Scottish Parliament to debate whether to seek permission for a second independence referendum

Nicola Sturgeon: Picture credit - FM's office

MSPs will later today begin a two-day debate on whether to seek permission to hold a second independence referendum.

The Scottish Government wants to hold a referendum in autumn 2018 or spring 2019, however, the Scottish Conservatives have tabled a motion calling for the parliament to rule out a referendum before April 2019.

It states that the Conservatives believe that “it would be unfair to ask this question while the process of leaving the EU is still ongoing and while the Scottish Government has failed to set out its own position on independence”.

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The Scottish Government 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 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.”

The minority SNP government will ask MSPs to back its plans to ask Westminster for a section 30 order, which is needed to make a referendum legally binding.

It is expected to win the vote with the support of the Scottish Greens.

Speaking before the debate, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: "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.”