Second Scottish independence vote is ‘inevitable’ as Government are ‘powerless’ to stop it, ministers warn

A second Scottish independence referendum is “inevitable”, government ministers believe.

An unnamed minister told the Financial Times that a second vote is on the way and Number 10 is powerless to stop it.

“It’s looking inevitable, I don’t think we’re in any position to stop it happening,” the minister said.

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon had already warned earlier this year that a second vote was “more likely“.

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Scotland voted by 55 per cent to 45 in September 2014 to remain in the United Kingdom.

But since Britain last year decided to leave the European Union, momentum has been building for a potential second vote as a majority of Scottish voters – two-thirds – want to stay with Brussels.

Sturgeon herself has refused to rule out a second vote on independence.

Pressed on the timing of a second referendum by the BBC, she said she was “not ruling anything out”.

Asked if Autumn 2018 would be the date for a possible vote, she said: “Within that window.

“I guess when the sort of outline of a UK deal becomes clear on the UK exiting the EU, I think would be the common sense time for Scotland to have that choice, if that is the road we choose to go down.”

She added: “I’m not ruling anything out.”

In January, former first minister Alex Salmond said a vote on Scottish independence could take place in autumn 2018.

As well as a second vote, Sturgeon has put forward proposals for a different deal for Scotland which could see it remain part of the European single market through membership of the European Economic Area.

However, Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale said: “This is yet another attempt by Nicola Sturgeon to sow division and uncertainty, at a time when the country needs to pull together more than ever.

“The First Minister has been all over the place – one week she threatens a vote, the next week she backs away from one.

“Nicola Sturgeon could provide much needed clarity on Scotland’s future by ruling out another independence referendum altogether.”

A Downing Street spokesman said: “Should there be a second referendum? No, we don’t believe there should. “The referendum was held only in 2014. It was a fair, decisive and legal vote.”