Sir, – Nicola Sturgeon hopes to hold a referendum on Scottish independence on October 19th, 2023, but before doing so will make an application to the UK supreme court seeking confirmation that such a referendum will be lawful (World, June 29th). It seems unlikely that the court will accede to that application as, under the UK constitution, parliament is supreme, and there is already a legal method for a referendum to be held, albeit that the UK government will undoubtedly decline to make a so-called section 30 order. However, I believe Nicola Surgeon can have a referendum on October 19th, 2023, but the referendum will not be on whether Scotland should be independent but rather whether the people are in favour of having a referendum on Scottish independence.
In other words, a referendum on whether there should be a referendum on Scottish independence.
It shouldn’t be concluded that should that referendum be won that that would be determinative that Scotland had voted for independence but it would the exercise of the democratic wish of the people of Scotland to have such a referendum and could not be legitimately denied. – Yours, etc,
PAUL WALSH,
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Skerries,
Co Dublin.
