Scotland Again Ponders UK Separation As Brexit Changes Mandate

The refusal of the British Government to hold a second independence referendum in Scotland "has not changed," despite increasing pressure from the Scottish Executive to raise this possibility if the United Kingdom leaves the European Union (EU).

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An executive spokesman led by conservative Theresa May sent this message today, after the Scottish Nationalist Party (SNP), which governs the region, announced the presentation of an amendment to the Brexit agreement, which will be voted on tomorrow, to ask for a new referendum if the country leaves the common economic bloc.

"I have not seen any formal request, I do not think our position has changed a bit in relation to a second independence referendum," the spokesperson said.

The leader of the SNP in the British Parliament, Ian Blackford, affirmed that the request responds to the fact that Scotland will be "dragged out of the EU" against their will, since 62% of Scots rejected the exit in the 2016 referendum.

"We ask the Government to recognize that Scotland voted to stay (in the EU). We also ask for recognition that if the UK leaves the EU, the people of Scotland should be able to determine their own destiny and, in particular, should have that power to hold a referendum on independence, "he said.

The president of the lower house, John Bercow, will decide which amendments are voted on this Tuesday's session, when the parliamentarians will be able to pronounce a second time on the May treaty, which, according to official sources, has achieved few advances and no change in the negotiated treaty.

May herself said at the beginning of March, during the weekly session of questions to the prime minister, that the SNP "does not have a mandate from the Scottish people to continue pursuing independence,", after a referendum held in 2014 had 55% of Scots rejecting secession.

Despite it having been said at the time that the issue was settled for at least a generation, the victory of the Brexit  in the referendum of 2016 has reopened the debate, since the Scottish nationalists consider circumstances to have changed significantly enough to justify a new poll.

The Scottish Chief Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, has declared that she will make her plans public on whether to present a formal petition to London to hold a new referendum in the "next few weeks", once the Brexit terms become clearer.