Scottish National Party (SNP) leader Nicola Sturgeon said over the weekend that she would start working on fresh plans for Scotland’s independence as soon as the Brexit deal by Prime Minister Theresa May is announced. Ms. Sturgeon is under pressure within her own party to explain how she plans on winning the independence from the United Kingdom as both Brexit deal and her first term are approaching.
“When Theresa May comes back and says ‘I’ve got the deal’ we will judge that … it looks as if it might be November, I will set out my views on the next step at that stage,” Ms. Sturgeon said. Support for Scottish independence went up from 45 percent to 50 percent if the UK leaves the European Union. The UK government would, however, have to approve any independence vote, which it already considers settled by a 2014 vote that ended 55 to 45 in favor of keeping the 300-year old political union intact.
“I think Scottish independence will happen,” Ms. Sturgeon said. “Brexit brings the issues around this very sharply into focus – that democratic deficit that we’ve seen in the last two years.” The Scottish people are dissatisfied with the Brexit vote in which they voted to stay in the European Union by 62-38 percent. However, the overall British vote against EU membership means that Scotland would have to leave as well – the idea which more and more Scots are against. Following two years of tough negotiations and ups and downs, Theresa May’s government now appears to be very close to the Brexit divorce deal.
