NICOLA Sturgeon will begin moves to stage a second independence referendum, Alex Salmond said, if a stronger-than-expected Leave vote in England carries the UK out of the EU.

Scots were on course to back Remain by a margin of nearly two to one, early results indicated.

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But with the UK-wide vote in the balance, Mr Salmond said he was "quite certain" the First Minister would begin moves for a re-run of the 2014 independence referendum in the event of Brexit.

"Scotland looks like it is gong to vote solidly Remain," he said.

"If there was a Leave vote in England, dragging us out the EU, I'm quite certain Nicola Sturgeon would implement the SNP manifesto."

The party's manifesto ahead of May's Scottish Parliament election said Holyrood should have the right to hold a second independence vote if there was a "significant and material" change in circumstances from 2014, such as Scotland being taken out of the EU against the wishes of most voters.

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During the campaign, Ms Sturgeon confirmed a second referendum would be "on the table" in that scenario.

However, she has also said she would not risk another vote unless polls showed a clear majority in favour of independence.

Her position - and the wording of the SNP manifesto - has led to speculation she would begin by challenging the UK Government to give similar guarantees about the legality of a future independence vote.

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The tactic would avoid Ms Sturgeon having to take a snap decision.

Mr Salmond has said it would take place within the two-year negotiating period between a Brexit vote and the UK's formal withdrawal from the EU, allowing Scotland to remain a member.

Orkney was the first local authority area in Scotland to declare its result, a win for Remain with 63 per cent of the vote.

Other early results also showed clear victories for the In camp: Clackmannanshire by 58 per cent; Shetland by 57 per cent; West Dunbartonshire by 62 per cent; and Dundee by 60 per cent.

Glasgow voted remain by 67 per cent on a relatively low turn-out in the city of 56 per cent.

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By 2.20am, when the city declared., turn-out across the country was 65 per cent but, after a low key campaign, lower than the rest of the UK.

Moray - an area predicted to vote Leave - backed Remain by just 50.1 per cent.

Edinburgh voted in favour of staying in the EU by an overwhelming 74 per cent.

Mr Salmond predicted a 60-40 Remain vote across Scotland as a whole, adding: "It looks like every single area of Scotland will vote for Remain."

He dismissed suggestions the SNP had undermined the Remain vote by criticising the Prime Minister's economic case for the staying in the EU.

He said: "On the contrary.

"I think it was really important for someone to say the style of the Remain campaign led by the Prime Minister and George Osborne was wrong.

"Scotland conducted a totally different campaign."

Rejecting complaints from pro-Remain Labour figures in England of low turn-out in Scotland, he said: "Our campaign in Scotland has yielded a very positive result.

"They should look to themselves."

The former First Minister said "another constitutional conundrum" remained possible: that Remain votes from Scotland and Northern Ireland could keep the UK in the EU despite a majority for Leave in England.

But David Davis, the Conservative MP and Brexit campaigner, said such an outcome would not cause a constitutional crisis.

He said: "Almost every pro-Leave MP is a strong Unionist.

"We accept the judgement of the whole Kingdom.

"If you believe in the Kingdom, you have to believe in the result across the whole Kingdom."

Angus Robertson, the SNP's Westminster leader and MP for Moray, also rejected claims the SNP should have campaigned harder.

He said: "Frankly to be lectured by the Labour Party which lost almost every single seat in Scotland, I don't think they're really qualified.

"We worked very hard. Remain is winning in Scotland."

Despite the solid Remain vote, Ukip MEP and Brexit campaigner David Coburn said: "I'd say on balance people in Scotland are unhappy with the European Union, a lot of them, a good percentage, are going to want to Leave.

"I think a lot of the SNP, ordinary members of the SNP, do not like the European Union and have voted for Leave whereas the leadership are completely out of touch, not only with their own membership but are also out of touch with the working people of Scotland."

Speaking at the count in Glasgow Mr Coburn added: "I think all this nonsense about Scotland being more pro (the EU)is just that. Nonsense."

He also rejected the idea of a second independence referendum.

"She won't do it, because she'll lose and she knows it.

"There's no appetite in Scotland for a second referendum. We had it, they lost, they should live with it."