(c) PA A Court has rejected an appeal by campaigner Martin Keatings seeking a decision on whether Scotland can hold a second independence referendum without Westminster’s consent. Appeal court judges have said it would be “premature, hypothetical and academic” to rule on the matter when the result of the Holyrood election is not known and there is no independence Bill before the Scottish Parliament. Lady Carmichael had previously in January dismissed the action but an appeal to the Inner House of the Court of Session was heard earlier this month, which sought leave to take it to the UK’s highest court.