WALES can pave the way for Scotland to become an independent country, the leader of the Welsh independence campaign has claimed.

Gwern Gwynfil, the CEO of YesCymru, said Wales could leave the Union before Scotland – which could accelerate the disintegration of the United Kingdom.

Writing in The National, the organisation’s first-ever full-time leader highlighted how nationalist sentiment had ballooned in Wales “catalyst of a referendum campaign”.

Gwynfil argued the prospects for Scottish independence were at a standstill – saying the Yes campaign did not have sufficient support for a clean break with the United Kingdom as well as lacking an exit strategy.

He said: “It is an absolute certainty that when Wales leaves the United Kingdom, the final full stop in the final chapter of this particular history will be written. Through Wales, Scotland can find a faster route to its own freedom.

“Support for Welsh independence has grown enormously in less than a decade.

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“A poll in Wales shortly before the Scottish referendum placed Yes at a mere 5%. Today, polling suggests a comfortable and fairly stable third of the population are Yes.

All this without the catalyst of a referendum campaign. With the precedent already established by Scotland it would be incredibly difficult to deny Wales the same opportunity to conduct its own independence referendum.

“Pushing Wales to the point where a referendum is desirable, viable and winnable may sound like a surprising route to Scottish independence but lateral pressure can certainly be more productive than direct confrontation.

“When Wales is leaving the Union how many of the ‘maybes’ in Scotland will still have doubts about indy?”

YesCymru had an advantage as an independence organisation, Gwynfil argued, because it was not “pinned to a political party” but rather a “pan-political movement”.

Gwynfil also poured cold water on other strategies being mulled by Yessers in Scotland – saying none were good vehicles to achieving independence.

He said: “There has been a great deal of discussion in Scotland of late, considerable turmoil too.

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“The next Westminster election as a ‘de facto’ poll on independence – problematic. Continue to fight for a second referendum – denied. Hope for influence in a hung Parliament after the next General Election – unlikely. Shelve the indy campaign for now and continue to play the game of government inside the Union structure – the Catalan model? This hasn’t worked well for the independence campaign in Catalonia, no reason to believe it will deliver for Scotland.

“I’d like to suggest an alternative for those who wish to accelerate the process and see Scottish independence sooner rather than later.

“Join YesCymru, lend your weight and voices in massive numbers to the campaign for Welsh independence.

“Stand and march with us side by side as Celtic cousins, celebrate the growth and continued success of the Welsh independence movement.

“Feed on that success and use it to make the 45%-55% Yes vote in Scotland a consistent 55%-65% Yes vote.”