Scottish parliament backs second independence referendum

The Scottish parliament has voted to demand a second independence referendum, raising the stakes in the constitutional impasse with a UK government that has already rejected such a vote.

The parliament at Holyrood approved another referendum by 69 votes to 59, with the Scottish Greens joining the governing Scottish National party to overcome opposition from the Conservatives, Labour and Liberal Democrats.

The vote came at the end of a debate that had been suspended last week because of the terror attack on Westminster.

The parliament backed Nicola Sturgeon, first minister, to pursue talks with the UK government for approval for the Scottish parliament to legislate for a referendum that would “give the people of Scotland a choice over the future direction and governance of their country”.

It would wrong for people in Scotland to decide their constitutional future “without necessary information” about the UK’s future relationship with Europe or what an independent Scotland would look like, a UK government spokesperson said.

“We have been joined together as one country for more than 300 years. We’ve worked together, we’ve prospered together, we’ve fought wars together, and we have a bright future. At this crucial time we should be working together, not pulling apart,” the spokesperson said.