Scottish referendum date announced

The Scottish independence referendum will be held on September 18th next year, Scotland 's First Minister Alex Salmond has announced.

Mr Salmond announced the date as the Scottish Independence Referendum Bill was published. The Bill is “the most important legislation to be introduced” since the devolved Scottish Parliament was established in 1999, the First Minister said.

He said the legislation is important for what it would allow Scotland to achieve “with the powers of an independent country”.

The vote is taking place after the Scottish National Party won an unprecedented majority in the Scottish assembly Holyrood in the 2011 election.