As she launched a new campaign for a new referendum, the SNP leader said that if the Prime Minister refuses to allow Edinburgh the powers to hold a new referendum, her Scottish Government will ‘create a way ahead.’
Former Prime Minister David Cameron granted a section 30 order to Holyrood to allow the referendum to be held ahead of the 2014 referendum, in which Scottish voters rejected independence by a margin of 55% to 45%.
Mr Johnson, on the other hand, has showed no sign of doing so, repeatedly telling Ms Sturgeon that an independence referendum should be a “once-in-a-generation” event.
Ms Sturgeon is reportedly rumored to be planning a consultative or advisory referendum in order to sidestep Mr Johnson and the UK government.
According to the Sunday Times, this may entail a vote on a question other than the straight Yes/No option used in 2014, in order to avoid a legal challenge to a new referendum.
‘The buzz in Edinburgh circles is of a clever legal gimmick where softer legislation is created,’ Ciaran Martin, the UK Government’s former constitution director who helped agree the framework for the 2014 vote, told the newspaper.
‘Perhaps, instead of a “referendum on independence,” the bill might ask the people of Scotland for a mandate to begin negotiations with the United Kingdom.’
‘Though experts are skeptical, anything like this might have a better chance in court.’
Despite the Spanish government declaring the referendum illegal, Catalonia held an independence referendum in 2017.
Separatist leaders in Catalonia were eventually tried in Madrid on a variety of crimes
Ms Sturgeon produced a document comparing Britain to other countries she claims are “wealthier, fairer, and happier” than the UK as she relaunched her renewed drive for a second independence vote this week.
She has accused opposition parties of being frightened by facts about independence and the UK’s “abysmal” record in comparison to other countries.
‘The Tories and Labour have completely refused to engage with that point because they know it is true and they can see how flimsy the case for continuous Westminster authority over Scotland has become,’ added the First Minister.
‘They simply don’t have a solution, so instead of engaging in that debate, they prefer to engage in politics of misdirection, talking about procedural problems as the sands move beneath their feet on substantive concerns.’
‘No matter how hard the Westminster parties attempt to avoid the issue, reality is unavoidable.’
‘The people of Scotland have secured a cast-iron democratic mandate to determine their own future – and neither Boris Johnson nor any other UK Prime Minister has the authority to overturn that mandate.’
‘Now is not the time to be talking about another referendum,’ a UK government spokeswoman said.
‘People in Scotland have a right to expect and want both of their governments to work together on matters that affect them, their families, and their communities.
‘This means addressing rising living costs, ensuring long-term energy security, leading the international response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and expanding our economy so that everyone has access to future opportunities, skills, and employment.’