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UK Brexit Vote May Trigger Scotland Secession - Former Foreign Secretary

© Flickr / Bruno Meyer PhotographyFile Photo: Scottish independence referendum
File Photo: Scottish independence referendum - Sputnik International
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According to the UK former foreign secretary, in case of Brexit Scotland will start pushing towards a new referendum which may "be too close to call" for the United Kingdom.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Scotland could renew its independence bid in the event of a successful "yes" vote in Britain's upcoming EU membership referendum, UK former Foreign Secretary William Hague said.

"Scottish nationalists would jump at the chance to reverse the argument of last year’s referendum – now it would be them saying they would stay in Europe without us. They would have the pretext for their second referendum, and the result of it could well be too close to call," Hague wrote in The Telegraph on Tuesday.

Despite his longstanding eurosceptic views, Hague stated that he would be voting in favor of the United Kingdom remaining in the European Union in the referendum. The conservative politician said that European Union's shortcomings paled in comparison to the mounting challenges to the Western world, ranging from the turbulent Middle East to the potential "breaking up of Europe into uncontrolled rivalry."

Campaign merchandise is on display at a stall before a press briefing by the Leave.EU campaign group in central London on November 18, 2015. - Sputnik International
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With the United Kingdom due to hold a referendum on its membership of the bloc before the end of 2017, polls have indicated that English eurosceptic votes may be offset by high EU membership support in Scotland. According to the National Centre for Social Research, 64 percent of Scots want to stay in Europe. Figures are even higher in Northern Ireland, with 75 percent supporting membership. In England, the figure is around 48 percent.

Prime Minister David Cameron pledged in his party's election manifesto for the United Kingdom's May general election to hold a referendum on the matter. The Conservative Party-backed bill on the referendum has been passed by the UK parliament.

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