Scotland government releases independence referendum proposal News
Darilon / Pixabay
Scotland government releases independence referendum proposal

The Scottish Government released a framework bill Wednesday that would enable another independence referendum vote. The bill does not establish a date, question, or referendum period, all of which would have to be set in a separate piece of legislation.

Scotland last voted on independence from the UK in 2014, when voters rejected the proposal by about a 10 percent margin. In the 2016 “Brexit” vote, however, Scotland voted 68 percent to 32 percent to remain in the EU, while the UK as a whole chose to leave.

Nicola Sturgeon, the Scottish First Minister and head of the Scottish National Party (SNP), used the Brexit vote to draw voters to the SNP stating: “Throughout the Brexit process, Scotland has been treated with contempt by Westminster, and our efforts to find compromise and protect the interests of the people of Scotland, who voted overwhelmingly to remain in the EU, have been ignored.”

It remains to be seen whether London will approve another referendum.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Congress passes Sedition Act

On July 14, 1798, Congress passed the Sedition Act, which declared that any treasonable activity, including the publication of "any false, scandalous and malicious writing," was a high misdemeanor, punishable by fine and imprisonment. Learn more about the Sedition Act from the National Archives and Records Administration.

Bastille Day in France

On July 14, 1789, ordinary citizens of France stormed the Bastille prison and freed prisoners held there. The event has come to symbolize the opening salvo in the French Revolution. One year later, France celebrated the establishment of a short-lived constitutional monarchy in Fête de la Fédération. The anniversary, Bastille Day, is celebrated today as a major French national holiday. Learn more about Bastille Day from the Government of France.