The Queen was 'ready to intervene' in Scottish independence debate

the Union. A parliament was eventually established in Edinburgh in 1999 and now consecutive opinion polls find independence to be in the lead.Boris Johnson has vowed another referendum will not take place and last month described devolution as "a disaster" for UK unity.

Get the stories that matter to you sent straight to your inbox with our daily newsletter.A talented debating duo narrowly missed being crowned the best in Scotland.Talkative pair Lucy Halliday and Kate Quinn took the runners-up spot in the 14th annual St Andrew’s Day Debating Tournament, which was rather fitting for their school - St Andrew’s Academy, in Paisley.The tournament, organised by the English-Speaking Union Scotland (ESU), had to be staged virtually.More than a dozen schools and 50

Sadiq Khan and Manchester leader Andy Burnham - have written to Boris Johnson to demand he looks again the constitutional status quo. The letter warns there is worrying evidence that a growing number of Scots are "losing faith" in the union.

prime minister predicted that Scots would vote to remain part the UK in another referendum but warned it would be a "hard battle" to keep the union together. Brown also described Boris Johnson as “completely out of touch” after the Prime Minister said Scottish devolution has been “a disaster”.

the crisis. She said the right to leaving the UK is "inalienable" and taunted Prime Minister Boris Johnson to try to block another pro-independence majority at Holyrood.

Jeane Freeman said the NHS in Scotland is ready to start distributing the first vaccine, developed jointly by Pfizer and BioNTech, as soon as approval is granted. UK approval of the first vaccine by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency is due on Monday, December 7, with jabs being delivered immediately.

free school meals for all primary school pupils. The party also heard from SNP depute leader Keith Brown.

referendum. Before the first speeches, Sturgeon said she has "never been so certain" Scotland will achieve independence.

First Minister spoke ahead of her party’s annual conference today by telling members she has “never been so certain” the country will achieve independence.Her party is riding high in opinion polls and is widely tipped to win a majority of MSPs at next year's Holyrood election.That could set off a constitutional showdown with Westminster as the SNP uses its mandate to demand an IndyRef2 takes place.While Prime Minister Boris Johnson has repeatedly said he will not allow another referendum on

indyref2 should take place in 2021 if it is “safe” and claimed Boris Johnson would not block another vote.However, in an interview with the Daily Record, he declined to be drawn on the broken relationship between Sturgeon and Alex Salmond.He also refused to say whether he would campaign alongside the former SNP leader if there was a referendum.The SNP’s virtual conference starts today amid calls by senior party figures for another vote on Scotland’s constitutional future.Indyref2 will be central

vote on the constitution. With the Nationalists currently soaring in the polls it means Boris Johnson could face huge pressure to allow an IndyRef2 to take place in the coming years - despite repeatedly saying he would not.

brain tumour. Heartbroken friends and family of little Sophia Walker have paid tribute to the Glasgow youngster after she died from the terminal condition.

Michelle Ballantyne said she no longer felt like she fitted within the Tory group at Holyrood and would now sit as an independent list MSP for the south of Scotland.

Dennis Canavan, who was chair of the 2014 pro-independence campaign, said an IndyRef2 could be held in the months after the Holyrood election next May.The former Labour MP pointed to the example of 1997 when Tony Blair's new government held a vote on whether to proceed with Scottish devolution in September after being elected just five months previously.The issue of when to call an IndyRef2 has become a major talking point as opinion polls have consistently shown the SNP is on course to win a

Scottish independence is "highly sophisticated", the SNP's economics guru has insisted. Andrew Wilson, who wrote a controversial report on the costs of splitting from the UK, said Scotland could no longer afford to remain in the UK.

independence referendum “must” take place next year. The First Minister said she would not be “diverted” from her daily covid briefing and said her thoughts on indyref2 will be set out in the SNP’s Holyrood manifesto.

Scottish independence could take place in spring 2022, a former Yes campaign chief has predicted. Blair Jenkins said the on-going fight against coronavirus meant it was unlikely that a major vote on the constitution could take place next year - despite a pledge from SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford, who said his party must plan for a plebiscite in 2021.

referendum on Scottish independence should not be held while the country “heals” from coronavirus, Gordon Brown said.