Scottish Government Publishes New Independence Bill
The draft sets out a clear referendum question and voting rules as Swinney presses the UK government for devolved powers.
- On Friday, First Minister John Swinney published a draft Independence Referendum Bill, proposing the ballot question "Should Scotland be an independent country?" and defining the franchise for a potential second vote.
- Legal authority to authorize such a referendum remains reserved to Westminster, as confirmed by a 2022 Supreme Court ruling, despite the Scottish Government's plans to introduce the bill once powers are secured.
- Registered voters over 16, including qualifying foreign nationals, would be eligible to vote under the legislation; the bill will sit on the shelf until "the necessary powers are secured," the Scottish Government said.
- Prime Minister Andy Burnham has rejected calls for a second vote, stating in July that a referendum remains "off limits" for the Labour administration.
- Swinney, who faced recent SNP criticism regarding the conference agenda, said he will have "more to say about Scotland's constitutional future in the coming weeks.
11 Articles
11 Articles
(London=Yonhap News) Correspondent Kim Ji-yeon = The Scottish autonomous government has prepared and released a draft bill for a referendum to directly ask residents whether they support or oppose independence, and the UK...
Evening Standard
Scottish Government publishes draft Bill for second independence referendum
First Minister John Swinney said the Independence Referendum Bill will be lodged at Holyrood once the powers needed to hold a vote are secured.
The Scottish government has published the draft law to call a second independence referendum, one of the main promises of the first hundred days of John Swinney's new mandate. The text revives the 2014 question (“Should Scotland be an independent country?”) and establishes that voters will have to answer yes or no. The project, however, will not be presented to the Scottish parliament until the British government transfers the necessary powers t…
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 43% of the sources lean Left, 43% of the sources are Center
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
