Sturgeon calls for powers to hold independence referendum

Sturgeon said a document with her case supporting a referendum and draft legislation would be sent to Downing Street on Thursday, reports Efe news.

"Today, I am publishing the constitutional and democratic case for Scotland having that choice.

"It is rooted in the principle of self-determination, in the material change of circumstances since the 2014 exercise of that right, and in the democratic mandate that exists for offering the choice afresh.

"It is a fundamental right of self-determination. The ability for Scotland to exercise that right now matters because the alternative is a future we have rejected.

"The mandate we have to offer the Scottish people a choice over their future is, by any normal standard of democracy, unarguable," she said in a statement.

The Scottish National Party (SNP), with Sturgeon at the helm, swept Scotland to win 56 of its 59 seats in recent elections.

Sturgeon who was speaking Thursday to release the 'Scotland's Right to Choose: Putting Scotland's Future in Scotland's Hands Paper', said that there should be a transfer of powers to Holyrood to hold another ballot.

The paper urges the UK government to "enter discussions about the Scottish Government's mandate for giving the people of Scotland a choice, and to agree legislation with the Scottish Government that would put beyond doubt the Scottish Parliament's right to legislate for a referendum on independence".

Sturgeon argued: "It is a fundamental democratic principle that decisions on Scotland's constitutional future should rest with the people who live here."

She wants to hold the so-called 'indyref2' in the second half of 2020.

But UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who secured a landslide win for the Conservative on December 12 taking 365 parliamentary seats, has always opposed holding another vote, something Sturgeon addressed in her statement.

Johnson will be sharing his plans for the UK government in a Queen's Speech to be held at Westminster later on Thursday.

At the session, the Queen will set out the Conservative agenda for the year ahead.

Legislation to enshrine the UK's departure from the EU into law will be one of the over 20 bills expected to be announced.

( With inputs from IANS )