The Scottish Government has been accused of 'squandering' public money by racking up a hefty legal bill in a desperate bid to appeal to the Supreme Court to legitimise a second independence referendum. In a statement this week the SNP-lead government said: "We have undertaken to publish the associated costs, which to date have been £113,955.10." First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said if the court rules Holyrood cannot hold Indyref2 she will fight the next general election as a "de facto referendum" on the "single question" of independence. She will seek to legislate for a referendum on October 19, 2023, if the Supreme Court rules a vote is within the competence of the Scottish Parliament. The Lord Advocate referred a prospective independence referendum Bill to the Court in July, with her argument leaning heavily on the fact any referendum would not be self-executing, but merely "consultative" and would then serve as the basis for independence negotiations.

Source: Express September 25, 2022 06:15 UTC