Of Brexit and Boris: What’s Driving the Call for Scottish Independence - The New York Times

In the vote for parliamentary elections, the pro-independence Scottish National Party fell short of the majority it had hoped would create an irresistible momentum for a new referendum on breaking away from the United Kingdom.

In the 2014 referendum, Scots rejected independence by a decisive margin, 55 percent to 45 percent.

While England voted to leave the European Union, 62 percent of Scottish voters wanted to stay.

The main proponent is the Scottish National Party led by Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s first minister.

After that result, the Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron reluctantly agreed to the 2014 independence referendum.

The Scottish Conservatives, the opposition Labour Party and the Liberal Democrats all oppose independence.

Sturgeon is on course to remain first minister, which is an impressive achievement, but with her path to an overall majority likely cut off, her moral case for a second referendum has been weakened.

For a second independence referendum to be legal it would almost certainly need the agreement of London, and Mr.

Sturgeon, because she wants the result of any second referendum to be accepted internationally and for Scotland to be allowed to return to the European Union.

After all, Scotland’s union with England in 1707 was voluntary, making it hard for London to say no forever to another referendum.

Sturgeon may calculate that support for independence will only grow if Scots see the popular will being blocked by a government in England