Second Scottish independence referendum could be held in 2017 - Sturgeon

A second referendum on Scotland’s independence from the United Kingdom could be held early next year, Scotland’s first minister Nicola Sturgeon said.

Sturgeon said the referendum could happen if the UK government started the formal process to leave the EU without Scotland’s position being safeguarded.

Following the UK’s vote to leave the European Union, Sturgeon suggested that the Scottish parliament could veto Brexit by blocking the passage of legislation necessary for the UK to leave the European Union.

And on Sunday, Scotland’s first minister came up with another proposal that could see Scotland remain in the European Union as she suggested that Scotland could stay in the UK and the EU, while the rest of the country leaves the bloc.

"When you are in unchartered territory you have effectively a blank sheet of paper in front of you then you have an opportunity to think things that may have been previously unthinkable," Sturgeon told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show.

Asked if Scotland could stay in the EU while England and Wales exited the bloc, Sturgeon said: "I don't think that should be ruled out at this stage."

Voters in Scotland rejected independence in 2014 but 62% backed remaining part of the EU in a referendum on June 23 in which the majority of voters across the four countries which make up the United Kingdom backed Brexit.

Sturgeon said after the Brexit result that a second independence referendum was now a possibility, though she has also stressed that would not happen until it was clear most Scots were in favour of breaking from the United Kingdom.

The UK minister responsible for Brexit, David Davis, said he did not think it was possible for Scotland to stay in the UK and the EU, but newly-appointed UK Prime Minister Theresa May said she would listen to any options brought forward by the Scottish government.

“I think the positive outcomes of the meeting I had with the prime minister on Friday was that she said she was prepared to listen to options that the Scottish government would bring forward to give effect to how Scotland voted and we will certainly bring forward options,” Sturgeon explained.

The first minister said Mrs May’s comments that Article 50 – the formal process of the UK leaving the EU – would not be triggered until all parts of the UK agreed, leaving Scotland in a “very, very strong position”.

“That’s a position I’m going to use as well as I can,” she said.