UK PM warned of court battle over Scottish independence vote

A Scottish lawmaker who won a landmark legal case against the UK government's suspension of parliament has warned Prime Minister Boris Johnson he faces legal action if he blocks a new vote on Scottish independence.

The Scottish National Party (SNP) wants a second referendum to be held now that Britain has left the European Union, as a majority north of the border with England wanted to stay in the bloc.

Johnson has refused to transfer powers from London to the devolved government in Edinburgh under the Scotland Act for a new vote to be held.

But SNP lawmaker Joanna Cherry suggested the Scottish Parliament should support a non-binding consultative referendum, then let judges decide if it had the power to do so under the legislation.

"Boris Johnson should be put on notice that we have options and we are not afraid to push forward," Cherry wrote on Twitter on Sunday.

"The balance of legal opinion is that we might well win any court challenge & I don't believe that losing would set us back any further than where we are just now."