JK Rowling warns Scotland 'will seek independence now' after EU referendum

Rowling says she has never 'wanted magic more' after Britain votes for Brexit

The Harry Potter author wrote made the accusations in an essay on her website titled 'On Monsters, Villains the EU Referendum' (Ben Pruchnie/Getty Images)

JK Rowling has warned Scotland will seek independence after Britain voted to leave the European Union in one of the most divisive and consequential referendums in recent years.

Friday marked a historic day for Britain as the Leave campaign emerged victorious from the EU referendum with 52 per cent of the votes. More than 30 million people voted on Thursday, a turn-out of 71.8 per cent. While those in London and Northern Ireland overwhelmingly voted to remain, Wales voted to leave. Scotland voted against a Brexit with a majority of 62 per cent.

The Harry Potter author blasted David Cameron for holding a referendum on Britain’s place in the EU, warning the Prime Minister’s legacy would now be for “breaking up two unions”. Rowling campaigned strongly for Scotland to stay in the UK during the Scottish referendum.

In separate tweets shortly after it became apparent the UK had voted to leave, Rowling said she had never “wanted magic [to exist] more”. In her first, she bid farewell to the UK.

Mr Cameron has announced he will resign as Prime Minister after the result. Calls for his resignation were led by a jubilant Nigel Farage in a victorious speech and exacerbated by the plummeting value of the pound against the dollar as markets reacted to the prospect of Brexit.

Nicola Sturgeon said Scotland’s electorate had expressed their wish to stay in the European Union in an “unequivocal” vote to remain from all 32 areas of the country.

The SNP’s manifesto for May's Scottish Parliament election states another ballot should be held if there was a “significant and material” change in circumstances from the 2014 vote, such as Scotland being taken out of the EU against its will.

Former Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond told the BBC on Thursday he was certain Ms Sturgeon would implement the manifesto if England voted to leave the EU.

On Friday, he called for another referendum on Scottish independence to be held “within the context of two and a half years”. It “would make no sense to go out [of the EU] and back in”, Mr Salmond told BBC Radio 5 Live.

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