Theresa May has received a letter from Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon demanding a second independence referendum.

Writing to the Prime Minister following the Scottish Parliament vote backing a re-run, Ms Sturgeon made her formal request to open talks on a Section 30 order that would facilitate the poll.

Around 62% of Scottish voters supported the UK remaining part of the EU in last year's Brexit vote.

:: In full: Sturgeon's referendum letter to May

The Scottish National Party's manifesto for last year's Holyrood elections pledged to seek another independence ballot if there was a "material change in circumstances" from the 2014 referendum.


The First Minister said in her letter: "In these very changed circumstances, the people of Scotland must have the right to choose our own future - in short, to exercise our right of self determination.

Image: Nicola Sturgeon tweeted a photo of herself drafting the letter

"Far from securing a UK wide approach ahead of invoking Article 50 - as you committed to do last July - the voices of the devolved administrations were largely ignored and all attempts at compromise rejected, in most cases with no prior consultation.

"There appears to be no rational reason for you to stand in the way of the will of the Scottish Parliament and I hope you will not do so."

Ms Sturgeon urged Mrs May to make a start on transferring the power to have a referendum.

She said time would be tight if the process for holding it was to be squeezed into her preferred timetable of 18 months.

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The UK Government has said it will decline the request, with Mrs May consistently insisting that "now is not the time" for a second independence referendum.

But Ms Sturgeon asserted the will of the Scottish Parliament "must be respected and progressed".

:: Sturgeon unconvinced by PM's talk of extra devolution post-Brexit

"The question is not if, but how," she insisted.

"I hope that will be by constructive discussion between our governments. However, if that is not yet possible, I will set out to the Scottish Parliament the steps I intend to take to ensure that progress is made towards a referendum."

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Whilst Scottish Government officials drafted several versions of the letter for their First Minister, Ms Sturgeon crafted the final version herself inside her private study on the upper floors of her official Bute House residence in Edinburgh.

She tweeted a picture of herself writing the letter while sat casually on a sofa.

A hard copy of the letter was sent to Downing Street, along with an emailed version.

Mrs May and Ms Sturgeon met earlier this week in Glasgow as the First Minister continued to press her case for another referendum.

Ms Sturgeon described it as "reasonably cordial" and said her hope for another vote in 18 months to two years' time was realistic because the PM had told her the terms of a Brexit deal should be clear by then.

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However, in a speech before the meeting, Mrs May hailed the United Kingdom as an "unstoppable force".

The PM is sticking to her belief that a vote in the next two years would be "unfair" on people in Scotland because not all the terms about life outside EU will be finalised.

Responding to Ms Sturgeon's letter, Downing Street reiterated the PM's stance on the matter and said the UK Government "will not be entering into negotiations on the Scottish Government's proposal".

"We have been joined together as one country for more than 300 years. We've worked together, we've prospered together, we've fought wars together, and we have a bright future. At this crucial time we should be working together, not pulling apart."