Scotland leader launches campaign for new independence vote

By SYLVIA HUI
Associated Press

LONDON (AP) — Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has started her campaign for a second independence referendum. Sturgeon argues that Scotland would be economically better off outside the United Kingdom. Sturgeon leads the Scottish National Party as well as the devolved government in Scotland. She released on Tuesday the first in a series of papers laying out the case for independence. Scotland rejected independence in a 2014 referendum, with 55% of voters saying they wanted to remain part of the United Kingdom. Sturgeon has said she wants a new vote on independence before the end of 2023. The U.K.-wide government of Prime Minister Boris Johnson opposes that, saying the issue was settled in the 2014 vote.