On the Scottish Government’s website, they describe the document as “the Scottish Government’s position that people living in Scotland have the right to choose how they should be governed and to decide whether Scotland should become an independent country”.
Ms Sturgeon said in the paper’s foreword: “Westminster retains ultimate power – even over devolved matters – and in recent years, as this paper shows, the UK government has acted to overturn decisions of the Scottish Parliament and reclaim deconcentrated areas. †
“This ‘democratic deficit’ has implications for practice. In this document we set out the impact of the damaging decisions taken by the British Government and Westminster Parliament against the wishes and interests of the people of Scotland.
“The most obvious example of recent times – and with far-reaching consequences – is Brexit, which has removed Scotland from the EU, despite the fact that the people who live here voted to stay.”
The paper presents “evidence to show how important decisions recently made at Westminster are adversely affecting Scotland”, such as Brexit, energy, social security and immigration.
It adds: “There are no constitutional safeguards for the Scottish Parliament or democratic mechanisms that can be exercised by the people of Scotland to prevent these or any further harmful decisions.
“Indeed, the current UK government’s intention to pass legislation that violates international law even casts doubt on its willingness to respect the democratic, rules-based, international order.”