Supreme Court rejects second independence vote

The UK's highest court has unanimously ruled that the Scottish government cannot unilaterally hold another referendum on independence.

Constitution powers that relate to "the integrity of the UK" are reserved to Westminster.

However the Scottish government had asked the Supreme Court to rule on whether Holyrood could hold a vote without Westminster’s agreement.

Lord Reed, the president of the court, said: "The Scottish parliament does not have the power to legislate for a referendum on Scottish independence."

The court rejected an argument that a referendum would not in itself have any effect on the integrity of the UK because Scotland’s exit from the Union would still have to be politically ratified.

Lord Reed added: "Even if the referendum has no immediate legal consequences, it would be a political event with important political consequences.

"Accordingly, the proposed bill relates to reserved matters and is outside the legislative competence of the Scottish parliament."

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