Nicola Sturgeon has spent over £260,000 of taxpayers’ cash fighting failed Supreme Court cases against the UK Government. Sources have confirmed that the legal bill for the First Minister’s doomed battle to hold a second independence referendum without the consent of Westminster will top £130,000.
She pursued the case despite the fact her Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain said at the outset of the case she did not have the necessary degree of confidence that a referendum would be legal. Bain then agreed to make a referral to the Supreme Court to give a ruling on the issue after being asked to do so by Sturgeon.
Last week five judges concluded unanimously that she was right in the first place and that the Scottish Government cannot lawfully introduce legislation proposing an independence referendum without the approval of Westminster.
