The SNP will not be allowed to make oral submissions in a case designed to ascertain if Holyrood could hold another independence referendum. Instead, the Supreme Court announced the party will have to make a written submission of no more than 20 pages, provided they do not repeat the Lord Advocate's arguments.
The submission must be filed by September 21 and the Lord Advocate and Advocate General for Scotland - representing the interests of the UK Government in the case - will have two weeks to respond. Oral arguments in the case are due to be heard on October 11 and 12, but a date for a final decision has not been announced.
The Lord Advocate referred a prospective independence referendum Bill to the Court in July, with her argument leaning heavily on the fact that any referendum would not be self-executing, but merely "consultative". This means that, in the event of a majority of Scots saying they would want to leave the union, Scotland would not immediately become independent, but the referendum could serve as the basis for independence negotiations.
It comes after First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced in her Programme for Government on Tuesday that the SNP/Green administration would look to hold a vote on October 19, 2023.
New Prime Minister Liz Truss has ruled out allowing a referendum to take place. She was asked her thoughts on another vote during the Tory leadership contest, she replied saying: "No, no, no".
Relations between both governments are at an all time low with Boris Johnson saying "now is not the time" and Truss branding the Sturgeon an "attention seeker" who could be "ignored".
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