Passed Policies and Progress

Students Support Scottish Democracy Context: In the time since the 2019 general election, the Prime Minister has indicated that his government will not grant the Scottish Parliament the powers to hold another referendum on Scottish Independence, stating both that the majority of people in Scotland do not want another poll on the subject and that the 2014 referendum’s results must be respected. Since 2014, there have been three general election and a Scottish parliamentary election, all of which have returned a majority of pro-independence representatives from Scotland to Westminster or to Holyrood, on manifestoes seeking a mandate to hold another referendum on Scottish independence. NUS Believes: That the Scottish Parliament is the main forum in which the interests of those living in Scotland are discussed and legislated on. That mandates won during a Scottish Parliamentary election, which uses a proportional voting system, have a right to be explored by the Scottish Government. That we, as one of Scotland’s largest democratic representative bodies and most respected voices in civic society, must always stand up for our democratic principles and cannot remain silent if the UK Government seeks to stymie the ability of the Scottish Parliament to carry out its mandates and represent its constituents. That, irrespective of our views on the question of whether or not Scotland should be independent, we assert definitively that there can be no question of the right of those who live in Scotland to have such a referendum if it is supported by a majority of the Scottish Parliament. That a mandate for such a referendum has existed since the previous Scottish Parliamentary election, we support the calls by the Scottish Parliament to hold a refunded during this parliamentary term on that basis and, if another mandate is won in any future parliamentary elections, will continue to support such a democratic exercise.

NUS is one of the largest democratic body in the UK. Raising the democratic issues around Scotland's right to self-determination will be a very important action.

This is a ratifying motion for UWS Student Union to raise this at NUS UK conference This policy was passed by the exec committee.