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Commons Debate pack by Neil Johnston. It was first published on Tuesday, 7 November 2017. It was last updated on Thursday, 9 November 2017.


E-petitions 180642 and 168781 relating to a referendum on Scottish independence

On 18 September 2014, a referendum was held on Scottish independence. Voters in Scotland voted by 55.3% to 44.7% to remain part of the United Kingdom. At the time it was seen by some as deciding the matter ‘for a generation’.

In the 2016 referendum vote, by UK voters as a whole, to leave the European Union, the majority of Scottish voters wanted to remain in the EU. This triggered one of the Scottish National Party Government’s manifesto commitments to seek a second referendum on independence for Scotland.

Petition 168781 calls for second referendum on Scottish independence to be held. Petition 180642 opposes a second referendum. Both petitions were closed before the June 2017 General Election.

The Government responses to both petitions make it clear that the “UK Government is clear that now is not the time for a second independence referendum”.

Petitions website

E-petition 180642: Another Scottish independence referendum should not be allowed to happen

E-petition 168781: Agree to a second referendum on Scottish Independence

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Secondary information

Type
Research briefing
Reference
CDP-2017-0219 
Related items
Referendum on Scottish Independence
Monday, 13 November 2017
Parliamentary proceedings
House of Commons
Subjects
Referendums Scotland Sovereignty
Published by
Parliament and Constitution Centre
House of Commons Library
Link
View this Research briefing on researchbriefings.parliament.uk