Scottish Parliament Backs Call for New Independence Referendum

The Scottish Parliament approved a proposal by First Minister John Swinney requesting London's permission to hold a new independence referendum. Swinney, leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) which has long advocated for Scottish independence, secured strong parliamentary backing for the initiative on Tuesday. The vote gives Swinney a mandate to enter direct negotiations with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in the coming weeks. Scotland previously held an independence referendum in 2014, where voters chose to remain part of the United Kingdom by 55% to 45%. The SNP has argued that Brexit and other developments since then justify another vote on independence, though the UK government has consistently opposed holding a second referendum.