THE Scottish independence movement is set to “hit new heights” following the Supreme Court’s indyref ruling, the SNP have said.
Wednesday’s Supreme Court verdict that Holyrood does not have the competence to legislate for an independence referendum without Westminster's consent has put an end to plans for an indyref in 2023 – forcing pro-independence parties to consider other means for leaving the Union.
With Unionist parties and politicians welcoming the decision, the SNP have signalled that fighting the next General Election as a de-facto referendum could now be the focus of the Yes movement.
The party has said that in the wake of the Supreme Court's decision, the democratic case for the country having a say on its future will intensify.
Commenting, SNP depute leader Keith Brown said that the Supreme Court’s verdict has “shattered forever the notion of the UK as a voluntary union of nations”.
He added: “It has exposed as utter fiction the claim that it is a partnership of equals.
“And it has also laid bare the duplicity of the Westminster parties who are flagrantly breaching their own pledges to the people to respect Scottish democracy. But if those same parties think that this week has ended the debate on Scotland’s future they couldn’t be more mistaken.
“Because what we will now see is Scotland’s independence movement set up the democratic case for this nation’s voice to be heard and respected. It is a movement which will hit new heights by galvanising public opinion in every city, town, village and community the length and breadth of Scotland.”
He went on to say that the Tories, Labour and Lib Dems are “breaking the promise they signed in 2014 in which they said it was for the Scottish people to decide how Scotland should be governed”.
He continued: “It is for those parties to justify to the people why they now believe they can so arrogantly renege on those pledges.
“They should stop running scared of democracy and of a referendum they so clearly fear they would lose.
“The SNP will never give up on democracy and we are more determined than ever that democracy must and will prevail.”
