Scottish Parliament could BLOCK Brexit, says Nicola Sturgeon - but Brussels tells her: 'No, that's not going to work'

  • Nicola Sturgeon said she wanted to 'protect Scotland's place in the EU'
  • But Brussels civil servants snubbed her, saying whole of UK must exit
  • Sturgeon called for another Scotland referendum during negotiations 
  • But Brussels said if it voted to leave, it would have to re-apply for EU  
Nicola Sturgeon (pictured this morning) said the Scottish Parliament could block Brexit taking effect in Scotland 
Nicola Sturgeon (pictured this morning) said the Scottish Parliament could block Brexit taking effect in Scotland 
The Scottish Parliament could block Brexit taking effect in Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon said this morning. 
The First Minister said the overwhelming majority of support for remaining in the EU in Scotland meant she would ask MSPs to refuse to give their consent for cutting ties with Brussels.  
As she revealed her defiant strategy for fighting the result of Thursday's historic decision to leave the EU, the Scotland Secretary David Mundell opened the door for a second referendum on Scottish independence. 
He said today that a second vote on splitting from the UK would be held if there was evidence Scots wanted it. 
'If people want another referendum on Indy there should be one,' he told BBC's Sunday Politics Scotland programme. 
But he slapped down Ms Sturgeon's suggestion that the Scottish Parliament could block Brexit. 
Earlier Ms Sturgeon, whose SNP holds 63 of Holyrood's 129 seats, told the same programme: 'The issue you are talking about is would there have to be a legislative consent motion or motions for the legislation that extricates the UK from the European Union?
'Looking at it from a logical perspective, I find it hard to believe that there wouldn't be that requirement - I suspect that the UK government will take a very different view on that and we'll have to see where that discussion ends up.'
The EU yesterday dealt a devastating blow to Nicola Sturgeon's new bid for independence - by ruling out any prospect of Scotland retaining its EU membership when Britain leaves.
The SNP leader yesterday said she is seeking 'immediate discussions' with Brussels to 'protect Scotland's place in the EU'.
But The Scottish Mail on Sunday can reveal that the European Commission, the executive body of the EU, has already ruled there is no option but the whole of the UK exiting following Thursday's shock Leave vote. 
Miss Sturgeon had hoped to hold a referendum during the next two years while Brexit negotiations take place - and had wanted Scotland to simply and seamlessly remain in the EU if there was a Yes vote.
But the new ruling by Brussels dashes her hopes, by confirming that an independent Scotland would have to reapply for EU membership.
Such a move could take years and come with conditions, such as having to adopt the euro and introduce border controls with England.
The official ruling confirmed that 'part' of a member state 'cannot remain in the EU if the member state itself withdraws'.