JOURNALIST Andrew Marr believes if Scotland votes for independence it will have an “enormous” impact on England.

Speaking ahead of an appearance at Wigtown Book Festival, the broadcaster argued Westminster politicians are “dozing” on the issue.

Last month Marr wrote in the Spectator that Scotland is “likely” to leave the Union by 2024.

As further opinion polls have shown increased support for independence and the SNP since then, Marr warned Unionists in London that “they haven’t quite grasped how big it is”.

There would be several questions for England in the event of a Yes vote, he said. “What’s the country called? What’s the territory? What’s the flag? How does it defend itself? All these things.”

Marr, who was born in Glasgow and attended school in Dundee and Lothian, believes that independence is “going to be the big story of the year ahead”.

READ MORE: Andrew Marr admits Scotland is 'likely' to leave the Union within four years

He said: “If you look at the opinion polls at the moment, the independence side has quite a clear lead. There seems to be an energy and a sense of purpose in the SNP. They have their own troubles, a lot of internal arguments and I am not someone who believes in ideas of manifest destiny and inevitability. 

“All we can say at the moment is that the SNP are ahead and they seem confident – and if we go through a very hard Brexit that will probably help the SNP. 

“In my view London politicians of all parties have been dozing about this issue. They haven’t quite grasped how big it is. If it happened the impact on England would be enormous. What’s the country called? What’s the territory? What’s the flag? How does it defend itself? All these things. 

“It’s a very, very big deal indeed. I don’t think they have focused on it or come up with any way to address it. I think it’s going to be the big story of the year ahead.”

During the 2014 referendum Marr was accused of voicing anti-independence views during an interview with former FM Alex Salmond.

Marr told the former SNP leader it would be “quite hard” for an independent Scotland to join the EU, to which Salmond asked if that was “Andrew Marr analysis” or the BBC’s official view.

Earlier this year Marr also suggested the independence cause is a Russian plot during an episode of his Sunday-morning programme.

Marr will appear at the book festival to discuss his book Elizabethans: How Modern Britain Happened. The book explores the changes across the UK since Queen Elizabeth ascended the throne in 1953.

The journalist said: “We are coming to a period where it’s perfectly possible that Scotland will leave the United Kingdom. We have left the EU. There are lots of fundamental questions we are asking about ourselves.

“When the Queen dies it will be a tremendously traumatic moment for a lot of people. I think it will cause the British to look again at themselves.”

The Wigtown Book Festival runs from September 24 to October 4. Events are free but donations are being requested to help secure the event’s future.

Other speakers taking part are AL Kennedy, Juno Dawson, Dara McAnulty, George Alagiah and Richard Holloway among many more.

Full details can be found at www.wigtownbookfestival.com