The Scottish Government cannot hold an independence referendum without UK Government’s consent, the Supreme Court has ruled.
Speaking outside the Supreme Court in London after the judgement this morning, Na h-Eileanan an Iar SNP MP Angus MacNeil said the way forward for Scotland is now clear and using elections is the only option.
Mr MacNeil said:
“Plan A is dead, so Plan B is the only way forward.
“The debate now hinges on which election and when.
“I have been at the Supreme Court this morning to hear the judgement that while a referendum wouldn’t end the UK legally, judges thought that in the politics of this situation that it likely would, and therefore they decided that the Scottish Government couldn’t hold a referendum on Scotland’s independence.
“Scotland is effectively a hostage in the UK under that ruling.
“However, we can use elections and when the people speak at a ballot box, if they choose independence, this will be recognised internationally.
“The only option going forward is to use elections and the debate is which election.
“Personally, I favour calling a Holyrood election to move Scotland on, away from two years of Tory austerity and difficulty that is inevitably coming up.”
