UK to Scotland: "No, forget it," abandon hopes for referendum before 2020 - Reuters

The UK government was on the wires, via Reuters, as it told Scotland on Thursday to abandon any hopes of holding another independence referendum before 2020, deepening a row with the devolved pro-independence government in Edinburgh over the impact of Brexit on possible secession.

Key Highlights:

•"The respect agenda is two-way," Fallon was quoted by the newspaper as saying, adding that Sturgeon should respect the 2014 referendum in which Scots voted 55-45 to stay in the United Kingdom and the UK-wide 2016 vote to exit the European Union.

•Prime Minister Theresa May has repeatedly said she does not believe there is any need for a second independence referendum in Scotland.

•Sturgeon has repeatedly demanded that the interests of Scotland are taken into account during the Brexit negotiations with the other 27 members of the European Union and has asked for a special deal for Scotland including full access to the EU's single market.

•A Scottish government spokesman said any bid to block a second referendum would be "a democratic outrage."