Turmoil Deepens as Scotland Threatens to Block Brexit

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has unequivocally declared Scotland’s unhappiness with Brexit.

Britain’s shocking decision to remove itself from the European Union brought more political turmoil on Sunday as Scotland’s leader threatened to block the move.

The sense of unease spread as European leaders stepped up the pressure on Britain to begin its complex extrication from the 28-nation EU immediately, rather than wait several months as British Prime Minister David Cameron prefers.

With London’s jittery stock market set to reopen on Monday, the leaders of the successful pro-leave campaign stayed largely out of the public eye, offering few signals about their plans.

If they were silent, Scotland was not. Popular First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said she believes Scotland’s approval is required for the move, but conceded the British government would likely take “a very different view.”

The result of EU Referendum was very unpopular in Scotland, where 62 percent cast ballots to stay, and Sturgeon says she is studying ways to keep Scotland part of the EU bloc.

The Scottish question looms large because Sturgeon also has said another referendum on Scottish independence from Britain is “highly likely” as a result of Britain’s EU vote.

Northern Ireland voters also expressed a preference for keeping Britain in the EU. The unhappiness with the results in both Scotland and Northern Ireland is adding to the sense that the Brexit vote may over time lead to the breakup of the United Kingdom.

The vote is already cutting short Cameron’s career. He said after the results that he will resign as prime minister when the Conservative Party chooses a new leader, who will be charged with implementing the separation from the EU.

At least eight members resigned on Sunday after Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn fired shadow Foreign Secretary, Hilary Benn overnight for reportedly plotting a rebellion against him. The dissidents want Corbyn, who represents the far-left wing of the party, ousted before the next general election because many believe he cannot win.

But senior allies said Corbyn still has strong support among the party’s rank-and-file members and will not step down.

Anguish over the vote affected many of the 1.2 million British expatriates living in Europe.

(With agency inputs.)