The Supreme Court has ruled against Scotland's bid to hold a new independence referendum.
Court president Lord Reid says the Scottish Government needs the consent of the UK Government if it wants to put the issue to the country.
The case was brought to the UK's highest court after First Minister Nicola Sturgeon set out plans to hold a second vote on independence on October 19 next year.
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But Lord Reed said this morning: "The Scottish parliament does not have the power to legislate for a referendum on Scottish independence."
It means the Scottish Government's top law officer, the Lord Advocate, will not be able to clear the Bill for passage through the Scottish Parliament.
Dorothy Bain KC had referred the Scottish Independence Referendum Bill to the court, seeking its decision on whether Holyrood had the competence to pass the legislation.
The UK Government, which is opposed to a second vote on independence, said it is "obvious" that the Bill relates a matter reserved to Westminster.
Its legal representative, Sir James Eadie KC, also argued that the Bill was at too early a stage for the court to issue a ruling on.
The Scottish Government has previously stated that if a referendum was ruled to be within the gift of the Scottish Parliament, a Bill will be introduced where it is likely to pass due to the majority between the SNP and Scottish Greens.
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