Supreme Court allows SNP to intervene in indyref2 court case

The SNP has been allowed to make a written submission in the Supreme Court case over Holyrood's power to set up an independence referendum.

The party had requested the chance to lay out its arguments in person when the case calls in London next month.

But the Supreme Court ruled that the SNP can only make a written submission.

The court has stipulated the submission should only be up to 20 pages and must avoid repetition of the Scottish government's arguments.

Scotland's top law officer, Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain QC, has brought the case to rule if MSPs can pass a referendum bill without Westminster support.

• The indyref2 questions facing the Supreme Court

• UK government says MSPs do not have indyref2 power

• SNP seeks to intervene in indyref2 Supreme Court case

The UK government has said the Scottish parliament does not have the power to pass a bill to hold indyref2.

It said legislation on the Union was reserved to Westminster.

The SNP argues that the Scottish parliament does have the legislative competence to legislate for a referendum, and that the right to self-determination is "fundamental and inalienable".

The party has been asked to submit its written arguments by 21 September.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon wants to hold an independence vote on 19 October 2023, and is pushing for an agreement with the UK government to allow this.

UK ministers are opposed to this, so Ms Sturgeon wants the Supreme Court to rule on whether Holyrood alone has the power to hold a vote.

Supreme Court judges have said they want to hear the full arguments from both sides before coming to a decision.