EU referendum: Nicola Sturgeon says Scotland could block Brexit

Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said Holyrood could block the Brexit process as the fallout from the EU referendum continues.

Support among Scots for remaining in the EU was at 62 per cent in Thursday’s referendum, compared to 48 per cent in the UK as a whole.

Ms Sturgeon said Scotland had voted “overwhelmingly” to stay part of the European Union and her priority is now to have talks with Brussels with the aim of keeping the country in the EU.

No talks have taken place as yet, she said, but added she would be doing so “in the next few days”.

Since Thursday’s vote, the First Minister has claimed that a second Scottish independence referendum is now “very much on the table”.

The SNP has 63 out of 129 seats in Holyrood – and leader Ms Sturgeon also said Brexit ought to require a majority in the Scottish Parliament, raising the prospect of her party blocking the withdrawal.

She told the BBC: “The issue you are talking about is would there have to be a legislative consent motion or motions for the legislation that extricates the UK from the European Union?

“Looking at it from a logical perspective, I find it hard to believe that there wouldn’t be that requirement – I suspect that the UK government will take a very different view on that and we’ll have to see where that discussion ends up.”

She added: “If the Scottish Parliament was judging this on the basis of what’s right for Scotland then the option of saying look we’re not to vote for something that’s against Scotland’s interest, of course that’s got to be on the table.”

However, Scottish Secretary David Mundell said he “personally” did not see how the SNP could prevent the UK leaving the EU.