Scottish independence is never off the table, Sturgeon says

Scotland's First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, speaks at a Reuters Newsmaker event, in London, Britain May 14, 2018. REUTERS/Peter Nicholls

LONDON (Reuters) - Scottish independence will never be off the table until it happens, Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said on Monday.

Sturgeon, speaking at Thomson Reuters in London, said that just under half of the Scottish electorate still supported independence.

"There will be different opinions as to whether we should do that now or in five years or ten years time, but with that body of opinion, a constitutional option like independence is not going to be off the table," she said.

Sturgeon said that when there was clarity on the shape of the Brexit deal between the United Kingdom and the EU then she would be ready to give more details about Scotland's attitude towards a new independence vote.

"I'm not sure independence will ever be off the table until it's realised," she said.

(Reporting by Alistair Smout; editing by Guy Faulconbridge)