The UK Supreme Court has ruled against a second independence referendum without Westminster approval.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon had hoped a referendum could be held on October 19 next year.
However, the UK’s highest court delivered its verdict on whether or not it would be lawful for the Scottish Parliament to legislate on a second independence referendum.
And the court ultimately decided that the proposed bill relates to reserved UK matters and the Scottish Parliament does not have the power to legislate on the matter.
A unanimous decision was made and Lord Reed gave his ruling on behalf of the court’s panel of senior judges this morning.
The Supreme Court decided it could rule on the matter as it was in the public interest to decide.
The UK government has refused to give formal consent for the vote to go ahead, therefore the Supreme Court was asked to decide on whether or not Scotland could hold the referendum without Westminster’s consent.
The Lord Advocate, who is the senior law officer in Scotland, asked the court to rule on whether the proposed bill for a second referendum would relate to reserved matters, and the court ruled that Holyrood cannot legislate for a referendum without Westminster’s agreement.
This means that there will not be a second referendum held next October as the First Minister had planned.
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