BRITAIN has voted to leave the European Union despite a big vote in Scotland to stay.

Scots decided overwhelmingly in favour of remaining in the EU, but as votes for leave piled up in England it became clear that the country overall was voting to end its 43 year membership of the EE.

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Glasgow voted two to one in favour of remain, Edinburgh by an even bigger margin and as council areas across the country declared it became clear Scotland was for remaining.

Declaration after declaration put Scotland the most pro EU part of the UK.

Edinburgh voted 74% to stay, Aberdeen, 61%, Dundee the lowest of the big Scottish cities at just under 60%. North and South Lanarkshire both above 60% and Renfrewshire almost 65% in favour of remaining.

But in England the voted to leave came thick and fast throughout the early hours of the morning.

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From the first result to be announced, in Sunderland which voted 61% for leave, the out campaigners were buoyed and the campaign to exit the EU gathered momentum as English count after count put leave ahead.

The result has immediately brought the prospect of a second independence referendum to the top of the agenda.

As England voted out the First Minister talked up Scotland’s place as a European nation.

Nicola Sturgeon said: “Scotland has delivered a strong, unequivocal vote to remain in the EU, and I welcome that endorsement of our European status.

“And while the overall result remains to be declared, the vote here makes clear that the people of Scotland see their future as part of the European Union.

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“Scotland has contributed significantly to the Remain vote across the UK. That reflects the positive campaign the SNP fought, which highlighted the gains and benefits of our EU membership, and people across Scotland have responded to that positive message.

“We await the final UK-wide result, but Scotland has spoken - and spoken decisively.”

While Ms Sturgeon’s language was cautious, her predecessor immediately raised the prospect of a fresh vote on Scottish independence.

Alex Salmond, said: "Scotland looks like it is going to vote solidly Remain. If there was a Leave vote in England, dragging us out the EU, I'm quite certain Nicola Sturgeon would implement the SNP manifesto."

Ms Sturgeon also blamed Labour in England for the defeat.

She tweeted “Labour has lost it. Scotland voting strongly remain, Labour areas in England/Wales going leave.”

Labour however said it was anger at politics in general.

Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale said anger at political elites south of the border translated into a leave vote.

She said: “People are angry at politicians and the political classes. In Scotland recently that anger has been directed at Westminster while in England it has been directed at the EU.

“People don’t feel they have power and they feel there is an elite, the 1%.”

David Coburn at the Glasgow count said that despite Scots rejecting his arguments it was clear people were fed up with the EU.

He said: “There is a lot of very unhappy people who don’t like the EU.”

He put the large remain vote north of the border down to politicking by the SNP.

The Ukip MEP said The SNP have been on top of the Scottish people ramming the EU down their throats.

Pressuring them telling them they are different and they love the EU more than others.”

With David Cameron’s future now in doubt as Prime Minister, Ruth Davidson who campaigned for remain said the Tories would not be a divided party after the campaign.

READ MORE: Nigel Farage hails 'Independence Day' as UK votes for Brexit

She said "We as a party have much more to keep us together than divide us and this has been a passionate debate.

"But remember just a year ago my colleagues in London were elected on a manifesto to have a referendum on the European Union - we have carried out that, that we would respect the result - whatever it is - and after that we would all as democrats respect the will of the people of this country, come back together and govern to the manifesto on which we were elected."