THE organisers of a new campaign in Scotland to back a second European Union referendum have failed to give any reassurances a repeat of a remain vote north of the Border would be respected if the UK as a whole again voted to Leave.

Scotland voted by 62% to remain in the EU when the referendum was held in June 2016 and there have been cross-party calls for a so-called People’s Vote before the UK departs the bloc in March next year.

Nicola Sturgeon has pledged SNP MPs will vote in favour of a second EU referendum if the issue comes before the House of Commons.

However, there is concern among some senior SNP politicians that support for the move would mean that a future successful independence vote would then face a follow-up confirmatory vote. The First Minister has denied that this would be the case.

At the launch event for Scotland for a People’s Vote in Edinburgh, the campaigners were asked what would happen if Scotland again voted to remain and the UK voted to leave.

John Edward, the former head of the European Parliament Office in Scotland who was chief campaign spokesman for the Remain campaign in Scotland in 2016, said: “If that happens, that happens and a decision would be taken after that.

“This is a ... discussion today on a People’s Vote on Europe, on nothing else. It’s not a party political movement. It’s not anything to do with the constitutional arrangements of the United Kingdom. This is solely about a People’s Vote.”

Dr Kirsty Hughes, the director of the Scottish Centre on European Relations, added: “We expect to win if there is a second vote. There are persistent polls showing a majority for Remain over the last 15 months or more ... We are here because we are optimists and we think we can win.”

The National asked the organisers why people in the independence movement should back a People’s Vote when its backers, such as LibDem leader Vince Cable, would deny a Scotland a second independence vote. Hughes replied: “The People’s Vote movement is a very broad movement. It ranges from Nicola Sturgeon to Vince Cable and others including individual Labour politicians ... We don’t take a view as a campaign on the constitutional future. We don’t take a view on future referendums although it is natural in a democracy there will be a debate about it. I very much welcome that this is a very broad campaign and we don’t all agree on everything apart from our one particular goal.”

They were pressed on a concern raised by former SNP minister and Leave voter Alex Neil that a second EU referendum could end up being an obstacle to independence by requiring a confirmatory vote to a successful indyref2.

Hughes said: “We as a campaign don’t take a view on Scotland’s constitutional future but one thing I have a very strong opinion on is that Brexit will be bad for Scotland whatever it’s constitutional future is ... that’s why we are urging politicians from all political parties to get behind this campaign.”

Georgie Harris, of Edinburgh University Students’ Association, said: “A lot of young people backed independence and a lot of young people back a People’s Vote. The two can be mutually exclusive or you can support both.”

Meanwhile, it emerged almost two-thirds of Scots believe a second vote would result in the UK voting to stay in the EU. Research by Survation found almost three-fifths of Scots (59%) support having a vote on the terms of the UK’s final Brexit deal, with 41% against this.

Last month an estimated 700,000 people took part in a march in London supporting a second EU vote. A message from the First Minister was broadcast in Parliament Square, where she said: “Let me say this loudly and clearly, if the issue comes before the House of Commons, SNP MPs will support a People’s Vote which includes the option to remain in the EU.”