Sturgeon to challenge May as Prime Minister rejects referendum demand

Theresa May has rejected Nicola Sturgeon’s demands for a new Scottish independence referendum before Brexit, saying “now is not the time” for a vote on the UK’s constitutional future.

The Prime Minister said a referendum was not appropriate when the UK was wrestling with leaving the EU and voters would not be able to see the precise terms of the UK’s new trading and immigration deal with the EU.

“To look at the issue at this time would be unfair, because people wouldn’t have the necessary information to make such a crucial decision,” May said.

Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon accused May of sealing the fate of the United Kingdom, adding that her stance was “completely outrageous and unacceptable”.

Earlier this week, Sturgeon said she would ask Scottish parliament to vote next week for second independence referendum in order to ensure Scotland has a choice at the end of the Brexit negotiations.

Scotland voted to remain in the European Union by 62% to 38% in the June referendum, while the UK as a whole voted to leave.

“It’s an argument for independence, really, in a nutshell, that Westminster thinks it has got the right to block the democratically elected mandate of the Scottish government and the majority in the Scottish parliament. History may look back on today and see it as the day the fate of the union was sealed,” Sturgeon said on Thursday.

She insisted she would press on with plans for a vote at the Scottish parliament next week seeking its approval to request the legal power from Westminster to stage the referendum on Holyrood’s terms – a vote she is expected to narrowly win with Scottish Green party support.

However, speaking after May’s statement, Sturgeon’s chief spokesman suggested the Scottish government could agree to postpone it until May 2021, when the next Holyrood elections are held.

He insisted Sturgeon would continue to fight for the vote to be held by spring 2019, but added that her mandate for a referendum, on the grounds that Scotland was being taken out of the EU against its will, lasted until those elections.

“The first minister has made clear her preferred timescale and that is the timescale we’re working to,” he said. But asked if that meant a referendum could be held by 2021, he said “yes” and added: “The mandate is clear: the mandate is for the parliamentary term.”