Local SNP MSP Adam Ingram is highlighting analysis of polling on the prospect of the UK withdrawing from the European Union which underlines the importance of ensuring Scotland cannot be dragged out against the will of people living here.

An average of the last three YouGov polls on whether the UK should withdraw from the EU show that once don’t knows are removed, 61 per cent of people in Scotland would vote to remain while just 39 per cent would vote to leave – in contrast to the results for the UK as a whole where 54 per cent would vote to leave and 46 per cent would vote to remain.

Nicola Sturgeon last week made clear that the SNP will seek to amend any EU Referendum Bill to ensure that there would need to be a majority in favour of EU withdrawal in each of the four UK nations before the UK could leave.

Earlier this week, Welsh First Minister Carwyn Jones made clear that he thought the move was “worth considering” and warned “if the UK leaves the EU on the basis of English votes it would trigger a constitutional crisis, the likes of which we haven’t seen.” Commenting Mr Ingram said: “This polling analysis only underlines just why it is so important that the voices of all four nations in the UK are heard as part of any vote on EU membership.

“With the polls suggesting that a substantial majority of people in Scotland are opposed to withdrawal, it would be outrageous for Scotland to be dragged out of Europe on the back of a UKIP-driven agenda and against the wishes of people living here.

“The No campaign parties repeatedly claimed Scotland’s place in the EU was not at risk as part of the UK 'family of nations’. If that is true then measures must be put in place to ensure that Scotland or any of the other UK nations cannot be dragged out of the EU against their will.

“That is the most reasonable approach to take on this issue, and the Westminster parties should back this proposal if they are serious about living up to their referendum rhetoric.”