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| SNP's Nicola Sturgeon announces new independence referendum bill | SNP's Nicola Sturgeon announces new independence referendum bill |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A consultation gets under way next week on plans for a second Scottish independence referendum, the SNP's Nicola Sturgeon has confirmed. | A consultation gets under way next week on plans for a second Scottish independence referendum, the SNP's Nicola Sturgeon has confirmed. |
| She told the party's Glasgow conference that an Independence Referendum Bill would be published next week. | She told the party's Glasgow conference that an Independence Referendum Bill would be published next week. |
| It marks the first step to holding a second vote. | It marks the first step to holding a second vote. |
| The first referendum, which took place on 18 September, 2014, resulted in 55% of voters saying "no" to Scottish independence. | The first referendum, which took place on 18 September, 2014, resulted in 55% of voters saying "no" to Scottish independence. |
| Ms Sturgeon told delegates that Scotland had the right to seek something better if there were prospects of an unstable future as part of the UK. | Ms Sturgeon told delegates that Scotland had the right to seek something better if there were prospects of an unstable future as part of the UK. |
| She said: "I am determined that Scotland will have the ability to reconsider the question of independence and to do so before the UK leaves the EU - if that is necessary to protect our country's interests. | She said: "I am determined that Scotland will have the ability to reconsider the question of independence and to do so before the UK leaves the EU - if that is necessary to protect our country's interests. |
| "So, I can confirm today that the Independence Referendum Bill will be published for consultation next week." | "So, I can confirm today that the Independence Referendum Bill will be published for consultation next week." |
| On 24 June, the day after the UK voted to leave the EU, Ms Sturgeon said a second independence referendum was "highly likely". | On 24 June, the day after the UK voted to leave the EU, Ms Sturgeon said a second independence referendum was "highly likely". |
| Those who voted in Scotland backed remaining in Europe by 62% to 38% while the UK as a whole backed leave, by a margin of 52% to 48%. | Those who voted in Scotland backed remaining in Europe by 62% to 38% while the UK as a whole backed leave, by a margin of 52% to 48%. |
| How important is this announcement? | How important is this announcement? |
| By BBC Scotland political reporter Philip Sim | By BBC Scotland political reporter Philip Sim |
| As eye-catching announcements to open a conference go, Nicola Sturgeon's about independence legislation is hard to top. | As eye-catching announcements to open a conference go, Nicola Sturgeon's about independence legislation is hard to top. |
| But there are still a lot of hurdles to clear before Scotland could potentially go back to the polls. | But there are still a lot of hurdles to clear before Scotland could potentially go back to the polls. |
| SNP brass are clear that this is still draft legislation - calling attention to the "distinction" between the consultation due to start next week and MSPs actually voting on a bill. | SNP brass are clear that this is still draft legislation - calling attention to the "distinction" between the consultation due to start next week and MSPs actually voting on a bill. |
| There is some precedent for the legislative process ahead, in the Referendum Bill which triggered the 2014 contest. But that had the approval of Westminster, and it's quite possible - probable even - that Indyref2 would need a similar green light. | There is some precedent for the legislative process ahead, in the Referendum Bill which triggered the 2014 contest. But that had the approval of Westminster, and it's quite possible - probable even - that Indyref2 would need a similar green light. |
| That remains a long way down the road, if it happens at all; this move doesn't change things enormously in the first instance, at least from a constitutional standpoint. | That remains a long way down the road, if it happens at all; this move doesn't change things enormously in the first instance, at least from a constitutional standpoint. |
| What it has done is turbo-charge the delegates at the SNP conference. Ms Sturgeon's announcement was greeted with massive cheers and a standing ovation - in marked contrast to the polite applause which greeted the passages about the Brexit deal. | What it has done is turbo-charge the delegates at the SNP conference. Ms Sturgeon's announcement was greeted with massive cheers and a standing ovation - in marked contrast to the polite applause which greeted the passages about the Brexit deal. |
| Independence is what they want, and it trumps everything - the details of any Brexit agreement included. | Independence is what they want, and it trumps everything - the details of any Brexit agreement included. |
| Ms Sturgeon's opening address also saw her issue a warning that the right wing of the Tory party was seeking to "hijack" the EU referendum result. | |
| She told the 3,000 delegates gathered that the Tories were using the result as a "licence for xenophobia". | |
| Ms Sturgeon insisted that the Prime Minister Theresa May needed to respect the 62% who voted to remain in the EU. | |
| She also confirmed that SNP MPs would oppose Brexit legislation when it comes before the House of Commons in 2017. | |
| The MSP said: "I can confirm today that SNP MPs will vote against the Brexit Bill when it comes before the House of Commons next year. | |
| "That bill will repeal the legislation that enacted our EU membership. Scotland didn't vote for that and so neither will our MPs. | |
| "But we will also work to persuade others - Labour, Liberals and moderate Tories - to join us in a coalition against a hard Brexit: not just for Scotland, but for the whole UK. | |
| "The Conservative Party manifesto, on which Theresa May and all other Tory MPs were elected said this: 'We are clear about what we want from Europe. We say: yes to the Single Market'. | |
| "The prime minister may have a mandate to take England and Wales out of the EU but she has no mandate whatsoever to remove any part of the UK from the single market." | |
| At the beginning of the three-day conference, if was announced that SNP MP Angus Robertson had been voted the new deputy of the party. | |
| Mr Robertson defeated Edinburgh East MP Tommy Sheppard, Alyn Smith MEP and Inverclyde councillor Chris McEleny to take 52.5% of the votes cast. | |
| About 120,000 SNP members were entitled to vote in the contest. |