UK Supreme Court judges will consider whether Holyrood can legally hold a second Scottish vote.
A key court case that could allow the Scottish Parliament to legislate for another independence referendum will hear arguments in October, the Supreme Court has said.
The Scottish government wants judges to settle whether MSPs could legislate for a vote without Westminster’s backing.
But UK law officers argue this is premature, and want the case thrown out without a ruling either way.
The hearing will take place in London on 11 and 12 October.
Judges have said they want to hear the full arguments from both sides before coming to a decision.
The two parties have until August 9 to make written submissions.
Scotland’s first minister Nicola Sturgeon wants to hold a vote on 19 October 2023, and is pushing for an agreement with the UK government to allow this.
A similar deal led to Scotland’s independence referendum in 2014.
UK ministers are opposed to this, so Ms Sturgeon wants the Supreme Court to rule on whether Holyrood has the power to hold a vote without Westminster’s support.
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