Nicola Sturgeon has put Scotland on notice for a second independence referendum.

The difference in the EU referendum result north and south of the border immediately threw Scotland’s constitutional future back up in the air and the First Minister said a fresh poll was now "highly likely".

The SNP argued before and during the campaign that if Scotland voted overwhelmingly to remain in the EU and was taken out against its will then it could be a trigger for a second independence referendum.

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The party stopped short of making an explicit manifesto commitment in last month’s Holyrood election but said if there was a 'significant and material change in circumstances' there could be a re-run.

Ms Sturgeon spoke in front of the Saltire and EU flag at Bute House.

She said:"The UK wide vote to leave the EU is one I deeply regret."

She said the vote was a diverence in how people in Scotland and the rest of the EU see themselves.

Ms Stugeon added: "As things stand Scotland faces prospect of being taken out of EU against our will" and  she said that was "democratically unaceptable."

Read more: David Cameron has quit as Prime Minister after UK votes to leave the EU

She said Scots were told in 2014 voting no to Independence would secure EU mebership.

She said the EU result was a:"Signifacant and metarial change in the circumstances in which Scotland voted to remain in the UK.

Ms Sturgeon said she wnated Scotland to continue to be in the EU and added: "I intend to discuss all options for doing so."

Ms Sturgeon said: "It was a statement of the obvious the option of a second referendum must be on the table and it is on the table."

She said the UK could be out of the EU in two and a half years time.

Ms Sturgeon added Scotland must have the option to hold a referendum in that timetable

She said "We will begin to prepare legislation to require new referendum to take place if and when parliament decides."

Before Ms Sturgeon spoke from Bute House other senior party figures were already talking up the likelihood of a re-run of 2014.

Former First Minister, Alex Salmond, who himself resigned following a referendum defeat said that the result could now trigger the predicted calls for a fresh poll as suggested by many nationalists.

He said that he expected Nicola Sturgeon to implement the SNP manifesto and the result followed by the resignation of David Cameron has started the process and predicted a fresh poll within the lifetime of this parliament and before the UK officially leaves the EU.

He said: “That sets the clock ticking. So some time over the next two to two-and-a-half years, there would have to be a Scottish referendum to see if the people of Scotland want to assert their national independence, as part of a wider Europe.

“The logic would be that Scotland would have the option of remaining within Europe while the rest of the UK left Europe, so there would be no logic in saying: let Scotland go out and then come back in again.”

David Cameron in his speech said the devolved governments of Scotland Wales and Northern Ireland would be invited to play a part in the negotiations that must now take place to remove the UK form the EU.

However leaders in other parts of the UK also suggested the country can no longer function as before with the split in the vote.

Leeann Wood, Plaid Cymru leader, said: “People in Wales and elsewhere in the UK have voted to leave the European Union, their will must be respected.

“With Scotland voting to remain and a second independence referendum now on the cards, it is clear that the UK cannot continue in its current form.”

Scottish Labour politicians said that there should be no rush to another referendum.

Anas Sarwar, Glasgow Labour MSP said there were other more pressing priorities to be dealt with.

He said: This puts us in an uncertain future. Sadly we will now have conversations about referendum and constitution instead of about improving people’s lives and tackling the challenges we face.”

Frank McAveety, Glasgow City Council leader, said he would not back calls for another referendum.

He said: “I can't envisage, if that was the result, that the SNP would be comfortable winning a second independence referendum

“Let's get on with the day job, sorting out getting people into work.”

Business leaders were also wary of a rush towards another independence campaign.

Any Willox Federation of Small Business policy convenor, said: “While questions about a second independence referendum will inevitably dominate the headlines, there are more immediate matters for small firms from clarity over access to the single market to the free movement of people.”