Nicola Sturgeon has said a second independence referendum is "highly likely" after Scotland's voters overwhelmingly backed Remain.
Scotland was out of step with England and Wales after all 32 of its local authorities voted to stay in the EU.
Speaking this morning after the result was declared, the Scottish First Minister said it was "democratically unacceptable" that Scotland had been taken out of the union against its will.
She said the Scottish Government will now begin to prepare legislation for a second independence referendum to take place.
"The vote to leave the EU is one I deeply regret," she said.
"It remains my passion and belief that it is better for all parts of the UK to be members of the European Union.
"The vote across England and Wales was a rejection of the EU and it was a sign of divergence between Scotland and large parts of the rest of the UK and how we see our place in the world."
The previous Scottish independence referendum in 2014 saw 55.3 per cent of voters choose to remain as part of the UK.
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Ms Sturgeon added: “I am proud of Scotland and how we voted yesterday.
“We proved we are a modern, outward looking, open and inclusive country and we said clearly that we don’t want to leave the EU.”
The SNP manifesto for May's Holyrood elections said the Scottish Parliament "should have the right to hold another referendum if there is a significant and material change in the circumstances that prevailed in 2014, such as Scotland being taken out of the EU against our will".
