Nicola Sturgeon has asked the supreme court to rule on whether the Scottish government can hold a non-binding referendum on independence, without having Boris Johnson’s permission to stage one. The supreme court has indicated that it will hear the case. Jonathan Sumption, a former supreme court justice, told the PM programme that it looked as if it would be “very difficult” for Sturgeon to obtain a referendum this way. He explained: The problem is that the constitutional relationship between England and Scotland is a reserved matter under the Scotland Act, which means that the Scottish parliament has no power to legislate for anything that affects the constitutional relationship between two parts of the United Kingdom, The supreme court would have to consider whether it is lawful to pass legislation designed to put pressure on Westminster on a reserved matter. Commenting on Sturgeon’s announcement, Boris Johnson told reporters travelling with him to the Nato summit in Madrid. I haven’t seen exactly what she’s said yet. We will study it very carefully and we will respond properly. The focus of the country should be on building a stronger economy, that’s what we’re doing with our plan for a stronger economy and I certainly think that we’ll be able to have a stronger economy and a stronger country together. Boris Johnson has sought to defuse anger over a No 10 briefing that he would ditch a manifesto commitment on defence spending but faced criticism from Labour for breaking a pledge made even more crucial by the Ukraine war. Keir Starmer has backed away from sacking Labour frontbenchers who defied his instructions and stood alongside striking rail workers last week. The Labour MP Stella Creasy has said she will table an amendment to the forthcoming British bill of rights to give women the fundamental right to an abortion. Conservative MPs are privately warning that a swathe of cabinet ministers and other high-profile Tories are on course to lose their seats at the next general election under Boris Johnson. Steve Bray, the activist known as “Stop Brexit Man”, has had equipment seized by police officers attempting to shut down his regular protest near parliament, as a new protest law came into force.