NICOLA Sturgeon has told Boris Johnson that the Scottish Government is "ready and willing to negotiate a Section 30 order to secure a referendum on independence".
The First Minister discussed her independence ambitions with the Prime Minister over a call on Monday night.
Sturgeon told Johnson that in the absence of a Section 30 order, which would give the Scottish Government the ability to hold an independence referendum, Scotland will not be "refused the democratic right to choose" its future.
The first independence referendum was passed through a Section 30 order as part of the Edinburgh Agreement.
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: "The First Minister discussed a range of topics with the Prime Minister during their brief telephone call.
"There was shared recognition of the efforts of both the Scottish and UK Governments in supporting the people of Ukraine including recent financial support for military assistance and the work that has gone into helping citizens choosing to temporarily make their home in Scotland.
"The two leaders agreed that a Heads of Government meeting will take place in the near future to discuss the current cost of living crisis.
"Both governments will work together to develop proposals ahead of that meeting to help those most in need of support.
"In discussing Scotland's future the First Minister again made clear that the Scottish Government is ready and willing to negotiate a Section 30 order to secure a referendum on independence but reiterated that the absence of a SEction 30 order will not mean Scotland is refused the democratic right to choose."
However, Johnson told MPs earlier there was a vote in 2014 and added: “I think right now the priorities of the country should be rebuilding after Covid.
“They should be taking us forward together as a united country, and that’s what we want to do.”
Last month Ms Sturgeon outlined plans to hold the vote on Scotland’s place in the union on October 19 2023.
With the UK Government refusing to grant consent for such a ballot to be held, Sturgeon is asking Supreme Court judges to rule if Holyrood can hold a referendum without the backing of Westminster.
If the bid fails, Ms Sturgeon told MSPs, the SNP will fight the next general election as a “de facto referendum” on the single issue of whether Scotland should be an independent country.
The Prime Minister thanked Sturgeon for the Scottish Government's financial contribution in funding military aid to Ukraine.
I've just spoken to @NicolaSturgeon to herald the success of UK collaboration supporting Ukraine. I thanked the @ScotGov’s £65 million contribution in upping UK’s military aid to Ukraine to £2.3 billion & efforts to help house 6,000 Ukrainian refugees. Thank you, Scotland.
— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) July 4, 2022
He tweeted: "I've just spoken to @NicolaSturgeon to herald the success of UK collaboration supporting Ukraine.
"I thanked the @ScotGov’s £65 million contribution in upping UK’s military aid to Ukraine to £2.3 billion & efforts to help house 6,000 Ukrainian refugees.
"Thank you, Scotland."
