Scotland Takes Fight for Independence Vote to UK’s Top Court
- Scottish leader seeks legal backing for referendum bill
- Sturgeon aims to hold a vote on a breakaway on Oct. 19, 2023
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Scotland will seek the legal backing for a referendum on independence next year, escalating a standoff with the government in London that risks throwing the UK into constitutional turmoil.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon is accelerating the process of getting the necessary legislation for a vote tested in court before it heads to the Scottish Parliament. The referendum bill, which envisages a vote on Oct. 19 next year, was referred to the UK Supreme Court by Scotland’s chief legal officer, Sturgeon told lawmakers in Edinburgh on Tuesday.