BREXIT and the vote to renew Trident will guarantee Scottish independence, according to a Royal Navy submariner-turned- whistleblower.

William McNeilly made his comments in an interview with Russia Today, saying the UK Government rushed both the EU vote and last night's vote on Trident.

He said: “Those who support the Trident system lack vision. They talk like they are the ones who want to defend the UK. The truth is they are the ones who will destroy the UK if they get their way.

“Voting to leave the EU, then voting yes on Trident, will guarantee Scottish independence.”

In May last year, McNeilly, 27, leaked a report that exposed 30 safety and security failures during his three-month tour on board one of Britain’s Vanguard submarines – the vessels that carry the Trident II D5 ballistic missiles.

He narrowly escaped jail for the leak, but was dishonourably discharged and returned to his native Belfast.

Prime Minister Theresa May said Brexit made Trident’s renewal essential to national security and Britain’s commitment to Nato.

However, McNeilly said renewal would lead to the splintering of the UK, waste money, and offer terrorists a vulnerable target.

“The Trident supporters are on the verge of breaking up the UK with this Trident vote, just like they broke up Europe. The majority of Scotland want Trident removed. If they force the Scottish people to keep a nuclear system that is damaging their land and sea, putting their lives and land at risk, costing them an absolute fortune ... then the majority of Scotland will vote Yes to leave the UK.” McNeilly said the Better Together campaigned used the European Union as leverage during the independence referendum campaign, but now the SNP would be able to use it instead. “Trident is the fuel the SNP needs for an independence vote," he said.

He said that if Scotland leaves the UK, the government “will have nowhere to put the submarines and will be forced to spend billions on building a base for them.”

Get this obscenity out of Scotland: All but one of Scotland's MPs vote against renewal of Trident