New Scottish independence bill published

The proposals have now gone out for a public consultation, which will run until 11 January next year.

The Scottish government has published its draft bill on a second independence referendum.

The document sets out proposals for the rules governing the referendum campaign, the conduct of the poll and the counting of votes.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said the Brexit vote means Scotland should be able to reconsider independence.

But she has said a referendum will only be called if it is felt necessary to protect Scotland’s interests.

It would then be for the Scottish Parliament – where the SNP and Scottish Greens form a small pro-independence majority – to consider the bill and decide whether a referendum should be held, with the UK government then being asked to grant a Section 30 order to allow the vote.

The draft bill was formally unveiled by Constitution Secretary Derek Mackay, despite the Scottish Parliament being in recess until next week.

It says that any future referendum would be held on a similar basis to the 2014 referendum, which saw voters reject independence by 55% to 45%.

Among the proposals are:

  • It is currently expected that the same straight yes/no question would be used again – “Should Scotland be an independent country?”
  • But the Scottish government reserves the right to submit a proposal for different wording to the Electoral Commission for independent testing
  • 16 and 17 year-olds and citizens of EU countries who have made Scotland their home would again be able to vote
  • The referendum would again not be subject to any minimum turnout requirement, and would be decided by a simple majority of voters

The proposals have now gone out for a public consultation, which will run until 11 January next year.

But pro-union opposition parties have already argued that there is no appetite in Scotland for another “divisive” referendum, and have pledged to fight it “every step of the way”.

OPINION POLLS

Scotland voted by 62% to 38% to remain in the EU in June’s referendum, but the UK as a whole voted to leave – with Ms Sturgeon immediately instructing Scottish government officials to start drawing up plans for a fresh vote on independence.

However, opinion polls have suggested there has not been a major upsurge in support for independence since the Brexit vote, with a narrow majority still in favour of Scotland remaining in the UK.

Some senior SNP figures have cautioned Ms Sturgeon against “rushing into” another independence referendum before she could be certain of winning it.

In her foreward to the consultation document, Ms Sturgeon said the Brexit vote meant “Scotland is now faced with one of the specific scenarios in which this government pledged that the Scottish Parliament should have the right to hold an independence referendum”.

She added: “This government remains willing to work with the UK government to negotiate a future relationship with Europe that is in line with the views of the overwhelming majority of the Scottish people and which works for the United Kingdom as a whole.

“We will put forward constructive proposals that will both protect Scotland’s interests and give an opportunity for the UK government to demonstrate that Scotland is indeed an equal partner.

“But if it becomes clear that it is only through independence that Scotland’s interests can be protected, then the people of Scotland must have the ability to reconsider that question, and to do so before the UK leaves the EU.”

 

Article originally published by BBC

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