The Supreme Court of the United Kingdom has ruled that the autonomous government of northern Scotland cannot hold a referendum on independence without the consent of the British government.
Scotland's appeal for a second referendum, following its 2014 appeal, was rejected.
Prime Minister Sturgeon of the Scottish Autonomous Government announced plans to implement a second referendum on independence from the United Kingdom in October 2023.
The British government objected to this, so it was left to the Supreme Court to decide.
On the 23rd, the British Supreme Court ruled that the Scottish parliament could not hold a referendum without the consent of the British government, saying that the Scottish parliament did not have the legislative power to hold a referendum on independence.
Regarding Scotland, independence was rejected in a referendum held in 2014, and after that, the movement to seek independence continued, partly because the United Kingdom withdrew from the EU = European Union.
In response to the Supreme Court's decision, Prime Minister Sturgeon said, ``We must find another democratic means for the Scottish people to express their will,'' and indicated that he would continue to seek independence.