Scottish nationalists seek ‘new independence’

GLASGOW: First Minister Nicola Sturgeon pledged fresh votes on Brexit and Scottish independence on Wednesday, as she launched her party’s general election manifesto.Sturgeon, who leads the left-leaning secessionist Scottish National Party, aims to hold the balance of power in Britain after the December 12 UK snap general election.She accused the main UK-wide parties of delivering "constant chaos" since the 2014 Scottish independence referendum, when 55 percent backed staying in the United Kingdom. Speaking on a Glasgow podium labelled "Stop Brexit", Sturgeon said: "It is time to take Scotland’s future into Scotland’s hands."She is seeking a second independence referendum in 2020. Of the 650 seats in the British parliament’s lower House of Commons, 59 represent Scottish constituencies and the SNP is defending 35 of them.The SNP hope to be kingmakers in the next parliament. Sturgeon has said that while she would not align with Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Conservatives, she could back a Labour government if it met certain demands -- notably on another independence referendum and the removal of nuclear weapons from Scotland."There is every chance that the SNP could hold the balance of power," she said. "We will be prepared to talk to other parties about forming a progressive alliance."

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