Scotland could block Brexit, says First Minister Nicola Sturgeon

In an interview with the BBC's Sunday Politics Scotland, Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said that the Scottish Parliament could try to block the UK’s exit from the EU.

The first minister said if the Scottish Parliament has to give its consent, she would ‘of course’ consider asking MSPs not to do this.

In Scotland every single local authority voted to stay in the EU, with the Remain side receiving 62 per cent of the Scottish vote.

This is in stark contrast to the overall results of the referendum which saw 52 per cent opting to leave the EU.

Ms Sturgeon said:

“The issue you’re talking about is whether there would require to be a legislative consent motion, or motions in the Scottish Parliament 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 the UK Government will take a very different view on that and we’ll have to see where that discussion ends up.”

Scotland's First Minister @NicolaSturgeon on potentially blocking British exit from EU https://t.co/K6pbNn362q https://t.co/IquNADYPlX

— BBC Breaking News (@BBCBreaking) June 26, 2016

Sturgeon’s strong leadership in the wake of the vote is receiving widespread support on Twitter:

Pretty sure if @NicolaSturgeon walked into Downing Street & started dishing out orders nobody would even question it https://t.co/Sr1trrMgso — Stewart McDonald MP (@StewartMcDonald) June 27, 2016

Only leader with an opinion or showing a backbone this weekend. All hail @NicolaSturgeon ?? https://t.co/42ZzkmUbqG

— Sarah Crossan (@SarahCrossan) June 26, 2016

@NicolaSturgeon you have been the single outstanding political leader on the UK landscape since the #brexit vote — Ciara Kelly (@ciarakellydoc) June 26, 2016

Not an exaggeration to say @NicolaSturgeon is the only leader in the UK who has some sort of a plan and knows what she's doing.

— Sunny Hundal (@sunny_hundal) June 26, 2016

At this time of unprecedented turmoil, there's only one political leader in the UK: @NicolaSturgeon pic.twitter.com/GNpe6GSFvN — Stewart Bremner (@stewartbremner) June 26, 2016

It feels like Nicola Sturgeon is the only UK leader actually leading at the moment.

— Jamie Ross (@JamieRoss7) June 26, 2016

This afternoon will see Nicola Sturgeon welcoming President Michael D. Higgins to Edinburgh.

The president and his wife, Sabina Higgins, are on a four-day visit to Scotland.