Scottish referendum

The Scottish Parliament has backed Nicola Sturgeon’s call for a second independence referendum in a vote that could lead to Scotland separating from the UK. With 69 votes in favour of her proposal and 59 against, the Scottish First Minister ensured the mandate for a second referendum to take place between 2018 and 2019.

When answering a question whether they prefer independence, self-government within the framework of the United Kingdom or not to have a Scottish Parliament at all, 46% of the Scottish people said independence. This is the highest rate of support for the separation of Scotland since 1999 when the idea was put forward for the first time.

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has announced that she will submit a request to Parliament to schedule a new referendum on independence next week.

Before that, however, London's approval is needed and London is adamantly against this.

The threat of a new Scottish independence referendum is creating unnecessary uncertainty and division, a British government spokesman said on Feb. 27, reiterating British Prime Minister Theresa May's view that there was no need for another vote on the issue.

Britons are more worried about the prospect of Scotland gaining independence than of the United Kingdom leaving the European Union, a poll published on May 3 found.