Judges, not voters, may decide on Scottish independence vote
Surveys suggest that Scottish voters, who rejected secession in 2014 but are now frustrated by being taken out of the European Union against their will, would this time vote for independence. Reuters
Reuters
Scotland s top civil court dealt nationalists a blow on Friday by declining to rule that the Scottish parliament had the right to call an independence referendum without London s permission.
In the first skirmish of what is likely to become a major legal battle, the Court of Session in Edinburgh said it was premature and hypothetical to challenge Prime Minister Boris Johnson s power to block a new secession vote.
The High Court has ruled that four pub owners are entitled to be compensated by Insurer FBD for the disruption their businesses suffered due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
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Scottish nationalists are pushing for an independence referendum to be held after this May's Scottish parliament election, but British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said such votes should happen only once in a generation.
The company also said it was committed to quickly paying claims to public house insurance policyholders and will issue interim payments in the short-term while awaiting final clarity on the quantum of losses.
However, insurance industry sources indicated the company could have limited its exposure by negotiating settlements with customers early in the pandemic instead of fighting them in court.
FBD shares were up 3.67pc shortly after the company issued its statement.
The Commercial Court has listed a hearing for February 17 to determine how much should be covered by FBD s policies based on how long pubs were closed and what periods the contracts cover.