The UK government rejected demand from the Scottish parliament for a second independence referendum, saying there is “no consensus” for another vote, according to media reports published Tuesday.
The motion agreed at Holyrood said the Scottish parliament election result earlier this month provided a “clear mandate that decisions about Scotland’s future are best taken in Scotland and that mandate must be respected.”
It demanded that the UK grant a Section 30 order, which would give Scottish government ministers the power to hold a referendum.
But The National newspaper in Scotland, citing a Downing Street spokesperson, reported that the UK does not support independence or another referendum.
“People need and want their governments focused on the issues that really matter — economic growth, the cost of living, and public services. Our focus must be on delivery, not division,” the spokesperson told the newspaper. “Ahead of 2014, there was agreement across all parties, across civic society in Scotland and across the Scottish and U.K. parliaments that there should be a referendum. There is no such consensus now.
On Tuesday, MSPs voted 72 to 55 in favor of having powers to hold a constitutional referendum devolved to the parliament.
During the debate, First Minister John Swinney said he was confident that Scots would back independence if given another vote.
He said a referendum gave Scotland “a golden opportunity, and it is one that I believe people will vote for resoundingly when our nation has, once again, the ability to decide our own future in an independence referendum.”
