The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Indyref2 voting put on hold
A Holyrood vote expected to back Nicola Sturgeon’s calls for a second Scottish independence referendum has been put on hold following the terror attack in Westminster.
The Scottish Parliament suspended business in the wake of the incident outside the UK Houses of Parliament, which resulted in the deaths of five people, including an unarmed police officer.
MSPs had been due to vote on whether the Scottish Government should seek discussions with the Conservative administration at Westminster on the details of a section 30 order – the legal mechanism that would allow a second independence ballot.
The Holyrood debate and vote will now take place at another time.
Holyrood Presiding Officer Ken Macintosh said it would not have been appropriate for the referendum debate to continue, given the circumstances.
He said in a statement: “Members of all parties represented in this parliament will want to join me in expressing our heartfelt sympathy for all those affected by the tragic events at Westminster.”