Scotland's Nicola Sturgeon formally requests referendum

Published March 31, 2017

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon smiles as she visits Genpact, an Indian multinational company, where she announced new jobs for Scotland Wednesday March 29, 2017. Scottish lawmakers have voted to seek a new referendum on independence, to be held within the next two years. The Scottish parliament on Tuesday voted 69-59 to authorize First Minister Nicola Sturgeon to ask the British government for an independence vote. (Andrew Milligan/PA via AP) (The Associated Press)

Scotland's Nicola Sturgeon has formally requested a second referendum on Scottish independence.

The first minister sent U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May a letter Friday formally requesting the transfer of powers to allow a second vote.

The letter followed a 69-59 vote in the Scottish Parliament this week in favor of asking for an independence referendum. The Scots want the vote to take place between autumn 2018 and spring 2019.

Sturgeon's letter says "the people of Scotland must have the right to choose our own future — in short, to exercise our right of self-determination."

Britain's government has said it will deny the request.

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