CONSTITUENTS of Scotland’s only Labour MP want him to defy the party line and vote against triggering the legal mechanism to launch Brexit, according to a snap survey by The National.

Residents in the affluent Morningside area of Edinburgh said former shadow Scottish secretary Ian Murray should reflect their views in any Commons vote on Article 50.

Constituents who had opposed Scottish independence in 2014 said the UK vote to leave Europe had changed their minds. Labour shadow chancellor John McDonnell said earlier this week that the party would not oppose the triggering of Article 50.

Morningside Remain supporter Donald Malone, an offshore zoologist, was furious about Brexit and the prospect of Scotland being taken out of the EU despite the country voting by 62 per cent to stay.

The 36-year-old urged Murray to vote against Article 50 which begins a two-year negotiating process of withdrawal.

“I have a huge amount of respect for Murray. I wrote to him recently to highlight the plight of unaccompanied child refugees. I wrote to some MSPs but he was the only politician to write back,” Malone said. “I would like to see him vote against Article 50. Brexit is crazy.”

His view was shared by other residents on Morningside Road – and it became clear Brexit was changing the minds of people who had voted No in the independence referendum.

“I sat on the fence and finally voted No in 2014 because I was worried about the risks, but if there was a second independence referendum I would probably vote Yes if we got to stay in Europe,” said one man. “Staying in Europe is very important to me.”

At Brothers Barbers, fresh from getting a hair cut, a client made the same point. “Murray should use his vote to stop Article 50 being triggered, without a doubt,” he said.

“If there was a second independence referendum, I would vote the reverse of the way I voted last time. I have changed my mind purely because of the Brexit vote. It was a vote to stop immigration, that’s all it was, racist.”

Morningside resident Fiona Campbell, 37, also called on Murray to vote against Article 50. The 37-year-old vet said: “I want to stay a part of the EU and I would prefer if Ian Murray voted to stop Article 50 being triggered. I think he should reflect and respect the views of the majority of people in Scotland.”

Across the street Dublin-born television director Daniel O’Hara, 42, said: “I think Brexit is appalling. I am a European citizen. I moved to Scotland, I lived in Germany. Voters in the UK voted for Brexit, and while I disagreed with that vote, I’m not sure if MPs should vote against Article 50, because people voted to leave and that’s democracy.

“I voted Yes in the independence referendum. My starting point was I was worried Scotland would be taken out of the EU and that’s what is indeed happening. I would vote for independence again.”

Lithuanian-born Ruta Bader, 32, who was with her baby son Kasper, was confused and upset about Brexit. “I want things to move forward, so maybe Ian Murray should just vote in favour of Article 50,” she said.

“But I think there should be a second referendum on the terms of the Brexit agreement. People should be given a second say and I think they would then be in a better position to know what they are voting for.”

The university administrator added: “As an EU national I didn’t have a vote, which is another issue. If there was another vote EU citizens like me should definitely be allowed to vote because we live here and it affects us.

“My own belief is that European leaders won’t let the UK go easily as they will want to set an example to other countries.”

Lyn Williams, an IT consultant, was just finishing her lunch in one of the many independent cafes on Morningside Road.

She was another Remain voter and was a Yes supporter in 2014. “I work for a lot of financial services companies and leaving the EU is going to be an absolute disaster for those companies,” said the 36-year-old who lives just outside Murray’s constituency.

“I will vote Yes for independence if there is a second independence referendum, as I did in 2014.”

There seemed to be few Brexit supporters around on Thursday afternoon, but Leave voter Lesley Wilson was out with her dog Alfie and was happy to stop.

The 64-year-old retired florist was the single person The National could find who wants Murray to vote for article 50 – in line with his party’s position as set out by shadow chancellor John McDonnell.

“The majority of people in the UK voted to leave, and Murray should go with the vote,” she said.

Theresa May wants to use the Royal Prerogative to trigger Article 50, avoiding it going to a vote in the Commons.

But a High Court ruling said she must get parliamentary approval – a decision she is appealing in the Supreme Court and which the Scottish Government, and the devolved administration in Cardiff, are challenging.

Most legal commentators believe the Supreme Court will uphold the High Court decision.

The case will start on December 5 and is expected to last for four days, with the decision expected to come in the new year.

Nicola Sturgeon wants Holyrood to be required to give consent to any legislation in Westminster which would lead to Article 50 being triggered.