Prime Minister Nicola Sturgeon says the time has come for the Scots to “put their country on the right track”. By this she means a detachment from the United Kingdom. A corresponding referendum is now scheduled for October 19, 2023.
“The time for independence has come,” Sturgeon told the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday. She will ask British Prime Minister Boris Johnson for formal approval of the referendum and involve the British Supreme Court. She will never allow “Scottish democracy to be held captive by Boris Johnson or any other prime minister,” the Scottish National Party politician told members of the regional parliament.
Brexit has changed everything
In a referendum in 2014, a majority of Scots (55 percent) voted to remain in the UK. However, that was before Brexit, which the northernmost part of Britain had rejected by a clear majority (62 percent). The proponents of independence therefore hope that the situation will change if there is a new vote. The question in 2023 will be the same as last time: “Should Scotland be an independent country?”
Sturgeon has a pro-independence majority in the Scottish Parliament with her party and the Greens. She wants to lead her part of the country of almost 5.5 million inhabitants back to the European Union as an independent country after Brexit. Sturgeon complained that Johnson’s conservative British government was tearing Scotland out of the confederation against its will, leading it into a deep crisis with the rest of Britain. Cost of living, labor shortages and the risk of a trade war with the EU – for the head of government the situation is clear: “Our country deserves better.”
Sturgeon wants to overrule London if necessary
In order to pass a law to hold the referendum in the regional parliament, the approval of the government in London must first be obtained. But she refuses. Sturgeon therefore wants to overrule London if necessary. That could lead to lawsuits.
British election guru John Curtice of the University of Strathclyde sees Sturgeon’s move as the start of a new phase in the independence campaign. Only now that Britain has left the EU and the pandemic no longer dominates the news agenda does the Scottish government have a chance to achieve its goal. “She will hold a referendum,” Curtice said in an interview with the dpa, despite the difficult road ahead for Nicola Sturgeon. “She’s not giving up.”
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
