The Scottish National Party (SNP) could withdraw from UK institutions, including the House of Commons if the Westminster government refuses to allow a second referendum on Scottish Independence.
One of the party's senior MPs, Peter Wishard, made the suggestion in a blog post on Wednesday, claiming that the party would consider “withdrawing from the apparatus of the UK state”.
The move could be “escalated” to impacting their “participation in institutions of the UK parliament”, he said.
"If the UK refuses to participate in an agreed referendum in the face of majority support and a clear democratic mandate we must presume that they have decided to exempt themselves from their obligations and responsibilities as a partner in the union".
The MP for Perth and North Perthshire said that his preferred option would be for a vote to be held with the consent of the UK but would be willing to seek support from the European Union and the wider international community if it were refused.
He said the Scottish government could then begin a process of an "accession process" of rejoining the EU.
“We would say to the EU that the UK is refusing our democratic right as a nation to be part of the EU and we should do all we can to keep Scotland aligned with EU regulations.
“Beyond that, we should be looking at withdrawing from the apparatus of the UK state and starting to informally acquire the responsibilities currently exercised by the UK.
Scottish Labour MP Ian Murray hit out against the idea saying that it would see SNP MPs abandoning the constituents they were elected to serve.
“With a crippling recession on the horizon, it’s astonishing that Pete doesn’t want to stand up for Scots workers. SNP MPs only stand up for their ideology of independence, not Scotland", Murray said.
Pamela Nash, chief executive of the Scotland in Union campaign group, said that the post demonstrates that the nationalist priority is a "route map to separation, rather than a route map to economic recovery for the people of Scotland".
This post comes amid tension in Westminster following the 2019 December election which saw a landslide victory for Boris Johnson's Conservative Party, primarily on English votes - taken as a sweeping mandate by the government to get Brexit done.
Scotland previously voted to stay part of the United Kingdom in 2014 at 55% to 45%. However, since the referendum on the UK to leave the EU, during which Scotland overwhelmingly voted remain, the SNP has argued that the conditions have changed to a degree where another vote can be held.
Irish nationalist party - Sinn Fein - have traditionally refused to take their seats in Westminster due to their lack of recognition of Northern Ireland as a part of the United Kingdom.
