Nicola Sturgeon shelves plans for Scottish Independence referendum in major U-turn

Nicola Sturgeon has put plans for a second independence referendum on hold.

The First Minister said the Scottish Government has altered its plans and will return to parliament to discuss any future timeline when there is “clarity” over the Brexit negotiations – likely to be next autumn.

She told MSPs at Holyrood: “We will not seek to introduce the legislation for an independence referendum immediately.”

Ms Sturgeon announced in March this year that she was going to apply to the UK Government to authorise the referendum, but that it should respect the will of the Scottish Parliament.

At that time, she said the vote should be held between autumn 2018 and spring 2019 – before it was “too late” but after “the terms of Brexit are known”.

In response, the Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson called for the possibility of a second referendum to be taken off the table for the rest of the parliament – adding that SNP politicians looked “glum” as the announcement was made.

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Ms Sturgeon had originally argued another ballot over independence was necessary to give Scots – who voted to stay in the European Union in June 2016 – an alternative to the “hard Brexit” being pursued by the Tories.

She insisted on Tuesday that the Scottish Government “remains committed strongly to the principle of giving Scotland a choice at the end of this process”.

Ms Sturgeon said having reflected on the issue in the wake of the general election – in which the SNP’s share of the vote fell from 50% to 30% as the party lost 21 Westminster constituencies – she wanted to reassure people.

The First Minister said she still wanted to give people a choice at the end of the Brexit process when “clarity has emerged” about how the move will impact Scotland and the UK.

In the meantime, she said ministers would “in good faith redouble our efforts and put our shoulder to the wheel in seeking to influence the Brexit talks in a way that protects Scotland’s interests”.

Ms Sturgeon had originally argued another ballot over independence was necessary to give Scots – who voted to stay in the European Union in June 2016 – an alternative to the “hard Brexit” being pursued by the Tories.

She insisted on Tuesday that the Scottish Government “remains committed strongly to the principle of giving Scotland a choice at the end of this process”.

Ms Sturgeon said having reflected on the issue in the wake of the general election – in which the SNP’s share of the vote fell from 50 per cent to 30 per cent as the party lost 21 Westminster constituencies – she wanted to reassure people.

The First Minister said she still wanted to give people a choice at the end of the Brexit process when “clarity has emerged” about how the move will impact Scotland and the UK.

In the meantime, she said ministers would “in good faith redouble our efforts and put our shoulder to the wheel in seeking to influence the Brexit talks in a way that protects Scotland’s interests”.