Supreme Court sets date for second independence referendum case

The Supreme Court will hear arguments on whether the Scottish Parliament has the powers to establish a second independence referendum this October.

The Scottish Government asked the Supreme Court to rule on whether Holyrood would be able to legislate to hold a vote without the consent of the UK.

However, the UK Government had called for the request by Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain to be thrown out.

In an update on Wednesday, the Supreme Court stated that a hearing will be held in London on October 11 and 12.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon is aiming to hold indyref2 on October 19, 2023, and is pushing for an agreement with the UK government to allow this.

A similar agreement led to Scotland’s first independence referendum in 2014.

Sturgeon has stated that she would be prepared to sit down with the next Prime Minister to discuss the holding of another vote on independence.

In the Conservative leadership race to succeed the outgoing Boris Johnson, the contenders have made a commitment to reject any move for a referendum to be held.

The next Prime Minister of the United Kingdom will be either former chancellor Rishi Sunak or foreign secretary Liz Truss.

Sunak said he would try to make an “emotional argument for the United Kingdom from the heart, as well as the practical argument for it and demonstrating it” calling indyref2 “divisive”.

Truss said that “some Scots love” her as she said she would strengthen the case for the union by making “people’s lives better” across the UK.

A UK Government spokesperson said: “We are grateful to the Supreme Court for setting a date for a hearing. We are preparing our written case on the preliminary points we have noted, as well as the substantive issue, and will submit in accordance with the timetable set by the Court.

“On the question of legislative competence, the UK Government’s clear view remains that a Bill legislating for a referendum on independence would be outside the legislative competence of the Scottish Parliament.”