John Major: Brexit could see Scotland quit UK in my lifetime

Former prime minister Sir John Major has warned that Brexit could lead to the break-up of the UK.

In a speech at the University of Glasgow yesterday, Sir John said it was “painful to come to terms with the possibility” that Scotland could leave the Union “within my lifetime”.

“Some argue that a break-up won’t happen, because economic logic is against it,” he said.

“But sentiment and emotion is a potent mix. Economic logic was against Brexit, yet look where we are now.” Sir John added Brexit meant that, for Scottish Nationalists, “the incentive to try again is clear”.

John Major said 'sentiment and emotion is a potent mix'. Picture: BBC

He said both main parties were being manipulated by fringe opinion. “In Parliament, the European Research Group has become a party within a party, with its own whips, its own funding and its own priorities,” Sir John said.

“Some of its more extreme members have little or no affinity to moderate, pragmatic and tolerant Conservatism.

“The ERG does not represent a majority view but – with a minority government, as now – can determine policy simply by being intransigent.”

Responding to a breakaway by Labour MPs, Sir John said one new party couldn’t represent moderate, centrist politics alone, arguing parties “must each retain a mainstream majority of their own”.