Scotland to seek a second referendum on independence as Brexit process moves forward

Nicola Sturgeon Brexit.
(Image credit: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced Monday that she will seek a second referendum on Scotland's independence from the United Kingdom. Sturgeon said she will ask the Scottish Parliament for permission next week, as Britain gears up for its departure from the European Union following the Brexit vote last year. Though Britain voted in favor of exiting the EU, Scotland voted 62 percent to 38 percent in favor of staying in the European alliance.

Sturgeon said Monday she had to "make sure that Scotland will have a choice at the end of this process" as to whether it wants to "follow the U.K. to a hard Brexit, or to become an independent country able to secure a real partnership of equals with the rest of the U.K. and our own relationship with Europe." Sturgeon has been trying to negotiate with British Prime Minister Theresa May, but she said the U.K. government has not "moved even an inch in pursuit of compromise and agreement."

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up
To continue reading this article...
Continue reading this article and get limited website access each month.
Get unlimited website access, exclusive newsletters plus much more.
Cancel or pause at any time.
Already a subscriber to The Week?
Not sure which email you used for your subscription? Contact us