First Minister – people of Scotland must be given choice on future. (by gov.scot)

Commenting after the vote of the Scottish Parliament this evening, mandating the Scottish Government to open formal talks with the UK Government on the details of a Section 30 order, to enable an independence referendum to take place when the choice between an independent Scotland and the UK’s Brexit deal is clear, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said:

“It is now the will of Scotland’s democratically elected national parliament that discussions should begin with the UK Government to enable an independence referendum to be held. People should be given that choice once the details of the UK’s Brexit deal are clear – and the Prime Minister yesterday confirmed to me that she agrees this will be in 18 months to two years from now.

“Today’s vote must now be respected. The mandate for a referendum is beyond question, and it would be democratically indefensible – and utterly unsustainable – to attempt to stand in the way of it.

“We will now act on the mandate given to us by parliament by making a formal approach to the UK Government within the next few days, after Article 50 has been triggered.

“This is, first and foremost, about giving the people of Scotland a choice on this country’s future.

“We know that Brexit threatens a hugely damaging and uncertain future for Scotland, and it would not be right if the people of Scotland – having been told in 2014 that the only way to protect our place in Europe was to vote against independence – were denied a choice.

“Every other nation in the EU will soon have a say on the terms of Brexit, and on how it impacts Scotland. The people of this nation cannot and must not be the only ones denied a say.

“The Prime Minister says that now is not the time for a referendum. I agree with that, which is why I have indicated a timescale no earlier than 18 months from now, when the terms of Brexit are clear – something the PM has now indicated she agrees with. It is up to the UK Government to now make clear when they consider a referendum would be appropriate.

“There is clear precedent for how the terms of a referendum made in Scotland can be agreed, and that precedent should be followed.

“The people of Scotland are sovereign, and they will be given a choice on their own future.”

ARTICLE SOURCE: https://news.gov.scot/news/parliament-backs-independence-referendum

FM: Sovereign right of Scottish people to determine form of government. (by gov.scot)

Commenting on the publication of the motion on a Section 30 order to be debated by MSPs this week, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said:

“The Scottish Parliament will be asked this week to support a motion to give the people of Scotland a choice over their future – once the terms of Brexit are clear, but before it is too late to change course.

“If MSPs pass this motion this week, then the Prime Minister’s position of blocking a referendum and forcing through a hard Brexit without giving the people a choice will be democratically indefensible.

“The sovereign right of the people of Scotland to determine the form of government best suited to their needs is a longstanding and widely-accepted principle.

“Brexit will fundamentally change the form of government in Scotland – a change that Scotland opposed. The people of Scotland voted overwhelmingly to remain in the European Union, yet we now face being dragged out of Europe – and the single market – against our will.

“A hard Brexit threatens huge economic and social damage to Scotland, and the people must have the opportunity to choose a different, better path.

“I agree with the Prime Minister when she says that there needs to be clarity about the implications of Brexit before the people of Scotland can choose – that is precisely why we are proposing to hold the vote at the point where we know, through the Prime Minister’s own statements, we will have that clarity.

“A clear precedent was set in 2012 when the UK government said that the 2014 referendum should be ‘made in Scotland, by the people of Scotland’ – that is the principle that they must again hold to.

“Ultimately, this crucial decision over our future should not be made unilaterally by me, or by the Prime Minister – it should be made by the people of Scotland, and I call on Parliament to give the people that choice.”

ARTICLE SOURCE: http://news.gov.scot/news/will-of-scotlands-national-parliament-must-be-respected

The text of the motion reads:

That the Parliament acknowledges the sovereign right of the Scottish people to determine the form of government best suited to their needs and therefore mandates the Scottish Government to take forward discussions with the UK Government on the details of an order under section 30 of the Scotland Act 1998 to ensure that the Scottish Parliament can legislate for a referendum to be held that will give the people of Scotland a choice over the future direction and governance of their country at a time, and with a question and franchise, determined by the Scottish Parliament, which would most appropriately be between the autumn of next year, 2018, when there is clarity over the outcome of the Brexit negotiations and around the point at which the UK leaves the EU in spring 2019.

Scottish Parliament vote will ensure nation’s voice will be heard. (By gov.scot)

The decision of the Scottish Parliament must be respected, the First Minister said today in response to comments from the Prime Minister which appeared to suggest she would block the people of Scotland having a choice over their future.

The First Minister set out proposals on Monday to seek the Scottish Parliament’s approval for a referendum to take place giving people the choice between a hard Brexit and an independent Scotland after the Brexit deal is clear but before it is too late to choose an alternative path.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said:

“As I set out earlier this week, we are not proposing a referendum now – we are proposing to give the people of Scotland a choice once Brexit is clear but before it is too late.

“The PM does not appear to have listened to our proposal.

“We will put our proposition, based firmly on this government’s democratic mandate, to the Scottish Parliament next week, and then we will put our formal proposals to the UK Government.

“If the Prime Minister refuses to engage on the terms of a referendum before Brexit takes place then she is effectively trying to block the people of Scotland having a choice over their future. That would be a democratic outrage.

“It is for the Scottish Parliament – not Downing Street – to determine the timing of a referendum, and the decision of the Scottish Parliament must be respected.

“It would be outrageous for the Scottish Parliament to be frozen out of the process.

“The Scottish Government has a cast-iron democratic mandate to offer people a choice and that mandate must be fulfilled.

“Any bid by the UK Government to block the people of Scotland from making a choice will be untenable, undemocratic and totally unsustainable – and clearly shows that the UK Government recognises it is out of step with the Scottish people.”

ARTICLE SOURCE: http://news.gov.scot/news/pm-bid-to-block-scotlands-choice-undemocratic-and-unsustainable