Scottish independence referendum could happen 'without Westminster consent'

constitutional future are likely to feature in the debate after the pro-independence Holyrood majority produced by the Scottish elections. Speaking ahead of the Queen’s Speech Blackford said: “England and Scotland are on different political paths” and that the Scottish election result meant there was now a “cast iron mandate” for a second referendum.

former Labour prime minister was speaking from his home in Fife today as he launched a fresh campaign to keep Scotland in the UK in the wake of a the SNP’s latest election victory.

Gove laid out the Tory government strategy of talking up co-operation and talking down the constitutional row in response to the SNP election victory.

Alba Party leader - who failed to win a seat at last week's Holyrood election - warned that any delay would allow the UK Government time to plan its response. He told the BBC the time to press for an IndyRef2 would be “now” and added he was “not in favour of this idea you should delay to after covid, to after the recovery, towards the end of the second part of this parliamentary term”.

SNP leader to make its case as he urged Boris Johnson to reform how the UK is run to blunt nationalist demands for independence.

First Minister made the claim to the Prime Minister during a telephone call following the SNP’s election victory.

Ross, who heads to Holyrood as leader of the largest opposition party with 31 Scottish Conservative MSPs, signalled he will not be relying on numbers to stop the SNP’s independence plans. At a press conference to mark his return to the Holyrood chamber, the Moray MP and now list MSP, spelled out why UK cabinet minister Michael Gove was confident the referendum bill would not end up with the UK government taking the Scottish Government to the Supreme Court.

year. The SNP leader appeared on the BBC Andrew Marr Show where she was asked about her plans on the constitution after Greens secured a majority for independence in the Holyrood chamber.

Sophy Ridge on Sunday show about what Boris Johnson's plans are after the SNP and the Scottish Greens achieved a majority for independence in the Scottish parliament.

SNP headed towards a thumping victory at the Holyrood election.Nicola Sturgeon’s party may fall short of an outright win - 65 seats - but a pro-independence majority with the Greens is all but assured.Dozens of results were announced yesterday and counting has resumed.An SNP Government will push for indyref2 at some point during the next term, but Boris Johnson’s Government appears to be hardening its position.Eustice, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, dismissed

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defeated Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar by 19,735 votes to 10,279, the First Minister said her party is set for a fourth term in power. The SNP leader had played down the likelihood of an overall SNP majority at Holyrood, saying it has “always been a very, very long shot”.

agree to a second vote if a pro-independence majority is elected in next week’s Holyrood poll. Boris Johnson has repeatedly said he will block an independence referendum regardless of the parliamentary arithmetic.

Scottish Parliament continue to fall as support for the SNP continues to drain, according to the survey. The poll for The Scotsman newspaper, carried out by Savanta ComRes, asked 1,001 voters from across Scotland aged 16 or over between April 23 and 27.

the most popular leader. But the survey found that support for the Union remains on a knife edge, with 51% backing the UK compared to 49% in favour of independence, once don't knows are excluded.

emerges triumphant following the poll on May 6. In an interview with ITV due to be broadcast tonight, Blair said the Union between Scotland and England would already "be in tatters" if his party had reneged on its 1997 manifesto pledge to create a Scottish Parliament.

Labour leapt on the controversy which was given oxygen when an SNP candidate last week claimed a hard border with England would create jobs. Sturgeon faced tough questions on potential border arrangements in a fractious Sunday morning interview with Andrew Marr in which she also admitted that the SNP had done no modelling on the economic effects of independence.

Douglas Ross claimed Scotland cannot rebuild from the coronavirus pandemic until the "threat" of a second referendum is removed. The Tory MP claimed today that Nicola Sturgeon would "wreck" the economy if she persisted with plans for an IndyRef2 while society was still grappling with the impact of covid.

Douglas Ross being in charge of the Scottish Tories. He said: “My politics and his are different.

furloughed and the most recent figures show a drop in the employment rate. Labour also aims to create 19,000 jobs through a new programme of social home building, 7,500 roles through energy efficiency upgrade work, a 10,000-strong Scottish Conservation Corps and 48,000 jobs through a kickstart scheme.