Scotland’s Parliament could attempt to block Britain from leaving the European Union, the country’s leader said Sunday amid continuing turmoil following the UK’s historic referendum to leave the European Union.
Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, who has made clear her desire for her country to remain in the EU, said she would likely advise the Scottish Parliament not to give “legislative consent” to the UK’s exit from the international bloc.
Withholding Scotland’s consent might block the UK’s plans to move forward with the exit, Sturgeon told the BBC.
“I find it hard to believe that there wouldn’t be that requirement,” Sturgeon said of the need for Scotland’s approval. “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.”
Voters in Scotland and Northern Ireland overwhelmingly backed staying in the EU in Thursday’s plate-shifting referendum, but the role of Scotland’s Parliament in a final decision has not been made clear
The UK’s stunning vote to leave created a political, economic and diplomatic mess for the country, including the possibility of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland seeking independence to retain their EU membership.
Sturgeon vowed that a second independence from Britain — one in 2014 failed — was “highly likely” as a result of Britain’s decision to leave the EU.
Meanwhile, fallout within UK following the momentous vote continued Sunday.
Rumors continued to percolate that Jeremy Corbyn, the leader of the opposition Labour Party which had supported remaining in the EU, could resign amid pressure resulting from what many have called his lackluster campaigning effort against leaving the bloc.
Corbyn did not respond publicly Sunday to the ongoing criticism of his leadership, but senior allies said he would remain in his role.
Thursday’s vote has already claimed the political life of Prime Minister David Cameron, who said he would resign, due to the results of the referendum, when a new leader of the Conservative Party is chosen at a party conference in October.
Boris Johnson, the former mayor of London and one of the most prominent advocates in campaign for the UK to leave the EU, is thought to be the favorite to succeed Cameron.
Amid the economic and political turmoil that followed Thursday’s closely-watched vote, EU leaders, have called on the UK to move quickly in its efforts unwind itself from its 27 neighbors.
“It’s in Britain’s interest and in the interest of Europeans not to have a period of uncertainty that would have financial consequences, and that could have economic and political consequences,” French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said Saturday in a request echoed in a joint statement issued by the foreign ministers of the EU’s six founding members — Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg.
EU leaders intend to discuss a departure timetable with Cameron at a Tuesday summit meeting.
But just days after the referendum, remorse appeared to be setting in. More than 3 million British people had signed a petition seeking a chance to reverse the country’s spurning of the EU by Sunday afternoon.
British lawmakers will consider the petition for debate, but the effort appeared to symbolic in nature, as more than 17 million residents voted for the UK to leave the EU.
Giving a boost to the petition, however, were comments from former Prime Minister Tony Blair, who on Sunday wouldn’t rule out chances that parliament move forward with a re-do referendum.
“Why rule anything out right now,” Blair told the BBC. before adding that he “can’t see how you would go through all of the mechanics of another referendum now.”
With News Wire Services
