UK top court rules against Scottish independence vote bid

LONDON - The United Kingdom (UK) Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday that Scotland does not have the power to hold a new referendum on independence without the approval of the UK parliament.

"The Scottish Parliament does not have the power to legislate for a referendum on Scottish independence," said Robert Reed, president of the UK Supreme Court.

A referendum held in 2014 saw voters reject Scotland's independence, but Scottish nationalists argued that the subsequent Brexit, which a majority of Scottish voters opposed, changed the game on Scottish independence.

Since parties that advocate Scotland's independence became the majority in the Scottish parliament in 2021, the Scottish government has doubled down on the independence bid. It announced earlier this year that it wanted to call a referendum in October next year.

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said she was disappointed by the ruling and that it makes case for independence.

"While disappointed by it I respect ruling of UKSupremeCourt -- it doesn't make law, only interprets it," Sturgeon tweeted.

"A law that doesn't allow Scotland to choose our own future without Westminster consent exposes as myth any notion of the UK as a voluntary partnership & makes case for Indy," she added.