Scotland's most senior lawmaker has set a date for a referendum on whether the nation should seek independence, a vote that could bring to an end its 300-year-old union with the rest of the U.K.
Alex Salmond, leader of the Scottish National Party and First Minister in Scotland's parliament, told supporters in a message posted on the party's website that a referendum on Scottish independence will be held in autumn 2014.
"This is the biggest decision Scotland has made for 300 years," Mr. Salmond said.
Mr. Salmond's move is an effort to wrest back control of the referendum on independence from lawmakers in London, who warned the result of any vote on constitutional matters organized by the Scottish parliament alone would not carry legal weight.
The U.K. government has sought to seize the initiative in the independence debate by offering the Edinburgh parliament the power to hold a legally binding referendum on leaving the U.K.—but only if it agreed to certain conditions.
Scotland Secretary Michael Moore told lawmakers in the House of Commons that London is prepared to offer Scots the opportunity to have their say on whether they wish to remain part of the U.K. but only if a vote is "legal, fair and decisive."
The government wants the poll to be held as soon as possible, to be overseen by the U.K.'s Electoral Commission, an independent voting watchdog, and be open only to eligible voters.
Scots have angled to extend the franchise to younger citizens in the plebiscite, have their own electoral watchdog, and hold the referendum whenever they want.
Crucially, they also want the ballot paper to include not just options to remain in the U.K. or go it alone, but to offer Scots "devolution max", which would involve the transfer of much greater powers—including on tax and spending—from the Westminster parliament in London to Scotland's parliament at Holyrood, Edinburgh.
London would prefer the vote to offer Scots a simple yes or no to independence.
Mr. Moore launched a public consultation on the issue, which will run until March 9, after which the government will announce how it intends to proceed. "This is not about the mandates of Scotland's two governments, or who calls the shots. It is about empowering the people of Scotland to participate in a legal referendum," Mr. Moore said.
Scotland has been part of the U.K. since the 1707 Act of Union but lawmakers in Edinburgh have enjoyed considerable autonomy since a devolved administration was established there in 1999.
The Scottish National Party, which has long campaigned for an independent Scotland, won a majority of seats at the Scottish Parliament in elections in 2011 and vowed to hold a referendum on independence within the next five years. But on constitutional issues, such as a break-up of the U.K., London insists it retains the final say.
By offering Scots a binding vote provided it is held soon, the U.K. government is hoping to win the case for maintaining the union.
Recent polls suggest a majority of Scots remain lukewarm on quitting the U.K. Polls conducted last year by pollsters ComRes and YouGov PLC put support for independence at between 29% and 36%.
However, a October 2011 poll by ComRes put support for independence higher, at 49%.
U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron, who opposes Scottish independence, said Sunday uncertainty about the region's future was damaging business in Scotland and a referendum should be held before 2014.
Mr. Salmond has accused the prime minister of meddling in Scottish affairs.
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