THE Cost of the Scottish Government’s doomed indyref2 Supreme Court case has risen to more than a quarter of a million pounds, according to new figures. 

The Liberal Democrats have called on the SNP to “refund every penny” to the taxpayer.

The court case was sparked earlier this year, when First Minister Nicola Sturgeon told parliament she hoped to hold an independence referendum on 19 October 2023. 

She tasked Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain KC with seeking a ruling from the ultimate legal authority in the UK on the legality of a unilateral vote. 

Hearings took place on October 11 and 12 in London, with the verdict delivered on November 2.

The Justices unanimously ruled that Holyrood could not hold a vote on the constitution without the consent of Westminster. 

According to new figures published by the Scottish Government on Wednesday afternoon, the case cost the taxpayer £251,728.69.

That comprised £350 on Supreme Court filing fees, £8,049.99 on professional services, £748 on Supreme Court costs, £19,711.25 on travel and subsistence and £222,869.45 on external counsel.

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said:  “Having faced a humiliating defeat in the Supreme Court, we now learn that the Scottish Government threw away over a quarter of a million in taxpayer money on this farce.

“Scottish Liberal Democrats are calling on the SNP to refund every penny of that money and for all the civil servants working on yet more separation papers to be immediately redeployed.  

“Households feeling the weight of the cost of living and patients suffering in pain as they wait for treatment will be absolutely baffled by this gross waste of public money.

“This government must focus on what really matters- that starts with refunding money they wasted on a spree of navel-gazing. Scotland needs new hope, not old divisions.”

Scottish Conservative shadow constitution secretary Donald Cameron: “Taxpayers will be appalled that this significant sum of their money has been frittered away by the SNP.

"The fact legal experts said they were destined to lose makes it all the worse.

“It is a disgraceful waste of public money at a time when Scots are grappling with the cost-of-living crisis and our NHS is totally overwhelmed.

“With this significant rise in costs from previously published updates, it is clear the SNP were prepared to let costs spiral out of control in order to pursue their independence obsession."

Pamela Nash, chief executive of Scotland in Union, said: “There is no shortage of vitally important matters the SNP-Green Government should be spending public money on.

“Fortunately, the Supreme Court decision means that the £20million ringfenced for another referendum has now been diverted to helping people with their energy bills instead.

“It is time for the Government to drop its obsession with breaking up our country and focus on the people’s priorities, not the SNP’s.”

A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: “As the First Minister has previously set out, there has long been debate over whether the Scottish Parliament has the powers to legislate to hold a referendum.

“The Lord Advocate’s reference of this question to the Supreme Court was intended to achieve legal clarity on this point, which it has done so.

“In light of majority support within the Scottish Parliament for an independence referendum, Scottish ministers remain ready to engage with the UK Government at any point on delivering a referendum.

“In line with its Programme for Government commitments, the Scottish Government will continue to publish its Building a New Scotland prospectus series.”

Appearing before the court, Ms Bain argued that the referendum bill was within Holyrood’s powers because the vote would be consultative and would not have any immediate consequences. 

She said independence would only be achieved through lengthy negotiations.

But delivering the court’s judgment, the supreme court president, Lord Reed said the effects of legislation “are not restricted to legal consequences but can include its practical consequences”. 

Therefore, the five judges had concluded unanimously that “it is clear the proposed bill has more than a loose or consequential connection with reserved matters”.

Speaking after the verdict, the first minister, Nicola Sturgeon said: “Today’s ruling blocks one route to Scotland’s voice being heard on independence – but in a democracy our voice cannot and will not be silenced.”

“This ruling confirms that the notion of the UK as a voluntary partnership of nations, if it ever was a reality, is no longer a reality,” she said at a press conference.

The SNP leader has said her government will use the next general election as a “de facto referendum.”

Though she and her party have urged the UK government to reconsider their opposition to a vote.