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		</div><p>Nicola Sturgeon has vowed to use the next general election to try to win Scottish independence – after the UK&#8217;s Supreme Court ruled another referendum cannot be held without the backing of the British government in Westminster.</p>
<p>Judges at the UK’s highest court announced their unanimous ruling on Wednesday, making clear the Scottish parliament “does not have the power to legislate for a referendum on Scottish independence”.</p>
<p>Following the judgment, the Scottish first minister vowed to continuing pushing for independence, saying: “As long as there is breath in my body, I refuse to give up on the basic principle of democracy.”</p>
<p>She said a special SNP conference will be held in the new year “to discuss and agree the detail of a proposed de facto referendum”, using the next UK election</p>
<p>She said: “No party can dictate the basis on which people cast their votes.</p>
<p>“But a party can be, indeed should be, crystal clear about the purpose for which it is seeking popular support.</p>
<p>“In this case, for the SNP that will be to establish – just as in a referendum – majority support in Scotland for independence so that we can then achieve independence.”</p>
<p>She said the SNP will also “launch and mobilise a major campaign in defence of Scottish democracy”.</p>
<p>Speaking to journalists in Edinburgh, she declared: “We should be in no doubt, as of today democracy is what is at stake.</p>
<figure id="attachment_176529" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-176529" style="width: 786px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img src="https://londonglossy.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/AC024EC2-2EF7-45B5-BD8A-0BB13D2DEE3C.jpeg" alt="" width="786" height="533" class="size-full wp-image-176529" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-176529" class="wp-caption-text">Scottish independence supporters were outside the Supreme Court as the judgment was delivered</figcaption></figure>
<p>“This is no longer about whether Scotland becomes independent, vital though that decision is. It is now more fundamental.</p>
<p>“It is now about whether or not we even have the basic democratic right to choose our own future.</p>
<p>“Indeed from today the independence movement is as much about democracy as it is about independence.”</p>
<p>Taking questions from reporters, she said SNP members will have a say in deciding how the party presents its offering to voters.</p>
<p>The first minister was asked if a victory for the pro-independence side would put her back to “square one”, as it still would not have legal force to make Scotland independent.</p>
<p>She said that if the Scottish people continually express they want to be independent, that will have to be accepted.</p>
<p>Ahead of a pro-independence protest taking place later on Wednesday, she said “we will see the real spirit of the independence movement” in the days and months to come.</p>
<p>Asked whether votes for the Scottish Greens and the Alba Party would count towards the pro-independence mandate, she said the SNP’s conference would determine such matters.</p>
<p>She was also questioned on whether her plan for a de facto referendum is a “trap” for the independence movement which could kill off hopes for independence for years if she fails to secure 50 per cent of the vote.</p>
<p>The first minister said she has dedicated much of her life to the cause of independence, saying a de facto referendum is not her preferred option.</p>
<p>She added: “Anybody who says ‘we can’t do this because we might not win’. Well, if we can’t win then we don’t deserve to be independent.</p>
<p>“I can’t imagine anybody doesn’t grasp that central basic fact of democracy.”</p>
<p>She had earlier said the Supreme Court ruling “exposes as myth” that the UK is a voluntary union.</p>
<p>In the judgment, Supreme Court president Lord Reed stressed the court was not being asked to express “a view on the political question of whether Scotland should become an independent country”.</p>
<p>Instead, he said the task of the judges was “solely to interpret the relevant provisions of the Scotland Act” and decide if the Scottish government’s proposed referendum Bill related to reserved matters – which are under the control of Westminster and not Holyrood.</p>
<p>The Lord Advocate – Scotland’s most senior law officer – had argued this did not apply because a referendum would not automatically bring about the end of the union.</p>
<p>But Lord Reed said the court did not agree with this interpretation, saying a referendum would have “practical” as well as legal effects.</p>
<p>The Supreme Court president said: “A lawfully held referendum would have important political consequences relating to the union and the United Kingdom Parliament.</p>
<p>“Its outcome would possess the authority, in a constitution and political culture founded upon democracy, of a democratic expression of the view of the Scottish electorate.”</p>
<p>British prime minister Rishi Sunak welcomed the “clear and definitive” ruling from the Supreme Court.</p>
<p>Speaking during Prime Minister’s Questions in the UK&#8217;s House of Commons, he said: “The people of Scotland want us to be working on fixing the major challenges that we collectively face, whether that’s the economy, supporting the NHS or indeed supporting Ukraine.</p>
<p>“Now is the time for politicians to work together, and that’s what this government will do.”</p>
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