A special election will also fill the U.K. parliamentary seat of Hartlepool in the north of England. The vote there could show whether Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Conservative Party is still making inroads into parts of the country that the Labour Party has dominated for decades. Scotland has been part of the U.K. since 1707 and the issue of Scottish independence appeared settled when Scottish voters rejected secession by 55%-45% in a 2014 referendum. “I hope the SNP win because we’re looking for a second independence referendum, especially since we’ve now left the EU," 18-year-old student Emily Blair said while lining up to vote in Edinburgh. As U.K. prime minister, Johnson has the ultimate authority to permit another referendum on Scottish independence.

Source: ABC News May 06, 2021 11:09 UTC