What now for Nicola Sturgeon’s push for an independent Scotland?

The first minister wants to fight the SNP’s next general election campaign as a ‘de facto referendum’ – but it isn’t yet clear what that means in practice, writes Chris Stevenson

Nicola Sturgeon has said the Supreme Court judgment makes the case for independence (PA)

Not unlike the constant back and forth over Brexit, the issue of Scottish independence has never really gone away since the referendum of 2014. Indeed, first minister Nicola Sturgeon called for “indyref2” in the wake of the UK vote on withdrawal from the EU – with Scotland having backed remain by 62 per cent to 38 per cent.

Sturgeon wanted another independence vote in October 2023, but the Supreme Court has said such a poll cannot be considered binding without legislative approval from Westminster. David Cameron’s government agreed to the 2014 vote, but such backing this time seems a distant prospect, with Downing Street saying in the wake of the court decision that Mr Sunak has no “imminent plans” even to speak to the leaders of the devolved governments and no “immediate” plans to visit Scotland.

The response from Sturgeon and the SNP has been to accuse the UK government and the prime minister, Rishi Sunak, of “denying democracy” and treating Scotland with “contempt” – raising the question of whether the union is a “voluntary partnership of nations”. All arguments that have been pushed before.