Spotlight: Sturgeon plan for second vote on Scottish independence attacked by opponents

Within a matter of days a draft bill will be published by the Scottish Parliament paving the way for Scots to have a second vote on Scotland breaking its ties with Britain.

SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon, who is also First Minister at Holyrood, seat of the Scottish Parliament, let a political rabbit out of the hat at the start on her party's conference in Glasgow.

Just over two years ago the people of Scotland voted in a referendum by a margin of 10 percent to remain part of the United Kingdom.

Although the SNP never took its eye off the independence ball, it was clear that a re-run of the referendum was off the agenda for a generation.

Things changed on June 23 when the British voted by 52-48 to sever its ties with Brussels. In Scotland, though, the majority voted to stay in the EU, by a wide margin of 62 to 38.

So it was hardly surprising Sturgeon was given a rapturous standing ovation when she opened the SNP annual conference in Glasgow Thursday when she outlined her plans for a second independence referendum.

Another referendum could take place, she said, before the two-year Article 50 process for Britain leaving the EU is completed in 2019.

Sturgeon fired verbal broadsides at British Prime Minister Theresa May and her Conservative government.

She told delegates: "Last week, the Prime Minister told us that how important it was to respect the democratic mandate of the people. I agree. Which is why I say this to her today, it's high time you showed some respect for the 62 percent of people across Scotland who voted to Remain."

Sturgeon added: "There is no doubt that Brexit is a defining issue of our time -- for Scotland and for the UK."

She confirmed that SNP MPs at Westminster will next year vote against May's Great Bill, aimed at scrapping all EU legislation introduced in Britain over the past 40 years.

Sturgeon wants Scotland to remain part of Europe's single market, telling delegates: "The Prime Minister may have a mandate to take England and Wales out of the EU but she has no mandate whatsoever to remove any part of the UK from the Single Market."

In a message fired at May, Sturgeon said: "But hear this, if you think for one single second that I'm not serious about doing what it takes to protect Scotland's interests, then think again. If you can't, or won't, allow us to protect our interests within the UK, then Scotland will have the right to decide, afresh, if it wants to take a different path."

The 46-year-old leader added: "A hard Brexit will change the UK fundamentally. A UK out of the single market - isolated, inward looking, haemorrhaging jobs, investment and opportunities will not be the same country that Scotland voted to stay part of in 2014."

Sturgeon also confirmed Thursday that an Independence Referendum Bill will be published for consultation across Scotland next week.

The Scottish Greens welcomed Sturgeon's announcement of a consultation on a new referendum bill.

A spokesman for the party said: "Independence may be Scotland's best hope of remaining in the EU."

Scottish Secretary David Mundell said independence talk is "damaging the Scottish economy."

Mundell said: "The people of Scotland spoke loudly and clearly in the result of the legal, fair and decisive referendum of 2014 and that should be respected. As we prepare to leave the EU, the first minister should commit her government to working constructively with the UK government to seize the opportunities that will bring, not taking Scotland back to the divisive constitutional debates of the past."

Kezia Dugdale, the Scottish Labour leader, said: "Nicola Sturgeon's top priority is to divide our nation once again. But our country is already divided following the Tories' reckless Brexit gamble and we should not be seeking further divisions."

"Our economy is in trouble, and the last thing we need is the uncertainty of another independence referendum. It is little over two years since more than two million Scots voted to reject independence. Nicola Sturgeon promised us that she would respect that result and said the referendum would put the issue to bed for a 'generation'. She should keep that promise," said Dugdale.

Conservative leader in Scotland, Ruth Davidson said: "Nicola Sturgeon could today have set out a positive, constructive vision for how the country progresses together. Instead she has made it clear she wants to take Scotland back to yet more uncertainty, more division and more constitutional upheaval. Her comments show she has given up on speaking for Scotland and is now solely playing to the SNP gallery."

The big question for the 4 million people in Scotland entitled to vote could be whether they see their future as part of the UK or the EU. Endit