Nicola Sturgeon "not bluffing" over Scottish referendum

First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon has warned Theresa May that she is not “bluffing” over her promise to hold an independence referendum if Scotland’s vote to stay in the EU is “not respected”, according to a report by the BBC.

First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon has warned Theresa May that she is not “bluffing” over her promise to hold an independence referendum if Scotland’s vote to stay in the EU is “not respected”.

After a meeting with the Prime Minister, Theresa May, Sturgeon said: "I'm not going to stand by and watch Scotland driven off a hard Brexit cliff-edge. Scotland's vote to stay has to be respected."

Scottish voters decided by 55.3% to 44.7% against independence from the UK in 2014 and given the recent decision for the UK to leave the EU Sturgeon has raised the possibility of another vote.

"There's not a bit of what I'm doing just now that's bluffing or game-playing. This is not a game of chicken. It's not a game at all. If all we get from the negotiations is a door slammed in our face, Scotland should be able to chose a better option," said Sturgeon.

The issue was discussed at the first joint ministerial committee since 2014, which includes the prime minister, Sturgeon, Welsh First minister Carwyn Jones and Northern Ireland’s first minister Arlene Foster and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness.

Sturgeon along with the other first ministers demanded to be fully consulted on EU negotiations. Downing street however emphasised that it was vital not to “undermine” the UK’s position.

Foster said after the meeting: "It's important that we are involved in the heart of [the Brexit negotiation] process."

Downing street is proposing that Brexit secretary David Davis chair a new forum bringing together representatives from the devolved nations before the prime minister triggers Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty to formally start the two-year Brexit process by the end of March next year.

May said: "Working together, the nations of the United Kingdom will make a success of leaving the European Union - and we will further strengthen our own unique and enduring union as we do so. The great union between us has been the cornerstone of our prosperity in the past - and it is absolutely vital to our success in the future. The country is facing a negotiation of tremendous importance and it is imperative that the devolved administrations play their part in making it work."

Jones and Sturgeon believe that Article 50 should not be invoked without an agreed approach to negotiations with the EU. The two leaders have emphasised their desire to see continued participation in the European single market, which could be put at risk if the UK pursues a “hard” Brexit approach.

BBC’s political editor Norman Smith said May did not want “seperate deals in seperate parts of the UK” because this risked “confusing” issues and “undermining her negotiating strategy”.

"If she gets it wrong, she risks being the prime minister who took Britain out of the EU but also risks breaking up the United Kingdom," Smith added.