland to leave the United Kingdom and rejoin the EU as an independent member state. But how could this happen?
Why is Scottish independence back in the spotlight?
Scotland held an independence referendum in September 2014, with the No campaign winning 55% of the votes.
But then, in 2016, Brexit happened. Voters in Scotland backed Remain by 62% - but those across the UK as a whole voted Leave by 52%.
The SNP saw this as a "material change in circumstances" which would justify a second independence ballot, because Scotland faced being taken out of the EU "against its will".
And the party has since performed strongly in elections. It won 48 of the 59 seats north of the border in last week's general election, while campaigning to "put Scotland's future in Scotland's hands".
But despite the SNP's election success, Prime Minister Boris Johnson says he remains opposed to a second referendum - with senior government figures including Michael Gove saying there will be no vote on independence within at least the next five years.
What if Boris Johnson says no?
The first minister's position is that Mr Johnson and the Conservatives may "rage against reality" for a while, but will ultimately have to give in to "democracy".
She has warned that "you can't hold Scotland in the union against its will".
If these political arguments do not budge Mr Johnson, the first minister has not ruled out taking him to court. This route carries risks, as success is not guaranteed and it could take up valuable time, but some in the SNP are keen.
One thing Ms Sturgeon has ruled out is an unauthorised vote. She says the example of Catalonia proves this "does not lead to independence".
Her other option might be to target a really big win in the Scottish Parliament elections in 2021, on an explicit platform of demanding a referendum, to increase pressure on the UK government.