As discussed earlier, moments ago Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced she would seek steps to set out a new independence referendum. Sturgeon, speaking from Bute House, the first minister’s official residence in Edinburgh, Ms Sturgeon said “it is important that Scotland is able to choose our own future at a time when the options are clearer than they are now, but before it is too late to decide our own path.”
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Of the headline above, perhaps the most important is that Sturgeon sees the next Scottish independence vote to take place between fall 2018 and spring 2019, thus providing a substantial time buffer from when the UK is expected to submit Article 50, which could come as soon as this week.
Sturgeon said “What Scotland deserves is the chance to decide our future in a fair, free and democratic way” and added that “I will now take the steps necessary to make sure that Scotland will have a choice at the end of this process.”
She also said the Scottish National Party’s mandate for a second referendum “is beyond doubt” after the result of last June’s Brexit vote, in which 62 per cent of Scottish voters backed remain.
Sturgeon added that “this is all about choice” and “having the ability to make that choice.” Responding to a question, she said she wants to avoid a hard Brexit being imposed on people of Scotland.
Also during the news conference, Sturgeon said “yes, I do” when asked if she thought that she could win a second referendum for independence.
via http://ift.tt/2miISot Tyler Durden