A LEADING SNP MP who opposed his party’s support for a second EU referendum has said he would “never” vote against the proposal if it came to the Commons.

Shadow leader of the House Pete Wishart was the first senior parliamentarian to speak out against the move to back a so-called People’s Vote . In an article last month in The National, the MP for Perth and North Perthshire, said it might create a difficult precedent in the event Scottish voters backed independence in a future referendum as it could lead to pro-Union calls for the result to be verified with a further vote.

Wishart said that while he remained concerned about the precedent issue in terms of independence, he would not vote against a second EU referendum if it came before the Commons.

“While I would never vote against a ‘People’s Vote’ in the still very unlikely possibility that it becomes an option in the House of Commons, I remain concerned about the impact on our Scottish democracy,” he said.

“There is still no response to the question of what happens if Scotland votes to remain again and the UK as a whole votes to leave. There is also all the precedence issues. If a confirmatory vote is required for the referendum on the EU, Unionists will equally insist on one following a successful outcome in a future independence referendum.

“If a ‘People’s Vote’ emerges as a real possibility, we should be outlining clearly what we wouldexpect in Scotland if the outcome repeats itself.”

Fellow SNP MP Angus MacNeil and MSPs Kenneth Gibson and Alex Neil also expressed misgivings with Neil saying he believed the First Minister bounced the party into backing a second EU vote by supporting it in a TV interview ahead of a conference vote in October.

The First Minister has suggested the precedent issue wouldn’t apply to a future independence referendum as full details about what independence would mean would be made clear ahead of any such vote. She said this clarity was not given before the EU referendum.

Overall, there is considerable backing for a second EU referendum among SNP parliamentarians with the majority of the party’s MSPs voting in favour of a non-binding motion on it in Holyrood last month.

According to a poll published yesterday, a majority of the UK public wants a second EU referendum, with 53% for a new vote, 36% against and the remainder undecided. The Sky survey also found that in a new referendum, the majority said they would vote to stay in the EU – 53% would vote for no Brexit, 32% for Brexit without a deal, and 16% for Brexit on the terms negotiated by Theresa May.

Despite the majority in favour of having another poll – and supporting remain – 51% also agreed holding a second referendum would break faith with voters. May is opposed a second EU referendum, but is coming under pressure from MPs across parties to support it in a bid to break a parliamentary deadlock over her deal.