Nicola Sturgeon: Indyref2 is 'democratic right of the Scottish people'

Nicola Sturgeon will publish a detailed case for the transfer of the power to Holyrood to hold a second independence referendum next week.

The First Minister, whose party won 47 seats in yesterday's General Election, said the SNP's success "reinforces and strengthens the mandate" to ensure a second vote.

Speaking in Edinburgh's Dynamic Earth, she said that the result proved the Scottish electorate agreed with her that it was "for the Scottish Parliament – not a Westminster government - to decide whether and when there should be a new referendum on independence."

The First Minister, whose party won 47 seats in yesterday's General Election, said the SNP's success "reinforcesand strengthens the mandate" to ensure a second vote. Picture: PAThe First Minister, whose party won 47 seats in yesterday's General Election, said the SNP's success "reinforcesand strengthens the mandate" to ensure a second vote. Picture: PA
The First Minister, whose party won 47 seats in yesterday's General Election, said the SNP's success "reinforcesand strengthens the mandate" to ensure a second vote. Picture: PA
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As a result, she said, the Scottish Government "will next week publish the detailed democratic case for a transfer of power to enable a referendum to be put beyond legal challenge."

She added: "I have been clear that a referendum must be the responsibility of the Scottish Parliament."This is not about asking Boris Johnson or any other Westminster politician for permission. It is an assertion of the democratic right of the people of Scotland to determine their own future.

Ms Sturgeon said the Scottish Conservative party's focus on saying no to a second referendum had failed, though she "acknowledged" not all votes for the SNP would equate to support for independence."But the point of unity that I do believe exists is this," she said. "Whether or not Scotland becomes an independent country must be a matter for the people who live here – and for all of us, wherever we come from."It is not a decision for any Westminster Prime Minister - and certainly not for one who suffered a crushing defeat in Scotland last night."The Tories fought the campaign in Scotland on a single issue. They spoke about nothing else. They bombarded people in Scotland with the same relentless message day after day and night after night. "They said a vote for them was a vote to deny people in Scotland the right to decide our own future. They said it was a vote to reject an independence referendum: Well, yesterday, the people of Scotland rejected the Tories instead."