Lochaber campaigners 'disappointed' after judges block another indy ref

Members of local Scottish independence campaign group, Yes Lochaber, say they are disappointed by the decision of Supreme Court in London this morning (Wednesday) that the Scottish Parliament does not have the power to legislate for another independence referendum, but have welcomed the clarity the legal ruling brings.

 

Reading the unanimous verdict of the court, Lord Reed said the proposed bill does relate to reserved matters, and in the absence of a Section 30 order, the Scottish Parliament does not have the power to legislate for an independence referendum.

 

Lord Reed had told the court if legislation related to the union or to the Westminster parliament - which are reserved matters - then the Scottish Parliament is powerless to enact it.

 

Yes Lochaber activists had staged a dramatic tableau at the Old Fort in Fort William this week in readiness for the UK Supreme Court’s verdict that the Scottish Government cannot legally hold a referendum on independence.

 

Group spokesperson, Bill Lees, speaking just minutes after Lord Reed read out the decision, told the Lochaber Times: 'Although on the face of it, this is a disappointing outcome, we welcome the clarity that the judgement brings.

 

'It will enable the Scottish Government to move forward on an alternative route to assessing the current level of support for independence amongst the Scottish electorate.

 

'The judges’ decision would have been made on the basis of the law, and we respect that entirely,' he continued.

 

'It clearly demonstrates that the Union is not a partnership of equals, but that the Westminster Government controls what we in Scotland can and can’t do.

 

'This in itself is likely to boost the case for independence if we want to live in a country where the wellbeing and welfare of all its citizens is at the heart of government.'

 

And Mr Lees concluded: 'We await the next moves of the Scottish Government with optimism, and hope it’s not too long before Scottish democracy is released from its authoritarian Westminster jail.'

 

Giving her reaction, SNP constituency MSP Kate Forbes told us: 'In 2014, Scotland was told it would be an ‘equal partner’ within the union. The ruling from the Supreme Court confirms this is absolutely not the case.

 

"attachment_357340" "" "209"] Lochaber constituency MSP Kate Forbes.
NO F35 KATE FORBES 02

 

'People instinctively know that decisions about Scotland should be made by the people of Scotland.'