Scottish Parliament to table bill for independence referendum

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said on Tuesday that the Scottish Parliament would publish an independence referendum bill with a planned date for a vote on secession to take place on October 19, 2023.

Sturgeon said she would be writing to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson for permission to hold a consultative referendum, saying it was vital that the vote was legal. She said the issue would be referred to the UK Supreme Court.

In 2014, a majority of voters in Scotland, which has a population of around 5.5 million, rejected independence. Scotland has a semi-autonomous government who says Britain's departure from the EU, which was opposed by a majority of Scots, means that the question has to be put to a second vote.

Johnson and his ruling Conservative Party, which is in opposition in Scotland, strongly opposes a referendum, saying that the issue was settled in 2014 when Scots voted against independence by 55% to 45%.

He previously refused to issue a Section 30 order to allow a referendum to take place.