UK premier challenged by Scottish nationalist lawmaker over 2nd independence referendum

LONDON

In response to the challenge of a Scottish nationalist lawmaker in parliament, Britain's prime minister on Wednesday welcomed a "clear and definitive" Supreme Court ruling that the Scottish Parliament could not unilaterally call an independence referendum.

"We respect the clear and definitive ruling from the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom," Rishi Sunak said at a session of prime minister's questions following the ruling that said Scottish Parliament would need the prior approval of the UK government for such a vote to take place.

"The Scottish Parliament now has the biggest majority for an independence referendum in the history of devolution. The prime minister does not even have a personal mandate to sit in 10 Downing Street," the Scottish National Party's Westminster leader Ian Blackford said at the session, asking the prime minister: "What right does a man without a mandate have to deny Scottish democracy?”

Sunak responded by saying that the people of Scotland "want us to be working on fixing the major challenges that we collectively face, whether that's the economy, supporting the NHS (National Health Service) or indeed supporting Ukraine."

"Now is the time for politicians to work together and that's what this government will do," he continued.

Blackford responded: "The prime minister has every right to oppose independence. He has no right to deny democracy to the people of Scotland.

"If the prime minister keeps blocking that referendum, will he at least be honest and confirm that the very idea that the United Kingdom is a voluntary union of nations is now dead and buried?"

Former prime minister Theresa May also spoke during the sitting on the topic of Scottish independence.

"Scotland is a proud nation with a unique heritage," she said. "It is a valued member of our family of nations, a union of people bound through generations by shared interests."

May then asked Sunak if he agreed with her that "this morning's Supreme Court decision gives the Scottish Nationalists, the SNP, the opportunity for once to put the people of Scotland first and end its obsession with breaking us apart?"