UK Supreme Court Unanimously Opposes Independent Voting
Prime Minister Sunak: "Politicians Must Cooperate Now"
[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] The UK Supreme Court has blocked the Scottish Government's plan to hold an independence referendum next year, ruling that it cannot proceed unilaterally without the approval of the UK Parliament. The Scottish Government and independence supporters have strongly opposed the decision, leading to widespread protests. Although the referendum has been halted, disputes between the UK government and the Scottish Government over Scotland's independence are expected to continue.
According to the BBC on the 23rd (local time), the UK Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the Scottish Government's planned independence referendum must not be conducted without the approval of the UK Parliament. Lord Reed, President of the UK Supreme Court, emphasized in the ruling that "under the legislation establishing the Scottish Parliament in 1999, the Scottish Parliament does not have the authority to intervene in matters concerning the relationship between Scotland and England."
The UK Supreme Court also rejected the Scottish Government's claim that the referendum result would be a non-binding recommendation reflecting public opinion. Lord Reed stated, "A legally conducted referendum will have significant political consequences," adding, "In a constitution and political culture based on democracy, it will have the authority to democratically express the views of Scottish voters and clearly may affect the sovereignty of the UK over Scotland."
As a result of this ruling, the Scottish Government's plan to hold the independence referendum on October 19 next year has effectively been nullified. Nicola Sturgeon, head of the Scottish Government, said at a press conference, "We will seek other democratic and legal means for the Scottish people to express their will, and that means elections," adding, "The next UK general election scheduled for January 2025 will effectively serve as a de facto independence referendum."
Immediately following the announcement of the ruling, the Scottish National Party (SNP), led by Sturgeon, and independence supporters staged large-scale protests, while supporters wishing to remain in the UK held counter-demonstrations. Although the referendum has been blocked for now, the controversy is expected to continue.
The UK government expressed immediate approval of the Supreme Court ruling. UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said, "I welcome this clear and definitive ruling," adding, "I believe the Scottish people want to work with us to address the major common challenges we face, whether economic issues, strengthening the National Health Service (NHS), or supporting Ukraine, and now is the time for politicians to cooperate."
Meanwhile, Scotland previously chose to remain in the UK in a 2014 referendum on separation, with 55% voting against independence and 45% in favor. Since then, the Scottish Government has pushed to hold another independence referendum, citing additional reasons following the UK's withdrawal from the European Union (EU) in 2020.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
