Scotland, UK vote stalemate

BRITISH and Scottish politicians yesterday played down the risk of a legal battle over whether Scotland can hold an independence referendum, but provided little clarity as to how London and Edinburgh would resolve their differences on the issue.

Pro-independence parties won a majority in the Scottish parliament in elections held on Thursday, and First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said this gave her a mandate to push ahead with plans for a new vote on independence once the Covid-19 pandemic is over.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his Conservative Party, which is in opposition in Scotland, strongly oppose a referendum, saying the issue was settled in 2014.

With speculation mounting that the British government would go to court to stop a referendum, senior minister Michael Gove was asked during TV interviews yesterday how London would handle the Scottish issue.

He refused to give any details, arguing that the Scottish people want politicians to focus on issues such as recovery from the pandemic.