Supreme Court rejects Scottish government indyref2 case

The Supreme Court has ruled the Scottish government cannot hold an independence referendum without the consent of the UK government.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon wants to hold a referendum on 19 October next year.

But the court ruled unanimously that she does not have the power to do so.

The UK government has so far refused to grant the formal consent for a vote in the way it did before the previous referendum in 2014.

Supreme Court president Lord Reed read the verdict of the justices.