Theresa May has told the Scottish Government that it has 'no mandate' for a second independence referendum.
The Prime Minister and Nicola Sturgeon became embroiled in a row over the Scottish Government's proposal for a second vote yesterday after the SNP published its draft bill and consultation for a new referendum.
The draft legislation suggested that a second referendum could be held in spring 2018.
Read more: Scotland will be 'half way out of EU' before a vote on independence
However, a spokesperson for Ms May dismissed the need to run the original 2014 vote again.
A Number 10 spokesperson said: "The Prime Minister and the Government does not believe that there is a mandate for one.
"There was one only two years ago. There was an extremely high turnout and there was a resounding result in favour of Scotland remaining in the UK."
The spokesperson added that when the vote was held in 2014 "both sides agreed to abide by that referendum".
However, when asked if Westminster would reject the Scottish Government's call for a second referendum, the spokesperson said: "There has not been a call."
In the draft legislation, Nicola Sturgeon stated that the Brexit vote in June had caused a ‘significant and material change’ in Scotland’s circumstances and had given the Scottish Government a ‘clear mandate’ for a second referendum.
Read more: Scotland will be 'half way out of EU' before a vote on independence
The First Minister has said that she will explore all avenues to keep Scotland in the EU and previously claimed that it was ‘inconceivable’ that Ms May could try and block a second referendum.
However, draft legislation published yesterday made it clear that Westminster would need to issue a section 30 order to temporarily transfer the control to Holyrood for the vote to go ahead.
Ms May's claim that there is 'no mandate' for a second referendum caused uproar, with some claiming that the Prime Minister has spent her first 100 days in office undermining the Union.
SNP deputy leader Angus Robertson told the Daily Record: “Every part of Scotland voted to stay in Europe but a Tory Government with just one MP out of 59 here are now trying to drag us out of the EU.
“The prospect of any Tory PM threatening to block Scotland from having its say would just boost support for independence.”
Read more: Scotland will be 'half way out of EU' before a vote on independence
Former environment secretary Richard Lochhead tweeted: "Absurd for a Prime Minister with only one Tory MP in Scotland to claim the SNP Scottish Government has no mandate to deliver its manifesto."
Labour’s only Scottish MP also hit out at the Prime Minister, claiming the Conservatives’ failure to plan for Brexit had created the conditions needed for the SNP to call a second referendum.
The draft bill published by the Scottish Government yesterday indicated that 16 and 17-year-olds and EU nationals will be able to vote in the referendum.
It also indicated that the 2014 vote’s question, ‘Should Scotland be an independent country?’ should be used again.
Ms May is due to trigger Article 50, which will bring the UK out of the EU, in March 2017.
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