Why Scotland needs another independence referendum

I cannot understand the Liberal Democrats' opposition to a post-Brexit referendum in Scotland. The federal party is clearly following the lead of the Scottish party who in the face of repeated rebuffs  from the electorate stubbornly maintain their "union right or wrong" position.

The assumption appears to be that a referendum will inevitably lead to a "Yes" vote and that will force the government to grant independence. Neither of these are givens. Referendums in this country remain advisory.

The 2014 referendum was flawed because it was based on the false premise that the Tory government would maintain our membership of the EU and that Scotland, if it achieved independence, would have to apply to join the EU, an application unlikely to be granted because Spain (for one) would veto it.

We now know that there was an irresistible force within the ruling Tories to withdraw from the EU. Today's revelation that Russia interfered in the 2014 referendum shows that it was even more flawed than previously realised.

For the sake of democracy, the Scots need a second chance to express their opinion, free from secret influences.