Nicola Sturgeon fired out a warning to any future Conservative prime minister, saying blocking a second independence referendum would be "democratically unacceptable".

Speaking to Robert Peston on ITV, Ms Sturgeon said Scotland had voted "overwhelmingly" to stay part of the European Union and her priority is now to have talks with Brussels with the aim of keeping the country in the EU.

No talks have taken place as yet, she said, but added she would be doing so "in the next few days".

However, she stressed leaving the EU - as the UK voted to do by 52% to 48% - would have "deeply damaging and painful consequences" for the country.

While the UK as a whole voted to leave the European Union last Thursday, Scots voted by 62% to 38% in favour of staying in - a result which prompted the First Minister to make clear that a second independence referendum is now "very much on the table".

She told ITV's Peston on Sunday programme: "If the Scottish Parliament votes to have another referendum in circumstances where that is the only thing we think we can do to protect our interests then frankly it is inconceivable that a Westminster government, who have thrust this situation upon us, would seek to block that, and I would seriously caution any prime minister, present or future, against doing that.

"It would be completely democratically unacceptable."

She hit out as two new polls showed a majority in favour of Scotland leaving the UK.

A Panelbase survey for the Sunday Times in Scotland found that when "don't knows" were excluded, 52% of those likely to vote would back independence, with 48% in favour of continuing as part of the UK.

A total of 626 people were questions for the research, which was conducted on Friday and Saturday, after the European referendum result was declared.

An online poll by ScotPulse - which is not a member of the British Polling Council - for the Sunday Post put support for independence higher than that , saying 59% would vote Yes in a second independence referendum, 32% would vote No and the remainder of the 1,600 sample were undecided.