SNP seeks separateEU vote

The new leader of Scotland’s nationalists demanded that Britain should only be allowed to leave the European Union if all four nations making up the UK vote for an exit.

“An in/out referendum on EU membership in 2017 now seems inevitable, almost regardless of who wins the general election next May,” Nicola Sturgeon said last night.

Ms Sturgeon, who will take over next month as leader of the Scottish National Party and the first minister in Scotland’s semi-autonomous government, said in a speech in Edinburgh: “The impact of an exit on jobs and on the economy would be disastrous, and to be taken out against our wishes would be democratically indefensible.”